Sometimes a coaching hire barely causes a ripple.
A school adds an assistant, the graphic goes out on social media, and fans move on to the next thing. Maybe you recognize the name. Maybe you don’t. Either way, it doesn’t feel like a big moment.
Then a few weeks or months later, something happens that makes you stop and think, “Oh. That’s why.”
Ole Miss hiring Mike Stoops had a little bit of that feel to it.
Stoops has been in college football forever. He was the head coach at Arizona and spent years as a defensive coordinator at places like Oklahoma and Florida State. It’s a veteran hire, someone with deep roots in the sport.
But when Ole Miss added him this offseason, it didn’t exactly dominate conversation. It was just another staff addition.
Recruiting can change that pretty quickly.
On Monday, Ole Miss defensive line coach Randall Joyner offered Basha (Ariz.) EDGE Landen Wade, a rising junior who is starting to gain national attention. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound defender turned heads at the Under Armour Phoenix camp over the weekend and has been adding offers in a hurry.
After a great conversation with @LetsGo_Bo5 I am blessed to receive another offer from ole miss @CoachGolding @bashagridiron @HogsandDawgs pic.twitter.com/dktCoG9Ta3
— Landen Miguel Wade (@landenwade_d1) March 10, 2026
Miami, Arizona, Cal, Oregon, Penn State and Texas A&M have all jumped in recently. Now Ole Miss is part of the mix as well.
There’s a reason Wade is trending.
“Wade was yet another good looking underclassman in the trenches,” Rivals analyst Greg Biggins said after the Phoenix event. “He has a rock solid 6-foot-4, 250 frame, and has even more room to grow and add good weight. From a traits standpoint, Wade is how you draw it up.”
Biggins also noted that Wade’s position could change as he develops.
“He’s young for his grade and is still maturing and has the kind of all around game where we could see him playing inside or out,” Biggins said. “He currently plays as an edge rusher and is a natural athlete who can bully opposing tackles but could easily bulk up and move inside in a few years.”
Left UA Next Camp in Phoenix today very impressed with what we saw from 2028 Basha (AZ) prospect Landen Wade @landenwade_d1
Special size at 6’4” 256lbs at only 15 years old. Going to be a problem 😳 #UANext pic.twitter.com/UyKGuYl4fW
— Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) March 9, 2026
Joyner will handle most of the work in this recruitment, and he’s been one of Ole Miss’ most effective recruiters for a while now. But this is also where the Stoops hire starts to make a little more sense.
Stoops spent years coaching in Arizona. He knows the area, the high school programs, and the people around them. Those relationships don’t disappear overnight.
Landen Wade getting measured here at UA Next Camp in Phoenix @landenwade_d1
Tremendous size at just 15 years old, checked in at 6’4” 256 pounds. The Basha (AZ) standout has offers from Texas A&M, Penn State, and more #UANext pic.twitter.com/YYHUilmZ5E
— Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) March 8, 2026
None of that guarantees anything. Recruiting rarely works that neatly.
But when Ole Miss offered a fast-rising defensive lineman from the Phoenix area this week, it did serve as one of those moments.
The kind where you remember a staff hire from a few months ago and think, “Okay, that’s part of the plan.”
