Recruiting is one of the lifebloods of the LSU football program, and Les Miles has landed another big commitment - just not one that can be ranked by the recruiting services.

Austin Thomas is set to return to LSU

Austin Thomas, LSU’s former Director of Player Personnel, is now headed back to Baton Rouge, multiple sources at LSU confirmed with the Geaux247 staff.

Thomas left LSU for a job at Southern Cal on Feb. 18, where he was named USC’s Assistant Athletic Director, head of Player Personnel and NFL research. Less than four months later, the Tigers have convinced him to return to his post in the Bayou State.

Thomas will once again be in charge of LSU’s recruiting efforts under Miles and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron, with an emphasis put on player evaluation, managing the recruiting database and helping organize recruiting events on LSU’s campus.

In his three years with LSU from 2013-16, the Tigers finished with top five recruiting classes during each cycle. LSU also had a top five class just prior to Thomas’ arrival in 2013, marking the first time in the Miles era that LSU had put together back-to-back top five classes, which the Tigers have now done four years in a row. Thomas had been at USC for the four years prior, working for the Trojans from 2010-13.

Thomas was named FootballScoop.com’s 2015 Player Personnel Director of the Year following a lengthy stint with LSU at No. 1 in the 247Sports team rankings. In an interview with FootballScoop.com in January, Orgeron called Thomas one of the brightest minds in the recruiting game.

“Austin is a great evaluator,” Orgeron said. “He spends countless hours devouring film and is highly organized when gathering information on a player. From talent identification and evaluation, to connecting with the players and managing all of their visits, Austin runs all of it."

It’s another home run hire for Miles and the LSU brass, with new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and two new position coaches on offense in Jabbar Juluke and Dameyune Craig also brought on this offseason.



Stay tuned to Geaux247 for more on this developing story.