Earlier this morning it was announced that Notre Dame running backs coach Tony Alford would be leaving the program to take the same position at Ohio State.

The news comes on the heels of the surprising announcement on Thursday that Ohio State running backs coach Stan Drayton was leaving the school for the Chicago Bears, a move that has been publicly been criticized and called "shady" in terms of the Mike Weber recruitment, as well as one that could impact Class of 2016 commit RB Kareem Walker, who was very close with Drayton.

Shortly after Drayton departed, 247Sports reported that Alford was the top candidate for Meyer and that there was a good chance he could land in Columbus. That served to be true very quickly, as the 22-year coaching veteran decided to join the national champions today.

So with Alford in the fold, what does he bring to Ohio State?

First and foremost, as a position coach, Alford brings great experience to Ohio State, having coached the position at Mount Union, Kent State, Iowa State (two terms), Washington, Louisville, and in South Bend. Some notable backs he has had under his tutelage include Bilal Powell, Jonas Gray, Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood, Armando Allen, Tarean Folston, and Greg Bryant, among others. He has also had 6 players rush for 1,000 or more yards during his career at the college level.

Alford played at Colorado State when Urban Meyer coached receivers there, so there is familiarity between employee and employer already. The former is very well respected at his trade throughout the industry and has been a fan favorite of the Fighting Irish since arriving in 2009.

Outside of his ability to coach the position, an even bigger win for OSU may come in the form of Alford's ability to recruit. The coach most recently served as the Fighting Irish's recruiting coordinator, a title well-earned due to his successes on the trail.

Alford not only recruited running backs for Notre Dame, but also the state of Florida, where he has pulled in some exceptional talents the last few years, and also fills a void that Drayton left, as he recruited parts of the state.

Some players that Alford has brought to South Bend include LB Tevon Coney, RB Dexter Williams, WR Corey Holmes, RB Greg Bryant, RB Tarean Folston, TE Mike Heuerman, LB Michael Deeb, WR Justin Ferguson, DE Aaron Lynch, and DT Louis iIx III, just to name a few.

More importantly, he did recruit Michael Weber at Notre Dame, which could help alleviate any hard feelings that the four-star prospect has towards the Buckeyes with the departure of Drayton.

On top of that, he is the lead recruiter for Kareem Walker, and this summer when speaking to 247Sports, Walker mentioned his best relationships were with Drayton and Alford. This hiring could certainly help keep the nation's top junior back in the fold for the Buckeyes.

Tom Loy of Irish247 had the following to say of Alford and what the Buckeyes are getting in their newest staff member:

"Ohio State is getting an excellent coach and an even better recruiter in Tony Alford. His ability to develop relationships with the young men he is recruiting is second to none. He doesn't pull any punches and tells it like it is. Many young men respect him for his honesty and ability to be upfront regarding why they need the school more than the school needs them. He is an outstanding recruiter in the state of Florida and will be a dominant force representing the national champions. The Buckeyes are already a major player in the Sunshine State and this will take their recruiting efforts to new levels."