In an offseason full of success for the Oregon Ducks football program, Carlos Locklyn’s departure is a blemish that stands out. The former Oregon RB coach is headed to Ohio State, a team that looks primed to be one of Oregon’s chief rivals with the Ducks joining the Big Ten this season.
After practice on Tuesday, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning answered questions from the media, several of which were about Locklyn’s departure.
“I mean, it’s football,” Lanning said. “It’s the reality. You know, Carlos did an unbelievable job for us.”
With Locklyn leaving at the time that he did, it leaves the Ducks in a precarious position as they sit in the middle of their spring football schedule.
“We’re gonna go get better. We’re going to bring someone in here that can do a really good job with our organization. We’re moving on, excited for the next move.”
Obviously, a focus for Lanning and the coaching staff in the coming weeks will be replacing Locklyn, and Lanning says they’ll be emphasizing making a quality hire, rather than a quick one.
“The urgency is to get it right,” Lanning said “You’re not in a hurry to do anything wrong. It’s about getting it right, it’s not about getting it fast.”
“The reality is we’re a well-oiled machine right now. We’ve got guys that really do a good job in that room. So it’s about getting it right it’s not about sprinting to a date. We don’t have to have somebody tomorrow.”
In Locklyn’s two seasons as the Ducks’ RB coach, Oregon’s backs excelled. Bucky Irving, a transfer from Minnesota whom Locklyn had a big role in recruiting, rushed for 1000+ yards in both seasons, and the entire Ducks RB room averaged 6.18 yards per carry.
The spring transfer portal opens on April 16th and closes on April 30th, and while it is unlikely that any Ducks’ RBs would transfer because of Locklyn’s leaving, it is something to look out for. Noah Whittington came to Oregon with Locklyn from Western Kentucky, so he is the most likely transfer candidate, but I still think it’s unlikely.
Oregon will host Ohio State on October 12th, 2024, in Autzen Stadium for the two teams’ first matchup since their thriller at the Horseshoe in 2021, when the Ducks defeated the Buckeyes 35-28. The October matchup has already been billed as a game-of-the-year candidate, but with the added wrinkle of Carlos Locklyn changing schools, the game could take on added significance.