If you were hoping to get a juicy soundbite from former Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford on Wednesday, you’re going to be disappointed. Alford, now in the same coaching position with the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, had nothing but good things to say about his experience in Columbus. Although he said he knew it was time to move on, it’s clear that Alford has no intention of saying anything even remotely negative about that team down south.

“I have to say this…I have so much respect for Ohio State and the Ohio State community and what they presented to me and my family through the years,” Alford said. “It was not an easy decision, obviously. And I think any time you’re somewhere for as long as I was, for nine years, there’s some roots that have been set in — not just professionally but personally as well. So that was difficult. But like I said, at the end of the day, it was just something that I thought I couldn’t pass up. An opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

As far as what made the opportunity at Michigan so enticing, Alford says there were a number of factors that went into his decision making process.

“I just thought it was a great opportunity for me,” Alford said. “For my growth, professional growth and things of that nature, I just thought it was a great opportunity. And I just have so much respect for Sherrone; I’ve known him for quite a while. And I just thought it was time. It might have been time for both parties.”

As the running backs coach, Alford also has the opportunity to work with a senior back who’s expected to have a big year at Michigan – Donovan Edwards. Alford developed a relationship with Edwards during his recruitment, and even though the talented back ended up selecting Michigan over Ohio State, both Alford and Edwards acknowledge that they’ve maintained that relationship over the last three seasons.

When asked about Edwards and the growth he’s had over the last three years, Alford couldn’t say enough good things about Michigan’s feature back.

“He is what I thought he’d be,” Alford said. “He’s a dynamic player. There’s still some things to work on, and he would tell you that as well, as we continue to progress and become a complete player we all so desire him to be. More so he desires to be. There’s some work to be done, but he is what I thought he was. He’s gotten bigger than I thought he’d be as far as his weight and things of that nature. He’s a highly, highly competitive kid which I kind of always knew he was. He’s about what I thought he was gonna be. He has the ability to make plays.”

Although Alford has moved on from Ohio State, he’s well aware that it’s only a matter of time before he returns to the Horseshoe wearing that Block M on his chest – something he’s already spent time thinking about.

“Oh yeah, I’ve envisioned it,” Alford said. “I won’t tell you what that vision was, but it’ll be interesting. At the end of the day, there’s a team across the field and a coaching staff across the field. We have ours, they have theirs. It’s never going to be about the coaches. Ever. Or it shouldn’t be. We’ll go from there.”