Ohio State’s Brian Hartline leaving for USF head coaching position
Ohio State offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Brian Hartline is leaving the Buckeyes for the USF head coaching position.
While South Florida facing Old Dominion doesn’t seem like a top-tier bowl matchup by any measure, the two college football teams were once set to have a battle between two of the best non-Power Four quarterbacks this season.
However, the Bulls and Monarchs, who both went 9-3 this season, will be without their starting quarterbacks Byrum Brown and Colton Joseph, respectively.
Brown, a multi-year starter, is sitting out and will instead serve as a “coach” in the game. Joseph, a sophomore, announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.
Some college football fans were likely looking forward to the matchup in the Cure Bowl to get a look at their favorite program’s potential new quarterback via the transfer portal. Now they’ll have to settle with regular season highlights.
Here’s why Brown and Joseph aren’t playing in the Cure Bowl on Dec. 17.
Why Byrum Brown, Colton Joseph are sitting out Cure Bowl
South Florida CEO Rob Higgins announced he and new Bulls coach Brian Hartline mutually agreed it was best for Brown to sit out the Cure Bowl. It appears Brown could be headed to the transfer portal, especially after former coach Alex Golesh left for Auburn.
“Bulls Nation, we wanted to share that Coach Hartline and I continue to have great conversations with Byrum Brown and his family about his future at USF,” Higgins wrote Dec. 10 on social media. “In the spirit of transparency and based off the recent coaching transition here, we mutually determined with Byrum that it’s best for him to not play in next week’s Cure Bowl.”
Higgins said Brown continues to appear at every practice and has been “incredible in supporting his teammates.” Brown will serve as coach in the game, allowing backup Gaston Moore to start in his final collegiate game.
Joseph was among the first quarterbacks to announce his intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens, doing so in a social media post on Dec. 9. Joseph, leaving the program, obviously won’t start in the Cure Bowl after the decision.
Joseph is currently the No. 6-ranked quarterback to announce transfer portal intentions, according to 247Sports. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Byrum Brown stats
Here are Brown’s year-by-year stats in college:
- 2022 (USF): 36 of 50 passing (72%) for 404 yards with five touchdowns to an interception; 31 carries for 179 yards with three touchdowns
- 2023 (USF): 276 of 426 passing (64.8%) for 3,292 yards with 26 touchdowns to 11 interceptions; 203 carries for 809 yards with 11 touchdowns
- 2024 (USF): 78 of 132 passing (59.1%) for 836 yards with two touchdowns; 68 carries for 269 yards with three touchdowns
- 2025 (USF): 226 of 341 passing (66.3%) for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions; 175 carries for 1,008 yards with 14 touchdowns
Colton Joseph stats
Here are Joseph’s year-by-year stats:
- 2024 (Old Dominion): 133 of 222 passing (59.9%) for 1,627 yards with 11 touchdowns to five interceptions; 114 carries for 647 yards with 11 touchdowns
- 2025 (Old Dominion): 173 of 290 passing (59.7%) for 2,624 yards with 21 touchdowns to 10 interceptions; 158 carries for 1,007 yards with 13 touchdowns
