Tony Alford gets a promotion.
After seven seasons with the Buckeyes, Ohio State's running backs coach is getting some added responsibilities as Alford has been given a raise and a new title as the team's run game coordinator, in addition to his previous duties.
Congrats @CoachTonyAlford for being promoted to Run Game Coordinator#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/GrYlKOysAF
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 18, 2022
"Tony has continually mentored and produced tough, reliable and productive running backs for the Buckeyes,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said in a release. “He has a terrific understanding of how to get his student-athletes to perform at such a high rate of competitiveness, and I’m really pleased to promote him to run game coordinator.”
Alford joined Ohio State's staff ahead of the 2015 season and has since coached Ezekiel Elliott, Curtis Samuel, Mike Weber, J.K. Dobbins, and Trey Sermon all of whom were selected in the NFL Draft. Elliott and Dobbins are currently NFL starters.
Following the 2021 regular season, Alford had a chance to leave Ohio State to join Brian Kelly's new staff at LSU but chose to remain with the Buckeyes, telling The Columbus Dispatch "I LOVE it here. Not like it — LOVE IT!!"
"I've got a great room," Alford told The Dispatch. "I've got great kids that I have so much respect and admiration for. I hope that they believe that I give them as much as they give me.
"I'm working with the best head coach in all of college football, and I've got unbelievable kids. Why would I leave?"
Alford's current starter at running back is TreVeyon Henderson, who was the top running back in the 2021 recruiting class. Ohio State's running backs room also includes Miyan Williams, who averages 7 yards per carry and has multiple 100-yard games, in addition to Marcus Crowley, Evan Pryor and incoming Freshman Dallan Hayden.
With Alford's promotion, Ohio State now has Kevin Wilson as its offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline as its passing game coordinator, Justin Frye as an associate head coach for offense and Alford as the running game coordinator. None of them are them will call plays for the offense, however, as Ryan Day will retain that responsibility.
