Eddie George became an NCAA football legend at Ohio State University, but he isn’t yet headed back to the Buckeye State. At least not to become the running backs coach for Ohio State football. Currently the Tennessee State University head football coach, Eddie George told long-time Columbus Dispatch reporter Tim May he is not interested in the running backs coach position opening at Ohio State University.
Now former Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford had been with the program for nearly a decade but recently jumped to the other side of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry when he became the new running backs coach for Michigan Wolverines, leaving Buckeye fans to ponder the possible return of Eddie George to coach his former position at his alma mater.
Tim May was a reporter for the Columbus newspaper for decades and has reported that while Eddie George does not want the job, his current running backs coach at Tennessee State, Pepe Pearson likely does.
Pearson is another former Ohio State back who played alongside Eddie George when he was a Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State in 1995.
Pearson replaced George after he was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1996 and came up with 1,484 yards and scored 17 touchdowns on 299 carries.
Pearson has spent the last 20 years coaching at the collegiate level, joining George’s staff when he took over as Tennessee State head coach in 2021. Tennessee State University rushed for 148 yards per game, good for third in the OVC/Big South, and led the league with 21 rushing touchdowns in 2023.
George just completed his third season at the Nashville, TN-based school. He led the program to a 6-5 record in 2023, its first winning season since 2017.