Head Coach Billy Napier has made another hire, this time Quality Control Coach - OL Cheston Blackshear
Dartmouth:
Recruiting Area: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Texas (western), Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Blackshear joined the Dartmouth coaching staff during the spring of 2017 after three years at Nevada as the tight ends coach. With the Big Green, his responsibilities include coaching the tight ends as well as the offensive tackles.
In his first year with the Big Green, he tutored All-Ivy League honorable mention tight end Stephen Johnston. In 2018, he patched together a quartet of young tight ends (and converted linemen) that caught a total of 35 passes and 10 touchdowns, led by Connor Rempel with 22 grabs for 253 yards and five scores. Last year he took offensive line convert Jake Guidone and helped him become one of the best blocking tight ends in the Ivy League, earning honorable mention without catching a pass.
Between two stints in the Mountain West with Nevada (2014-16) and New Mexico (2009-12), Blackshear spent a season at Georgetown. With the Lobos, he coached Jarred Gipson to all-conference honors twice.
At New Mexico, Blackshear guided Lucas Reed to Freshman All-America honors in 2009, first-team all-conference recognition the following year, and an All-America selection to go along with being named a John Mackey Award candidate. Blackshear also coached offensive lineman Byron Bell, who is starting his ninth season in the NFL in 2019.
Blackshear is no stranger to the Ivy League as he spent three seasons at Columbia (2006-08). Prior to that, he served as a graduate assistant at Illinois (2005) and at his alma mater, Florida (2002-04).
Blackshear entered coaching after an outstanding playing career at the University of Florida. He was a four-year letterwinner (1996-99), earning second-team All-Southeastern Conference as a senior while being awarded the Fergie Ferguson Award as the senior with the most leadership, character and courage. Blackshear played in four bowl games, including the 1997 Sugar Bowl when the Gators won the national championship.
Following his 2000 graduation with a degree in business administration, Blackshear signed with the Carolina Panthers. He played guard with Orlando of the XFL in 2000-01, helping the Rage lead the league in rushing.
Blackshear was an all-state and Super Prep All-American at Ed White High as well, becoming the first offensive lineman ever awarded Player of the Year honors by the Florida Times-Union.
The Cheston Blackshear File:
A four-time letterwinner...Played in 41 regular season games with 28 starts for 1,895 plays...Also played in 1997 Sugar Bowl and started 1998 Citrus Bowl, 1999 Orange Bowl and 2000 Citrus Bowl...1999 - Coaches' and Associated Press Second-Team All-SEC selection... Selected to play in Florida All-Star Gridiron Classic...Recipient of Fergie Ferguson Award (senior player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage)...UF's starting right guard in all 12 games for 772 plays...Also started Citrus Bowl... 772 plays ranked tied for first on offensive line and sixth most on team...Averaged 64.3 snaps per game, third best on offensive line unit...Co-recipient of UF's Most Consistent Award on offense this spring...1998 - Played in 10 regular season games (all but Kentucky) with seven starts for 466 plays... Also started Orange Bowl... A starter at guard in seven of 11 regular season games (on left side vs. The Citadel and on right side vs. Northeast Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Florida State)... Underwent surgery on his right hand after injury vs. Tennessee, which forced him to miss Kentucky game... Averaged 46.6 plays per game... Co-recipient of offensive squad's Most Consistent Award during spring... 1997 - Played in all 11 games with nine starts at right guard (all but Auburn and Georgia) for 542 plays... Also started Citrus Bowl... Started first six games and then regained starting nod in week nine vs. Vanderbilt... 542 plays ranked fourth-best among OL unit... Saw action in average of 49.3 plays per game... Made first career start against Southern Mississippi and saw action in 56 plays... Career-high 86 plays vs. LSU...Co-recipient of UF's Best Effort on Offense Award during spring... 1996 - Played in eight of 12 games (all but Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida State and Alabama) as a top backup at right guard... Also played in 1997 Sugar Bowl... 115 plays ranked 11th among OL... Season-high 30 plays vs. Kentucky... 1995 - Was redshirted and did not see any game action... Worked primarily with the scout team at offensive guard ... Prep - Regarded as one of the state's and nation's elite offensive linemen in 1994... Named to several prep All-America teams... Named to Bluechip Illustrated's All-America Dream Team and was ranked among the nation's top 10 prep offensive linemen by that publication... Named the country's top offensive guard prospect by National Bluechip Recruiting Service... Named to Florida's prestigious Super Seniors Team that met Georgia prep all-stars in the summer of '95... A first-team All-State (5A) selection in 1994... Honorable mention All-America honors from USA Today... Super-Prep All-America ... Florida Times-Union named him the Jacksonville area Offensive Player-of-the-Year, a rare achievement for an offensive lineman... Helped White High School to undefeated (10-0) season in '94 and district championship... High school coach was Dan Disch... Also visited Auburn, Florida State, Notre Dame and Tennessee during the recruiting process...Major - Business Administration.