Ann Arbor, Michigan - 24 hours have officially passed after the highest form of treason in college football occurred when Ohio State running back coach Tony Alford shockingly left the Buckeyes for their biggest rival, Michigan, and now his potential replacements have emerged.

More information about the questionable situation has come out with JBook of 247 Sports reporting that Alford had already secured the Michigan job weeks before officially leaving Ohio State.

During this time, he allegedly continued to participate in Ohio State football practices and activities – gathering Buckeye recruiting information while being secretly employed by Michigan.

Members of the Ohio State football community were quick to criticize the coach's actions as current players unfollowed him on social media.

The running back coach who guided Ezekiel Elliot to becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft has already changed his social media to reflect his new role as Michigan's run-game coach.

Alford posted a tweet directed at "Buckeye Nation," which was not well-received by players, alumni, and the Ohio community as a whole, who voiced their displeasure in the comments under the post.

Ohio State football is entering a new era with significant changes to its program.

While replacing Tony Alford won't be easy, head coach Ryan Day has already made some bold moves by bringing in Chip Kelly as the new offensive coordinator from UCLA.

Here is a list of potential coaches who could step in to replace Alford:

• Stan Drayton: The Ohio native and current head coach at Temple could be an ideal choice for the Buckeyes' running back coach. He previously coached Ohio State's running backs, helping them to win their 2014 national title. He also successfully recruited five-star running back Bijan Robinson – who later won the Doak Walker Award and was selected eighth overall in the 2023 NFL draft – as a running back coach at Texas.
  

• Scottie Graham: Despite being recently hired by Washington, Graham has strong ties to Ohio State, having been a former Buckeye running back and captain from 1988 to 1991. Also, he was successful in recruiting four-star players during his previous stint at Arizona. Former Buckeyes like OSU defensive back Chimdi Chekwa are even trying to lure him back to Ohio via Twitter!
  

• Robert Gillespie: While it might be a long shot to land Gillespie, who was recently promoted to Alabama's assistant head coach, he could certainly do a good job in Alford's role as a running back coach. He successfully beat out the Buckeyes to recruit five-star Justin Haynes and secured a commitment from five-star defensive end Keon Keeley. Ohio State has already attracted center Seth McLaughlin, safety Caleb Downs, and quarterback Julian Sayin from Alabama – could they also lure Coach Gillespie over?

• Deland McCullough: The Notre Dame running back coach has strong connections to the Midwest, making him a potential candidate for the job. He played at Miami University in Ohio and spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL. Additionally, his son Dasan McCullough was previously committed to Ohio State before choosing to play at Indiana alongside his brother. McCullough has shown his recruiting prowess at Notre Dame, securing commitments from talented rusher Jeremiyah Love, a former four-star prospect. He also has NFL experience with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018 to 2020.

No official statements have been released regarding a potential replacement for Tony Alford, but Ohio State is expected to take action soon as several top recruits plan to visit the program later this month.