Next Up: Ten up-and-coming recruiters in the Big 12
This week, Rivals.com will be releasing its Next Up series looking across Power Five football at 10 coaches or recruiting department staffers who could emerge as the next big-time names in the sport. We move to the Big 12.
THIS SERIES: Ten up-and-coming recruiters in the Big Ten | SEC | ACC
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CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals100
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James Blanchard - Texas Tech
Title: Director of player personnel
Overview: When Joey McGuire was named the new Texas Tech coach, his first hire was Blanchard and that says so much about his ability and his importance to the Red Raiders’ recruiting operation. In their first full recruiting class in 2023, Texas Tech’s coaching staff finished No. 23 nationally and fourth in the Big 12 behind Texas, Oklahoma and TCU, which played for the national title. Blanchard has worked at Baylor and in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, he’s connected across the industry and he’s invaluable in Lubbock.
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Tashard Choice - Texas
Title: Running backs coach
Overview: There are a lot of talented people in the building for Texas including director of recruiting Brandon Harris but Choice is the - well, choice - here because he’s a big-time up-and-comer who’s also doing a fantastic job recruiting. Florida State was trying everything possible to flip Cedric Baxter but the Longhorns kept him and he cited Choice as a big reason. He had his hand on helping Bijan Robinson. Top 2024 running back Jerrick Gibson is high on the Longhorns, another top Florida running back. Choice has NFL playing experience and is a hot name across the coaching landscape.
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Eron Hodges - TCU
Title: Director of recruiting / defensive analyst
Overview: Hodges just wrapped up his first season as the director of recruiting for the Horned Frogs and TCU just finished with the No. 21 class nationally. That’s a really solid job for TCU’s coaching staff and everyone on Hodges’ team working behind the scenes to get that done - not to mention the Horned Frogs playing for the national title. Over the years, Hodges started at the ground floor and has moved his way up to this position as he’s definitely one of the hotter names in that niche of the industry.
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Jeff Lebby - Oklahoma
Title: Offensive coordinator
Overview: Only 39-years-old, Lebby is already incredibly well-known in coaching circles and seems to be on the fast track to a head coaching job at some point. That’s if Oklahoma can rebound after a disappointing first season under new coach Brent Venables. Still, Lebby’s resume is fantastic now with a stop with the Sooners and before that he was at Ole Miss and UCF among others. He’s also shown he can recruit as Lebby and Oklahoma landed five-star QB Jackson Arnold this past recruiting cycle.
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Brian Lepak - Kansas State
Title: Fullbacks/tight ends coach
Overview: Known as an intelligent coach who has done a lot of grunt work and breaking down film to further have knowledge of the game at a young age, Lepak is shining as Kansas State’s tight end and fullbacks coach and could have even brighter things coming in his future. After a playing career at Colorado State and Oklahoma, Lepak had GA roles with Indiana and the Sooners then spent one season at Southern before coming to Kansas State and moving to become a position coach. Lepak played an intricate role in the Wildcats’ success this past season and he can also recruit.
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Bilal Marshall - West Virginia
Title: Receivers coach
Overview: Marshall was a GA at West Virginia and then went to VMI for a short time before returning to Morgantown where he’s a tremendous asset on the staff both in recruiting and on the field. He’s well-respected by the players on the team and should only help the Mountaineers’ recruiting efforts heading into the 2024 cycle after West Virginia kept four-star Rodney Gallagher and others away from Penn State late. He’s definitely a rising star in the Big 12 on the field and in recruiting.
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Connor Morgan - Baylor
Title: Coordinator for player personnel
Overview: A fast-riser at Baylor is Morgan, who started in the recruiting department at Alabama and has quickly become an important piece for coach Dave Aranda and his staff as well. Baylor is in a tough position because of higher-profile programs going after top in-state and regional prospects but the Bears have guys like Morgan and others who do terrific prospect analysis and it doesn’t go unnoticed. He’s definitely a big riser in an off-field role that should be valuable for years to come.
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Nate Scheelhaase - Iowa State
Title: Offensive coordinator
Overview: The 32-year-old has a huge opportunity ahead of him as Iowa State’s new offensive coordinator to spark the Cyclones offense that average just about 20 points per game last season. He’s been a fantastic recruiter for Iowa State in the all-important Kansas City area plus regionally as well. Scheelhaase played quarterback at Illinois, he has coaching experience in Champaign and now has a big-time job in Ames. His star is definitely on the rise.
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Beni Tonga - Oklahoma State
Title: Player development specialist
Overview: Tonga is Oklahoma State’s player development specialist which is an obscure role but the Tongan native who used to coach at Ephraim (Utah) Snow College does an excellent job giving Polynesian players a chance to come play in Stillwater. The Cowboys have benefited from those players and many others that Tonga has had a hand in recruiting and with his former coaching experience as well, he’s an invaluable resource for Oklahoma State as his career continues to blossom.
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Jonathan Wallace - Kansas
Title: Running backs coach
Overview: A three-star quarterback prospect in the 2012 class, Wallace played at Auburn so he has SEC connections plus he is from powerhouse Phenix City (Ala.) Central and then started on the ground floor in his coaching career but has quickly ascended up the ranks. Wallace went from Bethel College to coaching tight ends at Air Force and is now the running backs coach at Kansas, which has seen a tremendous uptick since coach Lance Leipold took over. Wallace can also recruit as three-star Johnny Thompson Jr. was a steal in the 2023 class as the entire Jayhawks staff has shown marked improvement on the recruiting trail.