Behind the Blueprint: Bryan Filkner, Director of Recruiting Operations, SMU

Behind the Blueprint: Tyler Wrice, General Manager, South Dakota State University

In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Wrice, the first-ever GM at South Dakota State, to break down his unconventional path from high school coach to leading roster strategy at the FCS level. Tyler shares how evaluating raw movement and long-term development at the high school level shaped his approach to talent identification, and what changed when he stepped into a role defined by urgency, roster construction, and constant decision-making. He dives into how playing experience influences roster building, why South Dakota State prioritizes high school development over a portal-heavy approach, and how to balance production vs. potential in today’s recruiting landscape. Tyler also unpacks what it means to “build the plane while flying it” as a first-time GM, the importance of culture and fit, and why mental health and the human side of athletes are often overlooked in the broader conversation around college football. Before we dive in, hear from our partner Coach Portal, a platform built by coaches for coaches to simplify the job search process and help you stay connected to real opportunities across the coaching landscape.

Behind the Blueprint: DJ Mann, Director of Offensive Player Personnel, SMU

In this episode, I sit down with DJ Mann to unpack his journey from Texas high school head coach to Director of Offensive Player Personnel, and how that path shaped his eye for talent. DJ shares the mindset shift required to jump to the college level, why scheme fit often outweighs star rankings, and the intangibles that separate good players from great ones. The conversation dives into the realities of evaluating transfer portal talent versus high school prospects, how relationships and background intel influence recruiting decisions, and the evolving role of NIL in building a balanced roster. DJ also offers a candid look at the behind-the-scenes work fans don’t see, where character, environment, and long-term fit matter just as much as on-field production. Before we dive in, hear from our partner Coach Portal, a platform built by coaches for coaches to simplify the job search process and help you stay connected to real opportunities across the coaching landscape.

Behind the Blueprint: Colton Korn, Director of Player Personnel and General Manager at Liberty University

In this episode of Behind the Blueprint, I chat with Colton Korn, Director of Player Personnel and General Manager at Liberty, to unpack his journey from unpaid intern delivering pizzas to leading roster construction at the Group of Five level. Colton shares how sleeping under a desk during his early days at Coastal Carolina shaped his work ethic, and how learning organization and communication at The Citadel helped form the foundation of his recruiting philosophy. Before we dive in, a quick word from our partner, Coach Portal. Coach Portal is a platform built by coaches, for coaches, designed to simplify the job search and help coaches easily stay up to date on opportunities and job movement across the sport.

Behind the Blueprint: Albert Garcia, Director of Recruiting Strategy & High School Personnel, Stanford University

In this episode of Behind the Blueprint, I chat with Albert Garcia, Director of Recruiting Strategy & High School Personnel at Stanford, to unpack his journey from learning talent evaluation at Houston and Fresno State to building three straight top-40 recruiting classes at Stanford. Albert shares how mentors like Bobby Merritt and Marcus Tubbs shaped his approach to spotting traits that translate from high school to the NFL, and how being at G5 programs taught him to find and maximize a player’s “superpowers.” Before we dive in, a quick word from our partner, Coach Portal. Coach Portal is a platform built by coaches, for coaches, designed to simplify the job search and help coaches easily stay up to date on opportunities and job movement across the sport.

Behind the Blueprint: Bryan Filkner, Director of Recruiting Operations, SMU

In this episode of Behind the Blueprint, I chat with Bryan Filker, Director of Recruiting Operations, to unpack his rapid rise through multiple recruiting and personnel roles at SMU. Bryan shares how starting in the transfer portal grind shaped his understanding of roster building, while deeper involvement with recruits helped him discover the importance of relationships beyond evaluation. He also breaks down how SMU aligns recruiting operations with coaching vision and why transparency and authenticity have become key to roster retention in the portal era. Before we dive in a quick word from our partner, Coach Portal. Coach Portal is a platform built by coaches, for coaches, designed to simplify the job search and help coaches easily stay up to date on opportunities and job movement across the sport.