{"id":2182,"date":"2025-06-21T11:11:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T11:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/2182\/"},"modified":"2025-06-21T11:11:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T11:11:10","slug":"brian-kellys-right-hand-exec-sends-powerful-message-as-lsu-suffers-big-blow-to-b1g-poaching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/2182\/","title":{"rendered":"Brian Kelly\u2019s Right-Hand Exec Sends Powerful Message as LSU Suffers Big Blow to B1G Poaching"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the constantly changing landscape of college football, it is not unusual to notice coaching staffs and athletics departments coming to the defense of colleagues leaving for new horizons. One such instance recently played out at Brian Kelly\u2019s<\/strong> LSU, where an off-field member is heading west to join a rising Big Ten staff. And this didn\u2019t go unnoticed. As one of Kelly\u2019s most trusted Lieutenants, the Associate Athletic Director (Associate AD) led the charge in saluting the young staffer on social media with a message.<\/p>\n

AD Scott Woodward and the athletic leadership at the university frequently speak out about the need to lift up staff at every level, aware that these relationships directly affect the morale and health of the department. That\u2019s what transpired when Jake Sugarman<\/strong>, a young star on LSU football recruiting and scouting operations, revealed his next adventure. Jake Sugarman\u2019s experience at LSU quickly gained praise for his relentless hard work in recruiting and scouting players, and forming friendships with high school coaches throughout the nation.<\/p>\n

When the news came out that UCLA<\/strong> was bringing in Sugarman as their new Director of Scouting and High School Relations, it was a proud moment for all those who had worked under him at LSU. And Associate AD, Austin Thomas<\/strong>, could not remain calm and posted a heartfelt message on X commending his growth. \u201c@jakesugarman1<\/a> I am so proud of you, and I am looking forward to watching your continued growth \u2013 you\u2019ve earned this opportunity. You have been a blessing to #LSU, and there is no doubt that you will be successful in all that you do in the future! GO BE GREAT!\u201d After serving his time in the trenches at LSU and Arizona State, Sugarman is loading up the bags to head to sunny California.<\/p>\n

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@jakesugarman1<\/a> I am so proud of you and I am looking forward to watching your continued growth \u2013 you\u2019ve earned this opportunity.
You have been a blessing to #LSU<\/a> and there is no doubt that you will be successful in all that you do in the future! GO BE GREAT! \ud83d\udc51\ud83e\udee1#DevelopedHere<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/7ANGmKn6TW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Austin Thomas (@Austin_Thomas55) June 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Sugarman began his career at Arizona State, getting his education under the tutelage of Kenny Dillingham, and then jumped to LSU, where he served the past year as a Player Personnel Assistant. Now he\u2019s off to UCLA, where DeShaun Foster is assembling a staff that\u2019s not just about hustle and relationships. Sugarman even worked with the Kansas City Chiefs. By hiring someone with an SEC and NFL scouting background, the Bruins demonstrate their dedication to creating a culture of winners. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, and high school relationships are more crucial than ever in the transfer portal age.<\/p>\n

For LSU, the loss of Sugarman is another turn in a hectic offseason. Several key personnel have already left the Tigers\u2014Tiffany to the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>, and each loss creates an opening that they must fill. But it\u2019s also something that attests that the program is a springboard for individuals who desire to develop in this industry, as Austin also said. And Jake\u2019s previous manager also didn\u2019t hesitate to endorse him. But the praise wasn\u2019t limited to LSU; ASU HC Kenny Dillingham<\/strong> made it quite explicit that Jake is going to be unstoppable in his profession.<\/p>\n

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Kenny Dillingham pays tribute to his former student<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dillingham, who coached Jake Sugarman at Arizona State, didn\u2019t just share the news; he celebrated it, subtly signaling that Sugarman\u2019s promotion is the kind of success story that makes coaching worthwhile. \u201cJake will do great !!!!!! It was great to work with here,\u201d Kenny wrote on X. Rewind a couple of years, and you\u2019ll find Sugarman cutting his teeth at Arizona State, learning the ropes under Dillingham and the Sun Devils\u2019 staff. At the time, he was merely a young man attempting to establish himself, learning everything there is to know about recruiting, watching film, and the rigors of college football operations.<\/p>\n

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Sugarman did not spend his tenure at Arizona State while networking with high school coaches, evaluating prospects, and assisting in devising the Sun Devils\u2019 recruiting plan. He worked in the engine room; he is the one who got things done behind the scenes, even though his name doesn\u2019t appear in the headlines very often. When he departed Arizona State, Sugarman had already established himself as someone the coaches could count on to get the job done. As he sets off to UCLA, it\u2019s undeniable that the Bruins are signing a steal deal.<\/p>\n