Michigan RB Coach Explains Why, How Bryson Kuzdzal Ended up Back at Michigan

Michigan running back Bryson Kuzdzal stepped up and showed some real promise in the Wolverines' backfield when he had to fill in and get carries due to Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes battling injuries. In seven games at running back, he carried the ball 76 times for 326 yards and four touchdowns.

The fact that Kuzdzal was able to showcase his skills was exactly why running backs coach Tony Alford initially pushed the Grand Rapids native to enter the transfer portal this offseason, as Alford told Jon Jansen on a recent episode of the In The Trenches Podcast.

But that wasn't because Alford and the Wolverines didn't want him back in Ann Arbor. Instead, it had everything to do with Michigan's potential depth in the backfield in 2026, with the potential of Justice Haynes, Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter all being a part of the room.

If that was going to be the case, Alford wanted Kuzdzal to potentially find a school where he could get quality reps and playing time with two years of eligibility remaining, as that was going to be hard to come by with the Wolverines with the other three guys in the mix.

However, when Haynes made the decision to transfer to Georgia Tech, Alford told Kuzdzal they would have him back in the running back room.

Nov 1, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Bryson Kuzdzal (24) rushes in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

From the sounds of it, it was always the plan to either help Kuzdzal move on if Haynes did return, or bring him back if Haynes found another option.

Alford told Jansen the full story and how keeping an open line of communication and providing transparency helped guide Kuzdzal to ultimately return to the Wolverines.

Alford on providing transparency to Kuzdzal and keeping a solid relationship

"I kind of helped get him into the portal, quite frankly, just full transparency," Alford explained ."I kind of helped push him into the portal because he’s a really good football player. And we knew that if Justice and Jordan came back, he’s only got two years left. You might need to go and find a place.

Alford explained how Kuzdzal never really wanted to leave Michigan and how strong his connection is with Kuzdzal and his mother.

"I was very active in trying to help find him a place, which we had numerous places. I won’t go into those schools, but there were numerous Power Five schools that wanted his services," said Alford. "But he never really wanted to leave. He always wanted to be here. He’s a Michigan kid and loves it here. I’ve got a phenomenal relationship, as I do with his mom. So he never did want to leave. So the conversations were, well, if both (Haynes and Marshall) of them come back, we’re going to move you. If only one comes back, we’re going to bring you back.

"And when Justice made the decision to leave, it was literally within 10 minutes, I called him and said, 'hey, let’s bring you back.' Well, he happened to be in Iowa. He just visited Iowa State, and he was on his way to Georgia. And I said, 'well, we can’t let you get on that plane. You know you got to fly home.' And he was like, him and his mom, she’s on FaceTime because I was in Arizona, actually. And she was like, 'absolutely, we’re good. We’re coming home.' And so that’s kind of how it went down.

Alford said the key to helping Kuzdzal navigate his process was having consistent communication with him to make sure they were on the same page.

Nov 30, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan Wolverines coach Tony Alford reacts to fans heckling him after the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

"I knew the whole time what he was doing," said Alford. "He was very open to say, 'okay, I’m going here on this day, on this time. I’ll call you every day at this time of day.' We talked like three times a day. So just open conversation. And I think if you have that, there’s not a whole lot that can’t be solved. And you may not always get your way, but at least you can walk away and say, 'well, everybody’s on the same page.' And at least we know what everybody’s thinking. So that’s kind of how he went down.