photo by Stan Martin

Former Baylor and Texas HS Football coaching standout Matt Rhule announced his intentions of poaching Lone Star State talent for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. 

Specifically, coach Rhule convinced Dr. Susan Elza to become his chief of staff. 

Elza was the first female athletic director in UIL history and is slated to join the Texas High School Athletic Director Association Hall of Honor later this year. 

Already, Rhule has hired numerous assistants with Texas roots, including wide receivers coach Garrett McGuire and tight ends coach Bob Wager — standouts of the Dallas-Fort Worth, respectively. 

Coach Wager is another important inroad to local recruiting. A 17-year fixture at Arlington Martin High School, coach Wager finished his local career with a 143-64-1 record, including annual state playoff appearances, never missing the post season in 17 consecutive seasons. Wager’s final tenure with the team went 10-2 with his son, Gage, as a senior running back for the Warriors. 

Coach McGuire is a former backup quarterback at Cedar Hill. Mentored by his father Joey (who won 142 games in Texas HS Football and won a bowl game with the Red Raiders his first year as head coach), McGuire served as an offensive assistant for Rhule’s Carolina Panthers. He is much younger than most on the staff at 23 years old. 

CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz