Virginia Tech hires Maryland RBs coach Elijah Brooks to same position

The Virginia Tech Hokies made a big hire Monday on the eve of the start of spring practice. Virginia Tech announced it had hired Elijah Brooks as the program’s new running backs coach. Brooks spent the past four seasons as Maryland’s running backs coach — his first collegiate coaching position.

Before coming to Maryland, Brooks was the head coach at powerful DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland, where he led the Stags to four consecutive conference and state championships in eight seasons.

Brooks is a 2007 graduate from William & Mary, where he finished his career as the Tribe’s No. 7 all-time leading rusher.

Brooks took to Twitter to say goodbye to Maryland.

If you’re wondering why Tech hired a running backs coach, well, it’s because head coach Brent Pry shifted around some responsibilities. In response to losing quarterbacks coach Brad Glenn to Cincinnati and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph to Notre Dame, Pry moved RBs coach Stu Holt to tight ends coach. Former TEs coach Tyler Bowen, VT’s offensive coordinator, will now coach quarterbacks. That left an opening at running backs coach where you’d prefer to have a strong recruiter. That’s Brooks.

Bowen moving to QB coach makes sense, too. As offensive coordinator, he works closely with the quarterbacks, so it should be a seamless transition for him. We’ll have more on Tech’s new offensive line coach, Ron Crook.

Pulling Brooks from Mike Locksley’s staff in College Park is a massive pull. That can't be stated enough. Brooks has coached future NFL running backs in his four-year stint with the Terps and is well-connected throughout Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Pry continues to prioritize the region and landing Brooks from one of Virginia Tech’s primary recruiting opponents was a big-time move.

Something else to consider is Virginia Tech assistant basketball coach Mike Jones. Jones just completed his second season as an assistant for Mike Young. Like Brooks, Jones was a legendary head coach at DeMatha, so you’d think the two had to speak about Blacksburg and Virginia Tech with Coach Jones giving the Hokies a thumbs up.

Love this hire for the Hokies.

Welcome to Virginia Tech, Coach Brooks and family.