Joe Philbin's run with the Miami Dolphins coincided with some of the most productive seasons of Brian Hartline's NFL career.
And now that the pair are reunited at Ohio State, Hartline is confident that Philbin's wealth of pro football experience will be a welcome addition to the Buckeyes' staff.
"At the NFL level, we don't have a ton of one-on-one time with the head coach. I mean, my one-on-one time would be with my position coach. So I think it's very cool to have Coach Philbin around now, and for me to have this opportunity to learn from him, which I really didn't have back then," Hartline said, via Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors.
"I think the addition of Joe has been phenomenal," he continued. "I think both from the former head coach, offensive coordinator, O-line play, the wealth of knowledge when it comes to football. I mean, there's so many litany of things that he brings to the building. How approachable he is, how coachable to coaches he's going to be. There has been so many positives to having Joe on this staff."
Philbin will serve as an analyst for Ohio State this season, giving Hartline and the rest of the OSU coaching staff another set of eyes on offense.
"To say it's not pretty cool, in my perspective, to be around Coach Philbin again in a different light, in a different way, would be an understatement," Hartline admitted. "So very happy he's here."