Report: Oregon sues former RBs coach Carlos Locklyn over buyout amount owed

Oregon is suing former running backs coach Carlos Locklyn over the amount of his buyout owed to the school, The Oregonian’s James Crepea reported. Locklyn is now the running backs coach at Ohio State.

Oregon’s suit is for a breach of contract, filed in the Lane County Circuit Court earlier this month, according to The Oregonian. According to the claim, Locklyn owed Oregon 50% of his remaining salary as a buyout, which amounted to approx. $400,000, at the time of his April 2024 departure. Oregon has yet to receive those funds, per the report.

The school also said Locklyn, “took the position that the amount due is $200,000,” The Oregonian said. Per his contract at Ohio State, Locklyn would be paid $200,000 toward his Oregon buyout. UO is seeking $400,000 as well as 9% interest, saying Locklyn “will be unjustly enriched to the University’s detriment” until it receives the funds.

The former Ducks assistant also mailed a personal check to the school in May 2024 for $200,000, and UO said it “would not accept the payment as full satisfaction of the amount due,” per the report. Oregon then said it returned the check in July 2024 “to ensure that acceptance of the partial payment would not be deemed acceptance and satisfaction of the full amount owed.”

Carlos Locklyn arrived at Ohio State last season following the departure of Tony Alford, who headed to rival Michigan. He oversaw a Buckeyes running backs room that included the two-headed monster of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, who are both projected second-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. They played crucial roles running an offense that eventually won the national championship against Notre Dame.

Oregon, meanwhile, hired Ra’Shaad Samples to replace Locklyn. The Ducks ranked sixth in the Big Ten with 157.9 rushing yards per game, led by Jordan James. He had a team-high 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.

Locklyn spent two seasons at Oregon following a one-year stint as the running backs coach at Western Kentucky. Prior to that, he worked as Florida State’s director of high school relations in 2020 after three years at Memphis and a career coaching at the high school level.