Devon Spalding enters his third season as Wisconsin's running backs coach in 2025. Spalding arrived at UW after four seasons coaching the running backs at Youngstown State.
In 2024, Spalding helped running backs Tawee Walker and Darrion Dupree take on the lead roles in the Badger backfield. Walker ran for 9 TDs during conference action and finished with 190 attempts for 864 yards and 10 total scores. As a true freshman, Dupree ran 79 times for 317 yards and a touchdown and added 12 catches for 119 yards.
In year one as a Badger, Spalding mentored Braelon Allen to a strong junior season that provided a springboard to his NFL aspirations. Allen ran for 984 rushing yards to finish with 3,494 in his career, the ninth-most in program history. Allen posted a 5.44 yards per carry clip, the highest in the Big Ten (150+ attempts). He posted 12 rushing scores, matching his career high. Chez Mellusi also made an impact, starting the season strong before a season-ending injury cut his campaign short in game four. Mellusi ran for a career-high 157 yards in the season opener. Additionally, Cade Yacamelli and Jackson Acker had the impactful seasons of their careers, filling in for Mellusi and Allen.Â
At Youngstown State, Spalding mentored running back Jaleel McLaughlin to MVFC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2022. McLaughlin ran for 1,588 yards lin 2022, and set the NCAA all-division career rushing record with 8,166 career yards during his career between two seasons at Notre Dame College and two seasons at Youngstown State.
In the fall 2021, McLaughlin was named first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference. McLaughlin rushed for 1,139 yards in 10 games and scored 12 touchdowns. He had six 100-yard games highlighted by a 242-yard effort against UIW in the season opener. McLaughlin had 17-or-more carries in five games. Veteran Christian Turner had a strong final season for the Penguins. Turner rushed for 209 yards while scoring a pair of touchdowns. Â
A new talent emerged for the Penguins in the spring 2021 season in McLaughlin, a Division II transfer. McLaughlin, who joined the program in January from the Division II ranks, earned second-team All-MVFC honors. In the final five games of the spring, McLaughlin rushed for 634 yards to be a huge addition for the Penguins. Turner added 102 yards and 11 receptions for 71 yards and a TD.
Spalding was a graduate assistant at Cincinnati under Luke Fickell in 2019, a season that saw the Bearcats post a 11-3 overall mark and a Birmingham Bowl victory.
Before his stint at Cincinnati, Spalding played running back and wide receiver at Central Michigan from 2014 to 2018. In 2016, Spalding made 10 starts at running back, rushing for 765 yards and six touchdowns on 138 carries.
In 2018, he played wide receiver appearing in 10 games and making five starts for the Chippewas. He caught 27 passes for 231 yards and earned CMUs Dustin Preston Leadership Award. For his career, he played in 41 games at CMU. He rushed for 1,457 yards on 307 carries and scored 13 touchdowns.
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Spalding grew up in Canton, Mich., attending John Glenn High School where he earned Division 1-2 All-State honors as a senior. In his final high school season, Spalding ran for 1,761 yards on 190 carries and scored a school-record 27 touchdowns. He ranks No. 3 in Michigan history with a 491-yard single game rushing performance.
Personal
Hometown:Â Canton, Mich.
Education:Â Central Michigan '19
Family: Fiance Megan
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Playing Career
2014-18: Central Michigan, RB and WR
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| Spalding's Coaching Career |
| Year |
School/Team |
Position |
| 2019 |
Cincinnati |
Graduate Assistant |
| 2020-22 |
Youngstown State |
Running Backs |
| 2023-present |
Wisconsin |
Running Backs |
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