Ohio State loses a major recruiter after Tony Alford left for Michigan

Ohio State didn't just lose a long-tenured football assistant when Tony Alford bolted for Michigan. It lost one of the team's biggest recruiters.

Reactions continue to pour in after one of the more notable coaching moves this college football offseason after former Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford left the school for the same position at arch-rival Michigan.

In the process, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes didn't just lose one of their longest-tenured assistant coaches on the sideline, but they also lost one of their most successful, tenacious recruiters.

That's according to 247Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Loy, who told the College Football Recruiting Show that Alford is a force to be reckoned with on the recruiting trail, and one that Ohio State just lost to its bitter rival.

"He is a terrific recruiter and great human being," Loy said. "He is a tremendous, tremendous recruiter. He is all about relationships. He is a great ball coach. He's hit the portal hard. He's doing it at the high school level. 

Loy added, "He was a big, big addition for Ohio State over the last couple of years. He's going to do a phenomenal job at Michigan. This is a really, really good hire. He's going to have that running back room cooking for the next couple of years."

Related: Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith reacts to Alford, Michigan news

Why leave for Michigan? Loy speculates that Alford could see "an opportunity" with the Wolverines over the next few seasons that could afford him a chance "to take the next step in his coaching career. I know he wants to be a head coach some day."

Alford was the second-longest tenured football assistant at Ohio State, having served on the staff since 2015 in the days of Urban Meyer. Now, the Buckeyes will look to replace not just a long-time fixture, but a special piece of their recruiting puzzle.

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