Sherrone Moore has made another surprising move by hiring Tony Alford, the running backs coach from Ohio State, to replace Mike Hart at Michigan.
Sources have revealed to The Michigan Insider that Sherrone Moore has achieved another significant victory over Ohio State by convincing Tony Alford, the Buckeyes’ running backs coach/run game coordinator/assistant head coach, to replace Mike Hart. This move, anticipated for days on TMI, indicates Moore’s extensive efforts in what is arguably his most impressive staff maneuver to date. Despite spring practice being well underway in Columbus, Moore successfully lured Alford away from Ryan Day, despite him being the highest-paid running backs coach in the Big Ten.
Alford’s move comes as a surprising development, especially considering the history of assistants crossing rivalry lines. While Al Washington and Greg Mattison made similar moves, Alford’s departure lacks the same obvious incentives. Washington had personal connections to Day and Columbus, while Mattison was enticed by a substantial pay raise and a promotion to co-defensive coordinator.
Arriving in Ann Arbor, Alford brings with him a stellar reputation as one of the most respected running backs coaches in the nation. He spent eight seasons at Ohio State and six at Notre Dame, mentoring notable talents such as Ezekiel Elliott, Mike Weber, J.K. Dobbins, and TreVeyon Henderson at Ohio State. Additionally, during his tenure at Notre Dame, Alford guided Michael Floyd to consecutive 1000-yard receiving seasons.
Alford’s reputation extends beyond his coaching prowess; he’s also renowned as one of the top recruiters in the nation, boasting an impressive track record of landing four-star prospects, including standout recruit TreVeyon Henderson, the lone five-star on his list. Hailing from Akron, Ohio, Alford will team up with fellow Ohio native Greg Scruggs to bolster Michigan’s recruiting efforts in the Buckeye State.
With Alford’s addition, Moore’s on-field staff is now complete. The recent hires for defensive staff members, including Scruggs, Wink Martindale, Brian Jean-Mary, and Lamar Morgan, were finalized yesterday after extensive background checks conducted over the span of a couple of weeks.
Moving forward, Moore will focus on assembling his support staff, which will include new hires for roles such as director of recruiting and assistant recruiting directors for offense and defense.
For further updates on this developing story, stay tuned to The Michigan Insider in the coming hours.
