Who is Carlos Locklyn? 5 things to know about Ohio State expected running backs coach hire
Ohio State football has a new running backs coach.
Sources tell The Dispatch that former Oregon running backs coach Carlos Locklyn is expected to replace Tony Alford on Ryan Day's staff. Locklyn spent his past two seasons with the Ducks after one season at Western Kentucky in 2021 in the same role.
Alford left Ohio State to take the running backs coach job at Michigan.
Here's what you need to know about Locklyn:
Carlos Locklyn spent his past two seasons at Oregon
Locklyn has spent his last two seasons in the Pac-12.
After one season at Western Kentucky as a running backs coach, Locklyn was hired to Dan Lanning's first coaching staff at Oregon prior to the 2022 season after four seasons with Memphis and Florida State in off-field roles. Oregon reportedly signed Locklyn to a two-year extension in March.
In 2023, Locklyn led the Pac-12's second-best rushing offense. The Ducks averaged 184.5 rushing yards per game and led the conference with 33 rushing touchdown. Oregon was also the only school in the conference to average more than 5 yards per touch with backs averaging 5.9 yards per carry: third best in FBS behind LSU (6.2) and Liberty (6.1).
Locklyn's running back room was even better in 2022, finishing second behind Chip Kelly and UCLA with 215.8 rushing yards per game. Oregon's run game scored 34 touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
Locklyn's one other season as a running backs coach came in 2021 at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers averaged 102.8 rushing yards per game and 4.1 yards per carry.
Here's where else Locklyn has coached:
2009: Trezevant High School (Tenn.) — Offensive coordinator
2010-22: Westwood High School (Tenn.) — Offensive/Defensive coordinator
2012-14: Manassas High School (Tenn.) — Offensive coordinator
2015-16: Cordova High School (Tenn.) — Offensive coordinator
2017: Memphis — Weight room assistant
2018: Memphis — Offensive analyst
2019: Memphis — Director of High School Relations
2020: Florida State — Director of High School Relations
2021: Western Kentucky — Running backs coach
2022-23: Oregon — Running backs coach
How have Carlos Locklyn's running backs performed?
Locklyn had an award-winning running back in his room in 2023.
Oregon senior running back Bucky Irving finished the 2023 season as a second-team All-Pac-12 honoree, finishing the season with 1,593 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns for the Ducks.
Here's a look at each running back that has played a prominent role in Locklyn's room in his time as a running backs coach:
Western Kentucky (2021)
Noah Whittington: 113 touches, 675 all-purpose yards (617 rushing yards), 6 yards per touch, 2 touchdowns
Adam Cofield: 103 touches, 550 all-purpose yards (374 rushing yards), 5.3 yards per touch, 4 touchdowns
Oregon (2022)
Bucky Irving: 187 touches, 1,357 all-purpose yards (1,058 rushing yards), 7.3 yards per touch, 8 touchdowns
Noah Whittington: 161 touches, 948 all-purpose yards (779 rushing yards), 5.9 yards per touch, 6 touchdowns
Oregon (2023)
Bucky Irving: 242 touches, 1,593 all-purpose yards (1,180 rushing yards), 6.6 yards per touch, 13 touchdowns
Jordan James: 122 touches, 891 all-purpose yards (759 rushing yards), 7.3 yards per touch, 12 touchdowns
Carlos Locklyn played running back at Chattanooga
Locklyn rushed for 1,555 yards in three seasons as a running back at Chattanooga. He twice led the team in rushing while also adding 676 receiving yards on 71 catches. As a junior, Locklyn also played cornerback and tied for the team-lead in interceptions.
Locklyn averaged 123.9 rushing yards per game as a senior — a Chattanooga single-season record.
How is Carlos Locklyn in recruiting?
Before becoming a running backs coach, Locklyn was the director of high school relations for Memphis and Florida State.
In 2019 with the Tigers, Locklyn helped recruit the No. 68 class in the country per 247Sports — the third-best class in the AAC. Moving to to Florida State in 2020, he helped the Seminoles to the No. 22 class in the country.
In the 2023 and 2024 recruiting classes, Locklyn secured three running backs at Oregon: four-star Dante Dowdell, the No. 135 player in the 2023 class who transferred to Nebraska after one season, four-star Jayden Limar, the No. 296 player in the 2023 class, and three-star Da'Juan Riggs, the No. 697 player in the 2024 class per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Carlos Locklyn history vs. Ohio State
Locklyn has never faced Ohio State in his coaching or playing career.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State to hire former Oregon RB coach Carlos Locklyn: What to know
