Michigan Hires OSU RB Coach Tony Alford
Michigan fans don't have to be told how frustrating it is when a top assistant leaves for a rival. I mean, when this much hate's involved, you'd think there'd be something like loyalty, right? But like they said when Greg Mattison and Al Washington left Ann Arbor for the formerly perennial Big Ten champs, when you can't beat 'em…
BREAKING: #Michigan to hire Ohio State RB coach Tony Alford to replace Mike Hart. #GoBlue (STORY) https://t.co/bJ6fhb6odf pic.twitter.com/bDMqtG8dGi
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) March 13, 2024
Doubtless this is the funniest thing that could have resulted from Mike Hart's departure. Alford was a staple at OSU for almost a decade. He was the highest paid running backs coach in the Big Ten, grew up (mostly) in Ohio as the son of a Buckeye alum, played for Urban Meyer in college, and was reportedly a long associate of Ryan Day before Day joined Alford at OSU in 2017.
So...why is he doing this (other than going from the Big Ten's #2 team to the defending national champs?) Well, everyone's speculating. Sam Webb reports the money won't be significantly different($). Day's program was two days into its 2024 spring practices, their first under new OC Chip Kelly, who presumably has different ideas about running on 3rd & 2. 11W notes Alford's last contract, like Hart's, expired after last season. While it's common for assistants to be at-will employees in college football, Sherrone Moore was likely able to offer a lot more stability on his new staff. Alejandro Zuniga adds that Alford has head coaching aspirations, and that Michigan's been a better launching pad for that sort of thing lately.
Moore also offered an opportunity to be one of two guys on the staff who are older than I am. Alford moved to Colorado in high school, played his college ball for Urban at Colorado State in the early '90s, and got his coaching start in high schools before rapidly moving up as a running backs coach for Mount Union, Kent State, Iowa State, Washington, Louisville (leaving after 2008 so no overlap with 2009-'11 GA Sherrone Moore), and Notre Dame, where Alford coached a year under Charlie Weiss. Alford was the only staff member retained by Brian Kelly, who made him a receivers coach, then the recruiting coordinator through 2014, when Urban Meyer hired Alford to replace Stan Drayton. There, Alford caught the tail end of Ezekiel Elliott, coached the entire career of JK Dobbins, was the architect of the Treyveon Henderson/Chip Trayanum/Miyan Williams/Dallan Hayden/Evan Pryor backfield, and recently recruited Ole Miss star Quinshon Judkins (and onetime Jay Harbaugh who-dat target) out of the portal.
Even without the rivalry aspect Alford would be a big hire from a recruiting standpoint. Ohio State is a good platform for this, but Alford has been one of the best recruiters in the nation. In addition to backs like TreVeyon Henderson and JK Dobbins, in his time with OSU and Notre Dame Alford served as primary (via 247) for OSU guys like George Fitzpatrick and Tyreke Smith, and ND's Louis Nix. That list shows strong connections across Texas, Florida, and especially Ohio. That last is an important consideration given Michigan lost Steve Clinkscale to the NFL this offseason. Alford also famously convinced Mike Weber to stick with OSU after Drayton left the day after Signing Day.
Well how bout that.
SMASH
This day brings back Natty Night...soo joyful, while gaining foothold with rivals and especially The Game.
I believe it was Urban Meyer and not Ryan Day who hired Alford in 2014?
And what is the Boston College connection to Ryan Day? I don't see BC anywhere in Alford's background?
Yeah, I hit publish instead of publish to draft. Meyer/Day was a typo, the other was a thing Sam said that I was still looking up and couldn't confirm. Day had two stints at BC a decade apart so if it happened it was probably in the early 2000s. Had it fixed in 5 mins. Sorry about that.
This is maybe my third post ever, even though I've been a reader since forever and am old enough to have been in the Big House as a kid when Harbaugh tossed a bomb to beat Ohio State in 1985. I only post to express my grave disappointment in this egregious error. That you fixed it quickly is cold comfort. Do better, Seth! Goddammit, you've ruined my day now :)
Thanks Seth, no worries. Just wasn't sure if I was missing something.
First incorrectly giving Dax Hill credit for a kickoff return TD on Barret's lateral to AJ Henning, and now this. What next?
Saw the Alford news on SI, but haven’t seen it mentioned on that shit stain ESPN site.
Hopefully Seth doesn’t portal out to 11 Warriors!
He needs to do what is right for his family.
I have not idea what is going on with Hart but what are the odds that OSU reaches out to him to be their running back coach?
Idk but zero that he goes there.
It sounded like Hart is not going to be coaching anywhere for the near term.
Dean Wormer has your answer
I have not idea what is going on with Hart but what are the odds that OSU reaches out to him to be their running back coach?
Same as the last time you asked?
Cleaver way to strategically to get double negs. Let’s see how that plays out, Cotton.
Poor OSU. They are going to have to change their signs again.
And now their playbook as well. Karma is the last word.
It's so funny seeing OSU fans bitch about this on social media as if they didn't poach Mattison and Washington a few years ago and have our signs
This should tell everyone exactly what OSU really thinks about Signgate when they're not talking to the public.
Yep. Would love to see some secrets about bOnSU to be revealed through this hire.
It seems like the Louisville connection may have played a role here although Sherrone's time there doesn't line up with Alfrord's. It's a great sign that Sherrone is focusing on guys who can recruit. Get that NIL money cannon loaded up and LFG!
Job security move? Sherrone's just getting started here and Day will be out if the cooler poopers lose to Michigan again.
It would be a damn shame if one of their running backs decided to follow him to play for a school that actually runs the ball.
you hate to see it.
You know how I know this is an excellent hire and that the Buckeyes are legitimately surprised and upset over him leaving? They arent bashing him publicly and talking shit about how glad they are to see him go.
Being a Browns twitter guy most of the locals I follow for Browns news also cover OSU. To a man they are saying this a loss for OSU and a huge win for Michigan.
sure they are, you're just not digging deep enough.
They arent bashing him publicly and talking shit about how glad they are to see him go.
Uhhh Idk where you've been looking, but they've most certainly been doing this. There's plenty of buckeyes claiming Alford sucks at recruiting, that it was a mutual departure, and that he's the reason why their run game has struggled recently. There is no evidence of any of this at the moment
March 13th, 2024 at 10:26 PM ^
So why did the "mutual departure" happen in the middle of March?
Any chance he's a mole?
Hope not, Donovan already struggles with vision.
The Don is on the way to rewriting the position like Walter and Barry.
After the PI BS, this was my first thought as well. From snooping, now they've moved on to full-on espionage.
I know they've started spring practice and honest, I tried to think of the children, but bwahahahahahah!
Ok, somewhat serious vibes-wise - I've ping-ponged this off-season on whether OSU was set for a scary/special season, or whether they've got some deep-rooted problems that exposed themselves at the Cotton Bowl and with McCord leaving. Retaining everyone they did had led me to think they were set to be scary.
But seeing a veteran RBs coach head off - reportedly because OHIO STATE can't match his pay - and not to an NFL team, but to your rival? I mean, there had to have been some sort of personality clashes with Kelly or something there, right? Sky isn't falling in C-bus but any Buckeye trying to say "we didn't want him" is full of cope. Best case - you got out-bought by your rival. Which is not credulous, and not great. Medium-case - he somehow felt the RBs position at Michigan gave him a better opportunity, which on the surface is not great. Worst case - you've got a problem with your team culture and lost a long time position coach because of it. That's probably reductive.
Nevertheless...this is pretty funny. And puts their much celebrated (in Ohio) Off-Season Championship at risk.
IMO the big Cardi B style money moves were more an act of desperation than evidence of them really having their shit together. Which isn’t to say the move won’t pay off necessarily- but if it does, it’s only because they threw everything they could think of at a serious issue, and the likely payout from bringing in mercenaries is short-term. Is it sustainable? Will it address the root cause of their recent failures? I don’t think so. And as you point out, losing their RB coach in this fashion indicates there are still *some* troubles in the verdant earthly paradise that is called Cumbus Ohio.
"Cumbus" sounds like one of the seemingly endless iterations of porn sites with some nasty gimmick from like 15-20 years ago.
Cardi B? So I'm guessing his cleats have red bottoms.
I dunno. Looking at the comparative rushing stats in the last 3 games in the series, I'm not necessarily that excited. Hope time proves me wrong.
Looking at the comparative run blocking skills of the offensive lineman, I’m generally baffled by your comment.
And puts their much celebrated (in Ohio) Off-Season Championship at risk.
Yep. Time to bring down the Offseason Championship banners!
We are laughing
Great hire, by all accounts dude is a stud recruiter. But this isn't exactly the "jaw dropping" hire Sam Webb made it out to be on 247 - like many I am done paying for "insider" information.
Hiring a stud recruiter away from your arch rival isn't "jaw dropping". Some of you are just looking for reasons to be mad at insiders.
Who would have been jaw dropping to you?
Hike Mart, mustachioed former RB at Slippery Rock.
Comments