Scarlet Sunrise: Ryan Day believes Carlos Locklyn will bring 'edge' to Ohio State running back room
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Ryan Day believes Carlos Locklyn will bring ‘edge’ to Ohio State running back room
Ohio State identified between 10-12 candidates to replace Tony Alford as running backs coach. The Buckeyes interviewed at least seven of those candidates.
They chose Oregon’s Carlos Locklyn.
“They” as in not only head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly but also the Ohio State running backs, who Day made part of the hiring process after Alford left for Michigan two practices into spring ball.
“We wanted to find somebody who really wanted to be at Ohio State at a high level. Carlos does that. He checks that box,” Day said Tuesday on 97.1 The Fan’s “Morning Juice.” “In the end, narrowed it down and felt like Carlos was our guy. He brings a lot of energy to the table.”
Day explained that, actually, some of his running backs already knew Locklyn because of recruiting. The fact that there’s a bit of an existing relationship there for part of the backfield factored in.
So did Locklyn’s unconventional career arc.
Before he spent two seasons at Oregon as part of Dan Lanning’s inaugural staff and before he coached running backs at Western Kentucky in 2021, he served in off-field roles at Florida State and Memphis.
While he was at Memphis, initially serving as a weight room assistant, he was still working in law enforcement before he pivoted to coaching full-time.
And before getting his foot in the door at the college level, Locklyn — who played running back at Chattanooga — was coaching at four different Tennessee high schools from 2009-16.
“I love that about him,” Day said, when asked about Locklyn’s road less traveled. “Like some of us in this profession, he came up not in a football family. Grew up and kind of had to figure it out on their own. He’s one of those people.
“When you listen to how he came up in this thing, he’s very appreciative of all the opportunities he’s gotten. But he’s earned them all, and he deserved them all. I think he really earned and deserved this opportunity.”
Locklyn helped Oregon produce a top-30 rushing attack each of the two years he was with the Ducks. Perhaps most notably, he assisted Minnesota transfer Bucky Irving in posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Also, Locklyn brought Noah Whittington with him from Western Kentucky to Oregon, and Whittington logged 779 yards on the ground his first year with the Ducks. Last season, Jordan James stepped up as RB2 in Eugene with 759 rushing yards.
But, above all else, Locklyn is known for his passion and his work ethic. Day is confident the 46-year-old assistant will bring an “edge” to the offense and the running back room especially.
“I think he’s gonna have a great impact on our team and a great impact on recruiting,” Day said. “I think he’s gonna be a tremendous coach.”
What We Learned from Justin Frye with Buckeyes offensive line pecking order beginning to shake out
Ohio State’s offensive line was a work-in-progress throughout the 2023 season. And just when it looked like the unit had turned the corner, it had notable missteps in The Game and then an embarrassing performance in the Cotton Bowl.
As much as the attention is on the quarterback battle this offseason, the O-Line situation is of equal importance. Luckily for the Buckeyes, they are in a better place up front than they were this time last year.
Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye met with the media Monday, and Lettermen Row recapped what we learned as the Buckeyes’ pecking order in the trenches begins to shake out.
Go here for the latest on the Ohio State O-Line.
RELATED
Bruce Thornton announces return, Meechie Johnson announces he’s transferring back to Ohio State
Ohio State men’s basketball got some huge news Tuesday. For one, star point guard and two-time Buckeyes captain Bruce Thornton is coming back for the 2024-25 season rather than flirting with the NBA Draft or, more importantly, transferring to another program.
Speaking of transfers, Ohio State reeled in one of its own: Meechie Johnson is transferring back after spending two years at South Carolina, where he starred as a volume scoring point guard.
Johnson didn’t develop like he wanted to with the Buckeyes in 2020-22, but now the Cleveland native has a chance to finish out his career in scarlet and gray.
For more on Thornton, go here.
For more on Johnson, go here.
Counting Down
Buckeyes vs. Akron: 150 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 241 days
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