Michigan Football surging with elite running backs on recruiting trail
In this article, I look at the impact that Tony Alford has had on Michigan football running back recruiting, looking at elite recruits who are visiting the Wolverines.
Under new head coach Sherrone Moore, there has been renewed optimism in terms of recruiting. Moore has consistently stated that he plans to be a very aggressive recruiter, and has made some splash hires, including adding two more people to the recruiting department, one of them coming from Georgia.
However so far, it's clear that the most impactful hire has been running backs coach Tony Alford, who the Wolverines stole from Ohio State. Under Mike Hart, running back recruiting was never at the level it should have been. Hart did manage to land Jordan Marshall from Ohio last cycle, but he just lacked enthusiasm on the trail it seemed like.
Make no mistake, Mike Hart is a Michigan football legend and a tremendous developer, but recruiting-wise, things have been night and day in comparison to Alford. Michigan has gained momentum with some of the top running backs in the country and has been able to get them on campus.
This past weekend, top 100 running back Bo Jackson, out of Cleveland, visited Ann Arbor. Ohio State was a heavy favorite to land Jackson before Alford left. Now, his recruitment appears to be much more open, and Michigan is a serious contender. This is a recruitment that will be tough to win, but Alford is going to give Michigan football a shot at it.
Before Michigan football hired Alford, it seemed like Ohio State was the only team seriously in the picture for Jackson.
Now, this recruitment is open, and Michigan will have a shot at it. Michigan is a contender to receive an official visit from Jackson, and receiving one will give Michigan a legitimate shot to land the elite back.