Elite RB recruits take notice of Michigan football hiring Tony Alford

New Michigan football running backs coach, Tony Alford, has won a lot of recruiting battles over the years and he’s already created some buzz on the recruiting trail in Ann Arbor.

New Michigan football RB coach generating momentum for Wolverines

Ohio State fans can say what they want about Alford or his recruiting ability, but the prospects in the 2025 and 2026 classes seem to endorse the move.

It’ll be interesting to see how things shake out this spring and summer with Alford coaching the running backs. But 5-star (2026) running back Savion Hiter, ranked 17th overall (5-11, 182) said that Michigan football “was very much on the radar” and what he called the “shocking hire” by the Wolverines. Hiter also said, “Coach Alford and I have already built a relationship so hopefully that will continue.”

#Michigan very much on the radar for @247Sports' No. 1 RB in the 2026 class, Savion Hiter (@5starsavi) especially after 'shocking' hire of Tony Alford (VIP)

"Coach Alford and I have already built a relationship, so hopefully that will continue."https://t.co/uk6BUSp5pq pic.twitter.com/78PxQiIp6D

— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) March 14, 2024

Ohio running back Marquise Davis said his interest in Michigan football was “sparked” by the hire of Alford. Davis is ranked No. 172 overall in the 2025 class according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. “I support it and happy for him. We are pretty close and I think he is a good person overall,” Davis said to Brice Marich of The Michigan Insider. 

A top-100 running back recruit in the 2025 class is also more interested in Michigan football. That’s four-star Jordon Davison out of Mater Dei in California. He’s 5-foot-11, 203 pounds, and said he’s got a “great relationship” with Alford and that it was a “great hire” for Michigan football.

We’ll see how great it ends up being but so far, it feels like a home run for the Wolverines, especially on the recruiting trail.

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