Tony Alford tried to explain why he left Ohio State for Michigan, but the defense sounded thin.
Speaking with the Hail Media Group, Alford said the work itself is what matters, not the school on the door.
"They didn't say, 'You're a mentor of young men and young people, but only at these places.' You're going to do it holistically, or you're not. And it wasn't exclusive to where it has to be at Ohio State, so therefore it can't be at Michigan or vice versa."
That answer does little to erase how the move went down. In the spring of 2024, Alford left the Ohio State football program and headed to Ann Arbor in the middle of spring practice, catching the Buckeyes off guard. He also went to what the source describes as TTUN, and the timing only made the decision look worse.
The switch hasn’t exactly paid off for Alford. He watched his head coach get fired last year, and he and TTUN still haven’t won a postseason game. Ohio State, meanwhile, found a better fit in Carlos Locklyn.
Locklyn helped TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins each top 1,000 rushing yards in 2024 during Ohio State’s national championship run. He has also shown he can turn lower-ranked talent into something dangerous, including Bo Jackson, who is poised for another big season as a sophomore in 2026.
The on-field comparison got even uglier last season. Ohio State beat TTUN 27-9, and Alford’s backs managed just 99 rushing yards on 18 carries. Locklyn’s group rolled up 181 yards on the ground.
There’s more separation beyond that. Alford lost his best running back to injury last year, then decided to transfer away.
Ohio State, by contrast, has kept its top backs in place. The Buckeyes also passed on paying David Gabriel George’s NIL fee, even though he’s a five-star recruit.
Now Ohio State’s run game could be even more dangerous with Arthur Smith running the show. Practice has already shown multiple run-heavy formations, though the Buckeyes’ biggest weapons still live on the outside and are expected to do most of the damage this year.
Michigan has to come to Columbus this season, and based on what’s already happened, Alford doesn’t have much reason for confidence. If the losses to Ohio State keep piling up, he may wind up wondering why he ever left.
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