Devon Spalding

Biography

Devon Spalding arrived in East Lansing as the program's running backs coach in January 2026 after spending the previous three seasons (2023-25) in the same position at Wisconsin. Spalding coached two running backs who earned All-Big Ten honors at UW, including Braelon Allen, a second-team selection in 2023 who ranked third in the conference with 984 rushing yards while averaging a Big Ten-best 5.44 yards per carry. He also tied his career high with 12 rushing touchdowns. Allen, who finished his Badger career with 3,494 rushing yards, ninth-most in program history, was a fourth-round NFL Draft pick by the Jets and has played the last two seasons in the NFL. In 2024, Tawee Walker was honorable mention All-Big Ten for the Badgers after leading the team with 864 yards and 10 touchdowns. At the onset of Spalding's first season in Madison, he was named to the 247Sports "30 Under 30" List for 2023 as one of college football's rising stars in the profession. Prior to coaching in the Big Ten at Wisconsin, Spalding spent three years (2020-22) at Youngstown State. During his time at YSU, Spalding coached record-breaking running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 after rushing for 1,588 yards. Between two seasons at Division II Notre Dame College and two seasons at Youngstown State, McLaughlin set the NCAA all-division career rushing record with 8,166 career yards. In the spring season of 2021, McLaughlin was a second-team All-MVFC pick as