Examining the fascinating layers of running backs coach Tony Alford departing Ohio State for Michigan

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore made a splash hire Wednesday, swiping Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford to the same position with the Wolverines. 

It’s a rather fascinating move, and one with lots of layers between two bitter rivals in a never-ending game of one-upmanship.

Buckeye Nation…. pic.twitter.com/R5a4fTMskL

— Coach Tony Alford (@CoachTonyAlford) March 13, 2024

Here’s three thoughts on why Alford leaving Ohio State for the reigning national champions (and the hated “Team Up North”) is so intriguing. 

Mike Hart out, Tony Alford in

Throughout the offseason, it’s been notable that Michigan never announced the addition of running backs assistant Mike Hart to Sherrone Moore’s staff. 

The school’s all-time leading rusher spent the last four seasons on Jim Harbaugh’s staff, but Hart didn’t follow Harbaugh to the NFL. Initially, many assumed he would join Moore’s inaugural staff, but as the weeks passed by, that seemed less and less likely. 

Hart was critical to Michigan’s resurgence in recent years, overseeing a room with Hassan Haskins (1,327 yards, 20 touchdowns) in 2021 during the Wolverines’ first of three-straight Big Ten titles. He recruited Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, both of whom became stars in Michigan’s backfield, too. 

But for whatever reason (and there are theories!), the beloved alum is out, and less than a week later, Moore has Hart’s replacement in the door. 

It’s a bit of a game of deja vu for the two rivals as well, as Day famously poached two coaches from Michigan (defensive coordinator Greg Mattison and linebackers coach Al Washington) for his inaugural staff in 2019, and now Moore returned the favor. 

The wild timing of the move 

Tony Alford worked for both Urban Meyer and Ryan Day at Ohio State. He’s mainlined “The Team Up North” hate for nearly a decade. He coached the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, Mike Weber, JK Dobbins, TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams. 

He was set to coach the best running back room in America this season with Henderson, Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins, talented junior Dallan Hayden and a couple of 4-star signees. 

Instead, a week into spring practice, he bolted Columbus for (reportedly) a slight raise waiting in Ann Arbor.

Next season, he’ll get to coach Edwards, who is returning for his senior season, and 2024 signee Jordan Marshall, an Ohio native who spurned Alford and the Buckeyes to sign with Michigan. 

According to Ohio State insiders, the move wasn’t overly stunning because Alford, unlike some other Buckeyes assistant coaches, didn’t receive a raise or extension this offseason. But Day definitely didn’t want to lose Alford — especially now and in a lateral move to his team’s arch-rival. 

Ohio State just lost a strong recruiter and a veteran staffer who can now give Moore at least a clue into what the Buckeyes are doing in their 2024 all-in attempt to end Michigan’s three-game winning streak and reclaim the throne as the kings of the Big Ten. 

That’s not ideal!

Day is in a bit of a bind, but he should still be able to land a home run hire

Ryan Day has made plenty of staff changes since becoming Ohio State’s head coach but has never had to hire a running backs coach since he inherited Alford from Meyer’s staff and kept him on board. With Alford now gone, it’s the latest staff shakeup for Day entering a pivotal 2024 season, too. 

And yet, although the timing of Alford’s departure isn’t great, Day should be able to hire pretty much whoever he wants.

The job description for the Ohio State running backs assistant job is damn attractive: Coach the best 1-2 punch in the country in 2024, work with offensive guru Chip Kelly and recruit only 4 and 5-star talent at the position. 

Ohio State, which is on spring break the rest of the week, should be able to navigate a few practices with GAs and other assistants while Day sorts through his potential options to fill the role. You don’t want the job to be vacant all spring, but I don’t think it will be. 

The Buckeyes’ ground game badly regressed in 2022 (138.8 yards per game, down from 192.4 the previous season), but with a healthy Henderson and the addition of Judkins, the team’s rushing attack looked positioned for a rebound in Chip Kelly’s offense.

I don’t think that changes despite Alford’s departure, either. The Buckeyes will simply have a new assistant blessed with coaching a loaded room.