Ryan Day reacts after Ohio State loses football assistant to Michigan

Ohio State football lost a long-tenured assistant coach to its arch-rival as spring practice opened up, when former running backs coach Tony Alford left for the same job at Michigan, and now Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has reacted.

Day admitted that he learned about Alford's leaving the program last week and that he will personally coach the team's running backs until he finds a replacement, a process he says won't be rushed.

"We're into the process of identifying replacements," Day said. 

"[I'm] excited about the group that we've already identified, and we're gonna be thorough in the process. I think the good news is we're not in a situation where we have to make a quick decision based on recruiting, or the portal, or anything like that."

He added: "I didn't know for sure until I was told, but now the focus is about trying to find the right person."

Ohio State figures to have one of college football's best running back tandems this season, as the team retained leading rusher TreVeyon Henderson, who ran for 926 yards with 11 touchdowns a year ago, but also scored a major transfer addition when it added former Ole Miss back Quinshon Judkins, who led the SEC in rushing the last two seasons.

"I think it's the best running back room in the country, right now," Day said, "and I think it's an exciting job, and the candidate pool's been excellent."