Who Is Marty Biagi?

None of us here at RBN consider ourselves ‘recruiting gurus.’  However, we do follow it religiously thanks to our favorites…Richard Davenport, Dudley Dawson, Trey Biddy…and, yes, even Otis.

It’s caught our attention, when reading their little tidbits about prospective recruits, the number of players who mention how much they like their lead Arkansas recruiter, Marty Biagi.  That got us thinking…who the heck is Marty Biagi?

Biagi joined the Razorbacks as a graduate assistant in August last year.  He works closely with Razorback Defensive Coordinator Willy Robinson in the secondary, and helps Kirk Botkin and John L. Smith with special teams.

We first noticed Biagi last fall during two-a-days working with the Razorback kickers.  What caught our eye was after putting them through some normal kicking drills, Biagi had the punters working on properly fielding high snaps that had sailed over their head.  Teaching them how to circle, scoop and kick on the run showed just how closely Bobby Petrino’s staff pays attention to detail.  How many people would practice that?  It was fun to watch.

Coach Biagi should know a thing or two about kickers.  He was a kicker and punter, and was special teams captain for the Marshall Thundering Heard from 2005-2007.  Knowing that coaching was in his future, Biagi, while still a player, assisted the Marshall staff by breaking down film and assisting with scouting reports during the season.  He left — with one season of eligibility remaining — to pursue his career in coaching.

Instrumental in the recruitment of new Hog punter Briton Forester (5-10, 185, Palomar, Calif. Community College), Forester’s father Fred, owner of a California software company, was sold on Biagi.

Forester said his time spent in Fayetteville leads him to believe that Biagi has a very bright future in coaching.  “I look for him to go far,” he said. “He’s like 24 years old and I’ve been to board rooms of Fortune 500 companies all over the country. He’s very mature.”

Biagi was also recently praised by current recruits, brothers Terry Lee and Terrence Talbot of Huber Heights, Ohio.  Terry Lee (6-3, 270, 4.8), a defensive tackle, and Terrence (5-11, 170, 4.47), a defensive back, have offers from several schools including Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.

“He (Biagi) seems like a person you would like to get to know,” said Terry Lee, who reports a 405-pound bench press and 510 squat. “He’s the type you can talk to and rely on and get a good opinion.”

No doubt Biagi looks to be a rising star, perhaps following in the footsteps of some famous Razorback GAs — Pete Carroll and Jackie Sherrill just to name a couple.  Hog fans should enjoy him, and the fruits of his recruiting, while he’s here.