The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry has added one other intriguing layer with the Wolverines hiring Ohio State operating backs coach Tony Alford to the identical place with run-game coordinator duties. Alford replaces Mike Hart, who won’t return to UM’s workers below first-year coach Sherrone Moore.

“Tony is an elite operating backs coach who’s an impressive mentor and instance for younger males in all facets of soccer and life,” mentioned Moore in a press release. “I do know that he may have a profound influence on our operating again room and soccer program. We’re excited to have Tony and his spouse, Trina, and their boys be part of the Michigan Soccer Household.”

Alford is not simply any place coach, both. He has been a mainstay at Ohio State since touchdown with this system in 2015, having served below each City Meyer and Ryan Day, and helped develop a number of the prime operating again rooms in school soccer. Underneath Alford’s watch, 4 Ohio State operating backs have landed within the NFL Draft, with Miyan Williams prone to be part of the listing this spring. And the Buckeyes’ 2024 operating again room — that includes former No. 1 operating again recruit TreVeyon Henderson and Ole Miss switch Quinshon Judkins — might have been Alford’s greatest but in Columbus, Ohio. 

As an alternative, Alford is sliding over to the opposite facet of a bitter rivalry to affix Moore’s workers. The Wolverines have boasted one of many nation’s elite operating again rooms of their very own over the previous a number of years, headlined by unanimous All-American and School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship MVP Blake Corum. 

Touted operating again Donovan Edwards returns to highschool in 2024 with senior Kalel Mullings offering depth. The Wolverines additionally added four-star recruit Jordan Marshall, the No. 12 operating again within the Class of 2024. 

Whereas Michigan promoted Moore internally, the workers has seen a number of new additions. Veteran NFL defensive coordinator Wink Martindale leads a model new defensive workers after the majority of assistants adopted former coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. Nonetheless, Alford will be part of tight ends coach Steve Casula as the one new additions on offense. 

Alford’s monitor document

Underneath Alford’s watch, Ohio State’s operating backs room has constantly been the most effective in school soccer. He joined a nationwide championship room led by Ezekiel Elliott and coached him to All-America honors and Ameche-Dayne Operating Again of the 12 months honors within the Massive Ten. J.Okay. Dobbins was maybe his prize pupil, reaching 1,000 yards in all three of his seasons and clearing 2,000 in 2019. 

Over his first six full years at Ohio State — pandemic season apart — he produced six 1,000-yard operating backs. The Buckeyes failed to achieve the mark over the previous two seasons, however accidents and splitting carries performed a far bigger function. Henderson completed simply shy with 926 yards speeding in simply 10 video games. 

Along with operating backs coach, Alford served as run sport coordinator and assistant head coach for offense below Day.