There are many things that make a head coach great in today’s college football. He needs to be able to draw up the Xs and Os. To break down film. He also needs to excel at acquiring quality talent, whether that’s in the transfer portal or from the high school ranks. But another aspect that’s crucial to the success of any head coach is his ability to manage a coaching staff. Not just making the right hire, but keeping good coaches in your program.
Fortunately for the Ducks, one of Dan Lanning’s top assistants sounds like he’ll be sticking around for the next few years. On Friday, Oregon finalized a new two-year contract with a raise for running backs coach Carlos Locklyn, according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports. Oregon recently finalized a new two-year contract with a raise for running backs coach Carlos Locklyn, sources tell @247Sports. He was a person of interest for a few other high-level running back coach jobs this cycle but chose to remain at Oregon with Dan Lanning. After working…
Locklyn has served as Dan Lanning’s running backs coach for the past two seasons. He was one of Lanning’s first calls to join his staff in Eugene as their relationship dates back to their days together on Mike Norvell’s staff at Memphis. Under Locklyn’s guidance, Oregon has had one of the premier rushing attacks in college football.
Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn during Oregon’s first spring practice of 2024.© Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK © Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK Noah Whittingtonfollowed his coach from Western Kentucky to Eugene, and Locklyn recruited Bucky Irving, who’s now a projected NFL Draft pick, to transfer from Minnesota. Locklyn has also ensured that talented running backs will continue flocking to Eugene, as he’s recruited quality ballcarriers in each of his first two complete recruiting cycles (2023 & 2024). It’s worth mentioning that one of his first recruiting wins as a Duck was flipping Jordan James, one of Oregon’s current star backs, away from the then defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs.
Oregon extending Locklyn’s contract another two years couldn’t have come at a better time, as this offseason has seen schools blue blood programs like Georgia, Michigan and most recently Ohio State all in the market for a new running backs coach. Fortunately for Dan Lanning and Oregon, theirs is locked in for another two years.
