Carlos Locklyn | Running Backs Coach

Carlos Locklyn

Position:
Running Backs Coach

Carlos Locklyn will enter his third season as Ohio State’s running backs coach in 2026 after being hired by head coach Ryan Day in April 2024. He joined the Buckeyes following two successful seasons at Oregon and has quickly established himself as one of the nation’s top developers of running back talent.

In his first season in Columbus, Locklyn helped guide Ohio State to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship, leading a backfield that featured future second-round NFL Draft picks TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. The duo combined for 2,326 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, including 520 yards and 10 touchdowns during the Buckeyes’ four-game CFP run while averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

He followed that with another standout season in 2025, developing freshman Bo Jackson into one of the nation’s top young running backs. Jackson rushed for 1,090 yards with six touchdowns and six 100-yard games, becoming just the fifth true freshman in program history to reach 1,000 yards while earning Freshman All-America honors and ranking third nationally among freshmen in rushing.

Prior to Ohio State, Locklyn spent two seasons at Oregon (2022-23), where he helped build one of the Pac-12’s top rushing attacks. The Ducks ranked among the top 30 nationally in rushing offense both seasons, including a No. 12 finish in 2022, while he developed Bucky Irving into a two-time 1,000-yard rusher and All-Pac-12 selection.

Locklyn coached running backs at Western Kentucky in 2021, contributing to one of the most explosive offenses in college football. The Hilltoppers ranked second nationally in both scoring offense (44.2 points per game) and total offense (536.2 yards per game) while earning a berth in the Conference USA Championship Game.

He began his collegiate career at Florida State in 2020 as director of high school relations under Mike Norvell, helping the Seminoles secure a top-25 recruiting class. Locklyn previously worked under Norvell at Memphis from 2017-19 in multiple roles, including weight room assistant, offensive analyst and director of high school relations.

Locklyn’s coaching career began at the high school level in the Memphis area, where he spent eight seasons as an offensive coordinator at Trezevant, Westwood, Manassas and Cordova high schools.

A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Locklyn was a four-year letterwinner at Chattanooga, where he rushed for 1,555 career yards and set the school’s single-season rushing average record at 123.9 yards per game. He earned his degree in criminal justice and is married to his wife, Victoria. The couple has twins, Donovan and Dorian.

Ohio State (2024-Present)
In his first two seasons at Ohio State, Locklyn helped guide the Buckeyes to sustained offensive success, highlighted by a national championship in 2024 and a return to the College Football Playoff in 2025.

2024:
- Locklyn played a key role in Ohio State’s 14-2 season and College Football Playoff national championship run – the first of the 12-team era. The Buckeyes averaged 36.3 points per game across four CFP victories and finished the season ranked No. 14 nationally in scoring offense (35.7 points per game) and No. 30 in total offense (429.4 yards per game) under offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
- Locklyn’s running back unit was central to that success, featuring future second-round NFL Draft picks TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. The duo combined for 2,326 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, including 520 yards and 10 touchdowns during the Buckeyes’ four-game playoff run while averaging 6.3 yards per carry.
- Henderson capped his Ohio State career with one of the most productive seasons in program history, rushing for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging a career-best 7.1 yards per carry. A team captain and third-team All-Big Ten selection, he finished his career ranked fifth in school history in rushing yards (3,761), third in rushing touchdowns (48) and third in all-purpose yards (4,614). His impact was especially evident during the CFP, highlighted by multiple long touchdown runs, including a Rose Bowl-record 66-yard score against Oregon, and a 75-yard touchdown reception in the semifinal win over Texas.
- Judkins, a transfer from Ole Miss in 2024, made an immediate impact in his lone season with the Buckeyes, leading the team with 1,060 rushing yards and tying for the team-best 16 touchdowns. He recorded three 100-yard games, including a standout performance in the national championship, and totaled 255 rushing yards with six touchdowns during the CFP run. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors and Academic All-District recognition while also producing one of the longest runs in program history with an 86-yard touchdown against Marshall.
2025:
- Locklyn again developed a productive and versatile backfield as Ohio State posted a 12-0 regular season and earned a second consecutive CFP berth.
- Freshman Bo Jackson emerged as one of the nation’s top young running backs, rushing for 1,090 yards with six touchdowns and six 100-yard games. He became just the fifth true freshman in program history to reach 1,000 rushing yards, earning Freshman All-America honors while ranking third nationally among freshmen in rushing.
- Locklyn also integrated West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson into the offense, as he added 10 touchdowns and provided a physical complement in the backfield.
- In addition to their production on the ground, Ohio State’s running backs contributed in the passing game and protection, helping stabilize an offense led by redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, who developed into a Heisman Trophy finalist and the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year. Collectively, Locklyn’s running backs totaled 46 receptions for 358 yards and two touchdowns on the season.

Oregon (2022-23)
Locklyn spent two seasons as Oregon’s running backs coach, joining Dan Lanning’s inaugural staff, and he built one of the nation’s most efficient and productive rushing attacks.

In his first season in Eugene, Oregon ranked among the top rushing teams in the country, finishing No. 12 nationally in rushing offense at 215.7 yards per game while averaging 5.52 yards per carry, sixth-best in the FBS. Bucky Irving led the backfield with 1,058 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while Noah Whittington complemented the attack with 779 yards and five scores. The Ducks took another step forward in 2023, ranking among the nation’s top units in both production and efficiency. Oregon averaged 5.91 yards per carry – third-best nationally – while again finishing in the top 30 in rushing offense. Irving posted his second consecutive 1,000-yard season with 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-Pac-12 honors, while Jordan James emerged as a key contributor with 759 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

With that, Irving was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the No. 125 overall pick, and he quickly became an active contributor in Tampa Bay.

Western Kentucky (2021)
Locklyn helped produce a historic offense at Western Kentucky that paved the way for the Hilltoppers to return to the Conference USA Championship Game. WKU ranked second in the FBS for scoring offense, averaging 44.2 points per game. Western Kentucky was also second nationally in total offense per game (536.2). Locklyn helped develop multifaceted running backs for the Toppers’ Air Raid offense, led by Noah Wittington, who rushed for 617 yards, and Adam Cofield, who rushed for 373 yards and totaled 176 receiving yards.

Florida State (2020)
Prior to taking his first on-field college coaching role, Locklyn served as the director of high school relations at Florida State. He helped the Seminoles recruit the No. 20 class in the nation according to Rivals and the No. 22 class in the country by 247Sports.

Memphis (2017-19)
Locklyn’s first experience in college football came at Memphis, where he spent three seasons and helped the Tigers win three straight AAC West titles. Each year brought increased responsibility as he moved from weight room assistant to offensive analyst to director of high school relations.

He was promoted to offensive analyst in 2018 and helped Memphis’ offense set program records with 7,324 yards of total offense and 3,919 rushing yards. The Tigers’ rushing attack ranked fourth nationally at 279.9 yards per game and produced 48 rushing touchdowns, the second-most in the country. That season also marked the first time in school history Memphis had two 1,000-yard rushers, led by Darrell Henderson, who finished second nationally with 1,909 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns and an 8.92 yards-per-carry average.

In 2019, Memphis won the AAC West again, then defeated Cincinnati 29-24 in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game to claim the program’s second AAC title. The Tigers finished as the top-ranked Group of Five conference champion and earned a Cotton Bowl berth against Penn State. As director of high school relations, Locklyn helped recruit a 247Sports top-70 class that ranked third in the AAC and represented a 13-spot improvement from the previous year.

Cordova High School (2015-16)
Before moving to the college ranks at Memphis, Locklyn helped lead Cordova High School to a 20-5 record over two seasons. Under his direction, the Wolves’ offense averaged more than 30 points per game, a major jump from the 4-6 team he inherited, which had averaged 19.7 points per game.

In 2015, Cordova scored 34.5 points per game, an increase of 15 points from the previous season. The offense featured a balanced attack, with two running backs each topping 550 rushing yards and a passing game that threw for more than 2,400 yards. The Wolves scored at least 30 points in each of their first nine games.

Cordova took another step forward in 2016, averaging 32.6 points per game and reaching the Tennessee 6A state semifinals. The Wolves scored 56, 28 and 42 points in three playoff wins to reach that stage, while Locklyn coached two running backs to 800-yard seasons and helped the team rush for 2,397 yards on the year.

Manassas High School (2012-14)
After averaging 17.1 points per game the year before Locklyn became the offensive coordinator, the Tigers averaged 27.1, 23.5 and 31.3 points per game during his three seasons directing the offense. Manassas totaled more than 250 points in all three seasons, reaching 344 points in 2014.

Over Locklyn’s three seasons with Manassas, the team went 19-14 with three Tennessee state playoff appearances. The Tigers rushed for more than 2,000 yards in all three seasons with the team. He coached multiple running backs to 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

Westwood High School (2010-11)
Locklyn helped Westwood make a pair of two-win improvements during his two years as both the offensive and defensive coordinator for the Longhorns. The team went 3-8 the year before Locklyn arrived before finishing 5-6 in 2010 and 7-5 in 2011.

In 2011, The Longhorns scored at least 30 points in five games while holding opponents under 20 points five times as Locklyn coordinated both sides of the ball. Westwood earned a first-round bye in the state playoffs and defeated Washington in a second-round game. In Locklyn’s first season with the team, Westwood boosted its scoring output by 140 points, which was an improvement of 12.7 more points per game.

Trezevant High School (2009)
Locklyn directed the offense at Trezevant High School as the Bears piled up more than 2,000 yards on the ground during a 6-6 season that included a trip to the state playoffs. Trezevant scored at least 25 points six times and totaled 30+ points in four games. The Bears rushed for more than 200 yards on five occasions.

Background
Locklyn was a four-year letterman at Chattanooga, rushing for 1,555 yards over three seasons and twice leading the Mocs in rushing. He also added 71 catches for 676 yards. He played cornerback during his junior year, tying for the team lead in interceptions. His average of 123.9 rushing yards per game still stands as Chattanooga’s single-season record, and his 6.5 yards per carry average ranks fifth on the program’s all-time list. Locklyn signed with the New York Giants as a free agent but was released after an injury and later played in the Arena League following his collegiate career.

Family
Locklyn graduated from Chattanooga with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He and his wife, Victoria, have twins, son Donovan and daughter Dorian.

FBS Postseason History

Season	School	Bowl Game	Opponent	Result
2025	Ohio State	Cotton Bowl	Miami	L, 24-14
2024	Ohio State	CFP Playoff National Championship	Notre Dame	W, 34-23
2024	Ohio State	Cotton Bowl	Texas	W, 28-14
2024	Ohio State	Rose Bowl	Oregon	W, 41-21
2024	Ohio State	CFP Playoff First Round	Tennessee	W, 42-17
2023	Oregon	Fiesta Bowl	Liberty	W, 45-6
2022	Oregon	Holiday Bowl	North Carolina	W, 28-27
2021	Western Kentucky	Boca Raton Bowl	App State	W, 59-38
2019	Memphis	Cotton Bowl	Penn State	L, 53-39
2018	Memphis	Birmingham Bowl	Wake Forest	L, 37-34
2017	Memphis	AutoZone Liberty Bowl	Iowa State	L, 21-20

Coaching History

Seasons	School/Team	Title/Position Coached
2024-Present	Ohio State	Running Backs
2022-23	Oregon	Running Backs
2021	Western Kentucky	Running Backs
2020	Director of High School Relations	Florida State
2019	Memphis	Director of High School Relations
2018	Memphis	Offensive Analyst
2017	Memphis	Weight Room Assistant
2015-16	Cordova HS (Tenn.)	Offensive Coordinator
2012-14	Manassas HS (Tenn.)	Offensive Coordinator
2010-11	Westwood HS (Tenn.)	Offensive/Defensive Coordinator
2009	Trezevant HS (Tenn.)	Offensive Coordinator