Brian Hartline, a hoodie and a cigar? Meet the 7-on-7 football team that’s fueling Ohio State’s WR recruiting

Published Jul. 10, 2023, 5:00 a.m. By Stephen Means, cleveland.com COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There’s a picture that seems to pop up on social media every time Ohio State’s 2024 football recruiting class gets a commitment. Typically the announcements are followed by staff members tweeting out the word “BOOM” accompanied by some explosive meme or a series of emojis that show off their personality. Sometimes it’s defensive line coach Larry Johnson’s tweet of him dancing after a win, with the caption, “Boom Rushmen.” Other times it’s running back coach Tony Alford tweeting a captionless photo. Now a new social-media photo has emerged thanks to Ohio State’s longtime relationship with a Florida team that’s helping resource the Buckeyes’ explosive passing attack. And it’s all because of a hoodie that’s become one of high school football’s most coveted pieces of clothing -- with the help of OSU’s wide receiver coach Brian Hartline, and a cigar. “I can not tell you how many people inbox us for these hoodies,” Brett Goetz told cleveland.com. Goetz is the founder South Florida Express football team which has become the standard of excellence on the 7-on-7 circuit. The team has constantly been the team to beat every year and while producing numerous prospects who’ve gone on to play at the college and NFL level for almost 20 years. The team spits out top-100 recruits and has become such a college football household name that kids come from all over the country to play for them, even though it’s Miami-based. Name a college football team that has realistic national title aspirations, there’s a good chance there’s at least one player on the roster who came through the Express. That includes Ohio State, whose relationship with the Express goes back to the Jim Tressel days when the bulk of the program’s national recruiting efforts were focused in Florida. Urban Meyer continued that when he arrived from Florida and brought Ryan Shazier with him one of the first superstars from the Express. The four-star linebacker in the 2011 class went on to be an All-American and first-round NFL Draft pick. Now Day has continued that relationship, but even his relationship with the Express predates his time in Columbus. “When I got into 7-on-7, Day was one of the first coaches to ever call me and introduce himself,” Goetz said. “He just wanted to build a relationship and he was with Boston College at the time.” Day spent three different stints with the Eagles: first as a graduate assistant from 2003-04; then as a wide receiver coach from 2007-11; and finally as a offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from 2013-14. During that second stint, he was part of a recruitment to bring quarterback Geno Smith Jr. to Chesnut, Massachusetts, as a borderline top-100 recruit in 2009. Smith eventually chose West Virginia where he was a three-year starter before being a second-round pick to the New York Jets in 2013. He’s since spent time on four teams in eight seasons before having a breakout 2022, leading the Seatle Seahawks to a 9-8 record while completing a league-best 69% of his passes on his way to winning Comeback Player of the Year and making the Pro Bowl. Smith’s father, Geno Sr., remembers Day as a young assistant coach and even then could see he had head coaching in his future. “They had Geno No. 1 on their board,” Smith said. “It’s funny that he still remembered me from back then without anybody telling him. “He’s a leader of men. I’m not shocked at all that he’s become a head coach.” Now it’s 15 years later, and Day came back to the Smith family leaving a different outcome than when Boston College lost out to West Virginia for his signature. This time, it’s Ohio State beating out the rest of the country for his nephew Jeremiah Smith, the No. 2 player and top wide receiver in the 2024 recruiting class, which brings us back to that picture all over social media. Contrary to what you see on social media every time he does something, the five-star recruit actually isn’t that much of a talker. He’d actually rather keep to himself and not deal with people constantly sticking a camera in his face. But he is quite active on social media as are most kids his age are and he plays along with each OSU commitment the same as others by using a picture of Hartline smoking a cigar in his backyard wearing a hoodie that has the South Florida Express logo on it. “It’s crazy,” Goetz joked. “The other day I literally said to him we should auction his off.” That hoodie has become a hot topic within college football programs. Players and coaches alike are constantly reaching out hoping to get a hold of one. The most dominant team on the 7-on-7 circuit has somehow also become the hottest name in 7-on-7 fashion, and it’s made its way to Columbus. “When we came up for Student Appreciation Day, Day’s son (R.J.) wanted one, and he was wearing it at the practice,” Goetz said. “Now all these people are asking me about these hoodies.” The hoodie is another way to emphasize how cool the program is, and often that can be among the most important factors in the mind of a teenage prospect who has the world watching him. But the level of competition South Florida Express can provide is still the No. 1 why out-of-state players are banging down the doors hoping to get a spot. That includes fellow OSU five-star commits Mylan Graham —No. 19 player and No. 6 wide receiver — (an Indiana native) and Air Noland — No. 34 player and No. 4 quarterback — (a Georgia native) who’ve both spent time playing alongside Smith this offseason. “It was interesting to see how I played with other talented guys around me,” Graham told cleveland.com. “It also gave me a chance to get some chemistry with Jeremiah.” “The people around SFE are all genuine and love the game of football,” Noland told cleveland.com. “Everybody on the team has one goal, and that’s to go 1-0 every game. You’re the hunted when you’re playing with them, but those guys in Florida love football, and so do the people that come from out of town to play with them.” The Express has never lacked star power. Its alumni include Shazier, Smith Jr., Teddy Bridgewater, Amari Cooper, Devin Bush, Sony Michel, Asante Samuel and current Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter. But there’s a thought that perhaps Ohio State is starting to get the best the program has had to offer over the past few years, as Hartline has turned his wide receiver room into an NFL factory. Carnell Tate is a Chicago native who spent his final two high school seasons at IMG Academy in Florida, opening the door for him to be a constant SFE participant. Now he’s already turning heads in Columbus during his first spring as a Buckeye pass-catcher. Brandon Inniss might be the pride and joy of the team as a Miami native who grew up in the program. The five-star wideout comes to Columbus with high expectations, a product of what he spent doing on the 7-on-7 circuit. “Everyone always makes fun of me and says those are my favorites,” Goetz said. “But there’s nobody like those two and there’s been some really elite guys. “They were so mature and so loyal to our program. I’m not just saying it because they’re Ohio State guys. Brandon dominated, was consistent and was always the best player on the field. Carnell was an elite athlete and a very smooth route runner and I always respected his maturity.” Then there’s Smith, who might end up being the best of all of them and the best player Hartline’s ever brought to Columbus. “Football’s his life,” Goetz said of Smith. “He loves to play and he loves to compete. I’d imagine with most players who are great, that’s who they are, and JJ has all those characteristics to be great plus the physical part. He’s enormous and every time I see him he gets bigger.” Whether it’s long-term SFE players like Inniss, Smith and Tate, or players like Graham and Noland who only spent a few weekends with the team, there’s a common trait they all have that makes them perfect for Ohio State: Maturity. Goetz and Smith have known Hartline for a long time, so constantly sending wide receivers to him is a no-brainer as long as the fit is right. That’s the part Goetz got to see firsthand out in California this summer where a few Buckeyes were in attendance. “I called Hartline afterward praising his receiver room because it’s different,” Goetz said. “I know Brandon and Carnell have a level of maturity, focus and love for football. You’re never gonna have off-the-field issues with them. “But I had a chance to meet Emeka (Egbuka) and that was a whole new world of maturity. I called Hartline and told him now I know what belongs in your room. I know what you’re looking for. “It was interesting meeting Emeka and realizing what’s in that room besides just football talent.” That realization is why the SFE-to-OSU pipeline won’t be ending anytime soon. The famous hoodie will continue to be a common sight within the Woody Hayes Athletic facility every offseason. And most importantly, Smith won’t be the last top-tier talent who posts a picture of relaxed Hartline sporting the hoodie while lighting a cigar as a way to celebrate the next prospect who signs up to be a Buckeye. Ohio State’s relationship with the South Florida Express didn’t start with Day and Hartline. But those two have raised the standard for what the benefits of that relationship can be by finding the perfect kids. “There’s a lot of things to like about Ohio State,” Goetz said. “Most of the kids that go up there aren’t worried about being in the cold, because they’re there for football. They’re there to be in one of the blueblood programs in America and maybe think a little bit out of the box.” Ohio State’s relationship with South Florida Express spans three eras of head coaches and each has been tasked with heading to SEC country searching for talent willing to think outside of the box and help the Buckeyes compete for national championships. That almost 20-year relationship has helped the nation’s best wide receiver room reload for its future. That reload doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon, and now there’s a picture OSU can use to remind the world of that every time somebody decides to be next in line.