Ohio State’s “Wide Receiver U” era is turning the page. Brian Hartline’s departure to become USF’s head coach left a noticeable void, one that fans felt during OSU’s quarterfinal loss to Miami, where his playcalling was absent. Now, the Buckeyes are ready to reload.

Ohio State is expected to hire Cortez Hankton as its new wide receivers coach beginning in 2026. Hankton’s résumé checks out, too. He has coached at LSU and Georgia and has developed current NFL stars like Malik Nabers, George Pickens, Ladd McConkey, and Brian Thomas Jr., making elite receiver development second nature to him.

Cortez Hankton spent four years with the Bulldogs before landing at LSU. Over the last two seasons, he served as the Tigers’ co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. That said, when Lane Kiffin took over as LSU’s head coach, he chose not to retain Hankton. Now, Ryan Day must justify the hire after another coach decided Hankton wasn’t the right fit for his staff. Ohio State still hasn’t filled its offensive coordinator spot, but things are finally starting to move now that the season is officially over.

Ryan Day can’t afford to miss here, as fans are already frustrated with how the year ended. The Buckeyes are still trying to pick up the pieces after an ugly finish to the 2025 season. They dropped their final two games and managed just 24 combined points, an embarrassing way for a team chasing back-to-back national titles to go out. Brian Hartline’s departure only added to the chaos.

The original plan was for Hartline to stay on as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach through the College Football Playoff. But for the Cotton Bowl, Ryan Day took over primary play-calling duties. The move aimed to ease Hartline’s workload as he balanced his responsibilities at OSU while preparing for his new job. Hartline moved from the coach’s box to the sidelines to focus solely on the wide receivers. Unfortunately, that decision backfired badly against Miami.

Ohio State brings its 2025 season to an end

Miami’s defensive front completely overwhelmed Ohio State’s offensive line, especially in the first half. The Buckeyes gave up five sacks and allowed constant pressure on quarterback Julian Sayin. Right guard Gabe VanSickle struggled early and got benched, while left tackle Austin Siereveld went down with an injury. Things went from bad to worse when Sayin threw two interceptions, one of them a 72-yard pick-six by Miami’s Keionte Scott on a poorly blocked screen pass that handed Miami a huge 14–0 lead in the second quarter.

The running game? Brutal. Ohio State finished the first half with minus-3 rushing yards and ended the game with just 45 total. They didn’t establish any kind of physical presence until after halftime adjustments. Third down wasn’t much better either, as the Buckeyes converted only 4 of 11 chances, allowing Miami’s defense to get off the field and keep the momentum. Then there was the missed opportunity before halftime. Kicker Jayden Fielding pushed a 49-yard field goal wide.

The miss could’ve finally put Ohio State on the board and shifted some momentum heading into the break.

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Naturally, fans weren’t having it. And most of the frustration landed squarely on Ryan Day. One fan summed it up perfectly: “Gotta blame Ryan Day for not investing in a f—— kicker. Their kicker can hit 49-yarders. We cannot. Laughable.”

And honestly, it’s true. This wasn’t a one-off. Even last year against Michigan, Fielding missed key kicks, again against Indiana, and now here. At some point, it stops being bad luck and begins to look like a problem that is not being addressed properly. Ryan Day has yet to land a reliable kicker through the portal.