During Urban Meyer’s tenure as head coach of Ohio State football, the team boasted some exceptional running backs, including Carlos Hyde, Ezekiel Elliott, and Curtis Samuel. Zeke and Samuel played pivotal roles in helping the Buckeyes win a national championship in 2014.
That 2014 season also marked the final year of Stan Drayton’s tenure as Ohio State’s running backs coach. Drayton, who had previously worked with Meyer at Florida, had been handpicked by Meyer to coach the running backs from 2012 to 2014. After leaving Ohio State, Drayton made the jump to the NFL, joining the Chicago Bears as a running backs coach.
It took until 2022 for Drayton to land his first head coaching job, when he was hired to lead the Temple Owls. Following five years at Texas, where he had built a solid reputation, Drayton was expected to revitalize Temple’s program. Unfortunately, his time there was unsuccessful, and he was fired after less than three years with a dismal 8-25 record. With such a poor performance, it’s hard to argue that the firing was unwarranted, especially given the lack of improvement in the program.
It’s disappointing that Drayton didn’t succeed as a head coach, and it seems unlikely he’ll get another opportunity to lead a program. However, he remains a highly respected running backs coach, and his expertise in developing players should ensure that he finds work in that role moving forward.
Meanwhile, Ohio State’s running game has continued to thrive under first-year running backs coach Carlos Locklyn, who was hired after a successful stint at Oregon. With Drayton’s future uncertain, hopefully, he can land another coaching position and continue his career in the profession he excels in.
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