Ohio State Hires Cortez Hankton as WR Coach

Ohio State University has reportedly hired Cortez Hankton as its new wide receivers coach, filling the vacancy left by Brian Hartline's departure to become head coach at the University of South Florida. The move comes less than 24 hours after the Buckeyes' season concluded with a 20-13 loss to Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on New Year's Eve at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Hankton, 44, joins Ohio State from Louisiana State University, where he served as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for the past two seasons. He arrived at LSU in January 2022 as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach before his promotion in 2024. During his tenure, the Tigers ranked among the Southeastern Conference's top two in passing offense twice, finishing first in 2023 and second in 2024. Hankton played a key role in developing standout receivers, including Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., both of whom were selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Nabers, chosen sixth overall by the New York Giants, earned unanimous All-American honors and finished second in the Biletnikoff Award voting for the nation's top receiver.