Riley Larkin (right) poses for a photo with a Middle Tennessee State University at the Hawaii Bowl.
Special to Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Riley Larkin is officially living a dream come true.

The Kent Roosevelt graduate and former Rough Riders football standout can now call himself an Ohio State Buckeye.

Larkin was hired by head coach Ryan Day to be an offensive assistant, with the intention to hyper-focus on the Buckeyes’ running backs.

RILEY LARKIN

The 2015 Kent Roosevelt graduate, who also played football and graduated from John Carroll University, will have many responsibilities, including analyzing the offense, developing scouting reports, coordinating practice drills, breaking down film and recruiting.

“This opportunity is truly a dream come true,” Larkin said. “To be a part of a program and team like Ohio State is a special opportunity.”

Larkin will working alongside Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford, who is another Kent Roosevelt football alum, who played for legendary Rough Riders head coach John Nemec. Larkin will also report to offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, as well as tight ends coach Keenan Bailey.

Last season, Larkin was an offensive analyst for Middle Tennessee University, which defeated San Diego State, 25-23, in the Hawaii Bowl this past season. Prior to that, Larkin was a quarterbacks coach at Ravenwood High School (Tenn. ) in 2021 and held the same position at McLean High School (Va.) in 2019 and 2020.

Larkin was spoke highly of each of his coaching stops prior to landing in Columbus, including names like Sean Lewis, Will Hester Tom Arth and Brandon Staley, but Larkin was also quick to speak about his family and time at Roosevelt with coach John Nemec, who Larkin described as a second father,” that helped support and prepare him for his current professional opportunities.

“For me, it all starts with family, and I have a special family,” said Larkin, who is the son of Tom and Amy Larkin of Kent. “I come from a family of coaches, with my mom being a former softball coach at Roosevelt and my dad being a former boys basketball coach at Roosevelt. My little brother Luke and I played backyard football for hours growing up, and my sister Shannon was actually the athlete of the family, playing four varsity sports for three years.”

Larkin has spent the last couple of weeks in Columbus, moving north from Murfreesboro, Tenn., within 48 hours of accepting his position to get acquainted with the Buckeyes’ players and staff.

“Everybody in the building has just been unreal. You can feel it right away and you can feel that it is genuine,” said Larkin, who also said that being in the Ohio State facilities brings immediate reminders of how success is measured.

“There are eight national championship trophies that I walk by every day,” he said. “Success is measured in very few ways at Ohio State — defeating the team up north, winning Big Ten titles and winning national championships. To be a part of the program and team and to have the chance to uphold those traditions is a very special opportunity.”

And a dream come true for Larkin.