We don’t just fill vacancies; we identify the missing piece of your organizational puzzle.
Red Zone Search Group is a premier executive search and advisory firm specializing in leadership placement across college athletics. We partner with universities, athletic departments, and governing bodies to identify, evaluate, and secure high-impact leaders in an increasingly complex and high-stakes environment.
In today’s college sports landscape, hiring decisions carry significant financial, competitive, and reputational consequences. Programs turn to search firms not simply to generate candidate lists—but to provide confidentiality, strategic insight, and process integrity at every stage of a search.
Red Zone Search Group operates at the center of that process. We serve as a trusted intermediary, allowing institutions to explore opportunities discreetly, engage candidates through established relationships, and navigate sensitive negotiations without public exposure. In an era shaped by media scrutiny, agent influence, and constant movement across the coaching and administrative landscape, maintaining privacy and control is critical.
Our approach goes beyond traditional recruiting. We deliver:
* Comprehensive candidate vetting and background analysis
* Market intelligence and compensation benchmarking
* Strategic alignment between institutional goals and leadership profiles
* Structured, efficient search processes that minimize disruption
By combining deep industry relationships with a disciplined, data-informed methodology, Red Zone Search Group helps clients make confident, informed hiring decisions—whether for athletic directors, head coaches, or senior administrators.
At our core, we believe the right leadership hire can transform a program. Our mission is to ensure every search is conducted with precision, discretion, and a commitment to long-term success.
Contact: info@theredzonesearchgroup.com
Our Team
Jasher Cox
Jasher, the founder of The Red Zone Search Group, brings over two decades of elite leadership experience across the collegiate athletics landscape to the executive search industry. Having served as a Director of Athletics at both Allen University and Lincoln Memorial University, Jasher possesses a rare "AD’s perspective" on what it takes to build and sustain a championship-caliber department. His tenure at Allen University was particularly transformative, as he successfully spearheaded the institution's complex transition from the NAIA to NCAA membership, while simultaneously overseeing multi-million dollar capital campaigns and facility enhancements.
Beyond his work on campus, Jasher has extensive experience within governing bodies, having served as Associate Commissioner for both the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and the Horizon League. During his time in these conference offices, he was instrumental in securing high-value corporate sponsorships, managing linear television broadcasting agreements with partners like ESPN, and elevating the branding of postseason tournaments to professional venues. This deep background in external operations and league governance allows him to identify talent that can navigate the increasingly commercial and high-stakes nature of modern sports.
Jasher leverages this vast scouting network and operational expertise to help universities and professional organizations finish the drive in their search for transformative leadership.
Founder
Mark Wright
Mark’s extensive media experience spans newspapers, magazines, digital, film, podcasts, and UX content design. A proud alumnus of Howard University, Wright spent 15 years at ESPN, including as a senior director at ESPN Events in Charlotte, where he was a trusted voice on its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) portfolio.
A former writer for ESPN The Magazine and The Undefeated (now Andscape), where he covered soccer, culture, race, and HBCUs, Wright expanded into documentaries in 2015 with his signature project, “Redemption Song,” a 30 for 30 film (executive produced by Spike Lee) about Howard University’s national championship soccer team. His additional credits include acclaimed SEC Storied features “The Walkoff” and “No Experience Required.”
He currently serves as a Senior Content Designer at Lowe’s Companies, Inc., supporting UX teams in creating clear, user-centered digital experiences. Wright is also co-owner of Wright Creative, an award-winning content marketing agency, and host of the Press Pause podcast. As a Senior Advisor to Red Zone Search Group, he brings a unique blend of storytelling, strategy, and industry insight to our work.
Senior Advisor
Senior AdvisorWill Dudley
William brings more than two decades of multimedia leadership across government, sports, and entertainment—building a career defined by visual storytelling, creative strategy, and the ability to execute at the highest levels.
A proud Aggie and alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University, Dudley spent nearly thirteen years at ESPN in Charlotte, first as an Associate Producer supporting live broadcasts and sports programming, then as a Freelance Multimedia Producer crafting promotional content, branded video assets, and sports features that reached audiences at scale.
Dudley carried that production discipline into the federal space, serving in executive multimedia roles at the Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Administration before joining the Transportation Security Administration, where he currently serves as Director of the Multimedia Division within Strategic Communications and Public Affairs. In that role, he oversees video production, graphic design, and web development for one of the nation's most visible federal agencies. His teams have earned Webby, Telly, and MarCom awards spanning web video honors to production excellence in federal government—a range that speaks to both the quality and the scope of the work.
He is also host of Sport of Content, a YouTube show examining sports content systems, artificial intelligence integration, and the Name, Image, and Likeness landscape for athletic departments and sports marketing organizations. As a Senior Advisor to Red Zone Search Group, Dudley—known across the industry simply as Will—brings a rare combination of sports media credibility, federal communications leadership, and entrepreneurial vision to the work.
Our Team
Summer Quesenberry
ConsultantSummer is an experienced athletics leader and talent strategist with more than 15 years of experience across collegiate athletics, operations, recruitment, event management, and student-athlete development. With a background spanning NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA institutions, she brings a broad and sophisticated understanding of leadership in intercollegiate athletics. Summer’s experience in program leadership, stakeholder engagement, event execution, recruiting strategy, and organizational operations allows her to assess talent with both depth and practicality. At Red Zone Search Group, she brings a thoughtful, relationship-centered approach to helping clients identify leaders who can navigate complexity, build culture, and drive meaningful results.
ConsultantDuane Lewis
Duane Lewis is a senior communications and marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience leading enterprise communications, brand strategy, and stakeholder engagement initiatives that drive measurable business outcomes. He has a demonstrated ability to align communications strategy with corporate objectives, strengthen brand equity, and deliver revenue impact across complex organizations. As Chief Strategist of Fortville Enterprises, LLC, Lewis partners with executive leadership teams to advance corporate communications, reputation management, and integrated marketing strategies. His expertise spans executive messaging, media relations, crisis communications, and multi-channel campaign leadership—consistently delivering increased visibility, audience growth, and bottom-line results. Lewis has held senior leadership roles across higher education and professional sports, including positions with Jackson State University, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Prairie View A&M University, and the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams. He is recognized as a trusted advisor who translates business priorities into strategic communications that influence perception, drive engagement, and support organizational growth.
Current Searches
Edward Water University
After applying, send cover letter and resume to: info@theredzonesearchgroup.com
Miles College
After applying, send cover letter and resume to: info@theredzonesearchgroup.com