The Recruiting Guy

Recruiting Q&A: Running backs coach Reggie Mitchell

Arkansas assistant coach Reggie Mitchell speaks to his players Tuesday, March 29, 2016, during practice at the university's practice field on campus in Fayetteville.

COACHING EXPERIENCE: 1983 Central Michigan student assistant, 1984 Ferris State wide receivers, 1985 Michigan graduate assistant, 1986 Western Michigan running backs, 1987 Kent State wide receivers, 1988-96 Kansas running backs, defensive ends, defensive line and wide receivers, 1997-98 Minnesota running backs, 1999-2004 Michigan State recruiting coordinator, running backs and wide receivers, 2005-09 Illinois assistant head coach, running backs, 2010-15 Kansas recruiting coordinator, running backs, 2016 Arkansas running backs

RECRUITING TERRITORY: St. Louis metro, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Arlington, will recruit running backs nationally

RECRUITING PHILOSOPHY: I really think it’s a friends and family type thing. I try and go in and build relationships with people. It’s a lot easier when you recruit an area you’ve recruited before because you’re able to build relationships. I just like to… number one be totally honest with them and let them know I’m going to build a relationship with them. A long lasting relationship, not just a four or five year relationship. I think they can tell I’m an honest person. When I tell them I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it. If I can’t, I can’t. I try to follow up and try and get everybody involved, whether it be an uncle, an aunt, mother, grandmother, father or whoever. Try to make all of them a part of the decision and keep them in the loop of what’s going on.

MOST UNUSUAL RECRUITING STORY: I was at Michigan State and I was recruiting this kid that had committed to the University of Illinois. So the father and the kid said ‘Yeah, I want to visit Michigan State’. He said meet me at the school at this time here. So I meet them there and I walk into the office and Ron Turner is sitting in the office who’s the head coach at Illinois and I’m like ‘Woo, this is a little strange.’ A little uncomfortable, but that’s probably the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me.

A year later, Ron Turner gets fired and the kid ends up at Illinois and I leave Michigan State to go to Illinois.