Local Arizona Connections in the 2024 College Football Playoff

Obviously we’re all paying attention to Arizona State in the inagural 12-team College Football Playoff, but outside of the Sun Devils, what are the Arizona connections for the other eleven teams in the tournament?

Let’s take a look:

1) Oregon

The top team in the College Football Playoff is littered with Arizona connections. Head Coach Dan Lanning served as a graduate assistant and recruiting coordinator for the Sun Devils back in 2012-13, and defensive backs coach Joe Lorig served in the same role for Arizona State in 2012-2013. Defensive analyst Rashad Wadood played for Arizona State under coach Lorig, and Ra’Shaad Samples was the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Arizona State just last year.

The Ducks have a bunch of former Arizona High School football standouts, including Sunnyslope QB Luke Moga, Saguaro LB and ASU transfer Connor Soelle, Williams Field WR Kyler Kasper, Chandler DT A’Mauri Washington, Liberty DT My’Keil Gardner, and Salpointe Catholic brothers Cruz and Elijah Rushing.

Another rising star in the college football world is Notre Dame Prep alum Kamran Araghi, who serves as a graduate assistant for the Ducks.

2) Georgia

Georgia doesn’t have any Arizona connections on the roster like they did when they had Saguaro alum Kelee Ringo patrolling the defensive backfield, but this year’s defensive backs coach Donte Williams did spend a year coaching at University of Arizona back in 2016.

One person of note that some Arizona Wildcat fans might remember is former U of A fullback David Hill, who works at Georgia as the Bulldogs’ Player Connection Coordinator, and has a fairly incredible personal story and path to bigtime college football.

3) Boise State

Obviously the Arizona connection that most people recognize is Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter, who served as Head Coach of Arizona State from 2001-2006, and is setting records calling the Broncos impressive rushing offense. But Koetter isn’t the only member of the Boise State coaching staff with Arizona connections, as Co-Offensive Coordinator / Tight Ends coach Nate Potter is a former 7th round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals. Teh Broncos also boast Director of Sports Performance Benjamin Hilgart, who not only spent nine years working at Arizona State, and spent last season at University of Arizona- he also once served as the strength coach of Deer Valley High school.

On the field, the Broncos have Highland Longsnapper Ty Smith, Chandler TE Kaden Anderson, Desert Ridge OL Greg Bienvenue, and Queen Creek OL Tayo Omatinugbon.

5) Texas

Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach Johnny Nansen helped University of Arizona put together a top 25 season last year as the Wildcats Defensive Coordinator, and he has several players on the Longhorns defense with Arizona ties. Former Arizona State University Jermayne Lole helped Texas reach the college football playoff, along with Arizona transfers Tiaoalii Savea and Bill Norton.

Arizona high school football standouts Santana Wilson (Desert Mountain) and Christian Clark (Mountain Pointe) are also on the roster, along with starting Longsnapper Lance St. Louis (Williams Field).

6) Penn State

Believe it or not, none!

7) Notre Dame

Brophy Prep alum Benjamin Morrison is widely regarded as one of the best college defensive backs in the country- sadly his season was derariled due to injury, but Arizona State transfer Jordan Clark has helped pick up the slack from the safety position, while Chandler alum Kennedy Urlacher waits in the wings for his opportunity. Pinnacle alum Tosh Baker has appeared in 45 career games for the Fighting Irish as a reserve offensive lineman.

8) Ohio State

Lathan Ransom (Salpointe) and Denzel Burke (Saguaro) have been stars on the Buckeyes #1 scoring defense all year long, paving a path for Miles Lockhart (Basha) to take over when both players move on to the NFL.

9) Tennessee

Does anyone remember Head Coach Josh Heupel as a Tight Ends coach in Tucson back in 2005? Or Wide Recevers Coach Kelsey Pope‘s brief stint with the Arizona Cardinals?

You might not remember those two, but surely you recall Defensive Tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, who was a promising piece on Arzona State’s defense from 2000-2022 before transferring to Tennessee, where he has 9.5 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss in the last two seasons.

10) Indiana

Assistant Athletic Director for Player Personnel Matt Wilson is an Arizona State alum (2010) who got his start as a Scouting assistant with the Arizona Cardinals.

11) Southern Methodist

SMU might not have any athletic representation from the state of Arizona, but the coaching ranks are chalked full of them. Associate Head Coach and C0-Offensive Coordinator Rob Likens worked under both Todd Graham and Herm Edwards at Arizona State. Head Football Strength Coach Shawn Griswold served as Head Coach for Sports Performance at Arizona State from 2012-17, and his assistant strength coach Gary Chambers was a wideout at Arizona State and played locally at Ironwood High School. Another former Arizona State wideout, Ryan Jenkins, serves as an Assistant Wide Receivers Coach at SMU.

Another fun Arizona connection is that Assistant Director of Creative Content Emilio Terrazas worked with Arizona State athletics from 2021-2024 while he was a student.

12) Clemson

The Tigers defensive coordinator, Wes Goodwin, is a former Bruce Arians assistant with the Arizona Cardinals from 2015-2017. Speaking of the Arizona Cardinals, Clemson’s Defensive Tackle coach Nick Eason spent his last two years as an NFL player as a Cardinal. The Tigers have a third coach with Arizona ties… well, sort of a coach- Paul Tyson, the only player Clemson has taken out of the transfer portal prior to this month, was brought in to be a hybrid player-coach after his stint as a backup QB at Arizona State.