Tony Alford leaving Ohio State to take the running backs coach position at arch-rival Michigan was one of the more notable coaching moves during college football’s offseason.
In the process, the Buckeyes lost their second-longest tenured football assistant and the Wolverines gained a veteran coaching presence in the midst of other major changes at the program.
So why make the move? It was time.
“This is such a transient job that we have,” Alford explained on The John McCallister Report. “We all know that going into it.
“Nine years is like an eternity in the coaching profession. I was very fortunate for those nine years, as I said earlier. I just think it was time. I think it was time for them, Ryan Day, and Ohio State, and it was time for Tony Alford.
“I don’t think it was one party saying, ‘Screw you,’ It was never any of that. I just think for both parties, I think we both knew it. It was just time. I can tell you, I’m as happy as I’ve been in a long time as far as in my coaching profession.”
A former running back himself, Alford has been in the coaching ranks at the position for the past quarter century, and was with the Buckeyes since 2015.
He recruited and coached six different 1,000-yard backs at Ohio State and was promoted to the running game coordinator position by head coach Ryan Day two seasons ago.
Alford was the second-longest tenured coach at Ohio State, ranking behind just defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who joined the program in 2014.
Alford replaces the outgoing Mike Hart, a former Michigan running back and RBs coach who departed the program this offseason.
Had he stayed at Ohio State, Alford would have led one of college football’s most talented running back rooms.
The Buckeyes return veteran TreVeyon Henderson to the backfield, in addition to signing blue-chip transfer Quinshon Judkins, who led the SEC two seasons ago at Ole Miss.
Instead, Alford will help the Wolverines replace outgoing rusher Blake Corum and develop the team’s rushing capacity around returning back Donovan Edwards this season.
“I just think it was time for everyone involved,” Alford said. “Well, I know it was time for everyone involved. Not think. I know.”
(Alford)
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