E.K. Franks has been named Arkansas' Director of Recruiting, head coach Bret Bielema announced Wednesday.
Franks comes to the Razorbacks from Southeastern Louisiana, but previously worked with Bielema at both Wisconsin and Kansas State. The Arkansas press release notes he has worked with "multiple professional athletes, including Wes Welker, Terence Newman and Darren Sproles." He also reportedly has "extensive recruiting ties to Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Mississippi."
"I have known E.K. Franks for more than a decade and can't wait to see the positive effect he will bring to our Razorback family," Coach Bielema said. "He will lead our recruiting department on a variety of different levels to help bring Arkansas football to the highest level of success."
Franks is replacing Chris Hauser, who left the Razorbacks in February.
More from the UA press release:
Franks brings a keen eye for talent and a diverse background to the Razorbacks. He has experience as an assistant coach, strength coach, academic counselor and director of minority relations. In addition, he is active in youth programs and community service outreach, serving on the board of the Kansas-based non-profit S.A.F.E., Success Achieved in Future Environments, which helps mentor youth through athletics.
At Southeastern Louisiana, he tutored Xavier Roberson to multiple All-America honors as a sophomore running back and kick returner. In 2012, Roberson and Rasheed Harrell teamed to make up one of the top freshmen running back duos in the country under Franks' leadership. Before Southeastern Louisiana, Franks spent two seasons as defensive line coach and head strength coach at Delta State. There, he coached a pair of first-team All-Gulf South Conference selections in 2011.
Franks was a defensive graduate assistant at Wisconsin for two seasons while Coach Bielema was the Badgers' defensive coordinator. Prior to Wisconsin, Franks coached the defensive line at Texas State for the 2003 season and was an academic counselor and director of minority relations at Kansas State from 2001-2003.
His first collegiate coaching experience came at Kansas State, where he was a strength and conditioning coach for the football team during the 2000 season and 2001 offseason.
The Wellington, Kan., native earned his bachelor's degree from Central Oklahoma in 2000 and a master's degree in adult education from Kansas State in 2002. Prior to completing his degree at Central Oklahoma, Franks was a wrestler at Oklahoma and a defensive back at Missouri State.