It didn't take Mike Leach long to find JaMarcus Shephard's replacement for Inside Receivers coach.

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports first reported Thursday night that Leach had hired Derek Sage from Toledo to fill the role. Sage, named a finalist for the FootballScoop.com wide receivers coach of the year, has spent the past three seasons at Toledo.

Here is his current bio from the Toledo site:

"Derek Sage is in his third season as the Rockets’ wide receivers coach. In his two seasons at Toledo, Sage has mentored an outstanding receiving corps that has helped make UT’s offense one of the most explosive in the Mid-American Conference.

In 2014, Sage coached a pair of All-MAC receivers, sophomore Corey Jones (second team) and junior Alonzo Russell (third team). Jones caught 68 passes and ranked sixth in the MAC in receptions per game. The Rockets were No. 1 in the MAC in scoring and total offense, powering UT to a 9-4 record and a victory in the GoDaddy Bowl.

Last season, Russell earned second-team all-league honors, while Jones caught 55 passes and sophomore Cody Thompson finished third in the country in yards per reception (22.3). The Rockets averaged 35.0 points per game on their way to a 10-2 season that included victories over then-No. 18 Arkansas and then-No. 24 Temple in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl.

Sage came to Toledo following a four-year stint as the receivers coach at Wyoming. In 2013, Sage mentored Cowboy wide receiver Robert Herron, who finished his career as the school’s No. 4 all-time leader in touchdown catches with 20. He also tied the Wyoming and Mountain West Conference record for TD catches in a game with four vs. Hawaii. Herron played in the 2014 Reese’s Senior Bowl and earned honorable mention All-MWC honors.

Under Sage’s guidance, the Cowboys ranked second in the MWC in passing offense in 2012, averaging 265.4 yards per game. Sage mentored wide receiver Chris McNeill to second-team All-MWC honors in both 2011 and 2012. McNeill ranked No. 2 in the MWC in receptions (5.73 per game) and No. 3 in receiving yards (65.6 yards per game) in 2012.

In 2010, Sage coached former Cowboy wide receiver David Leonard, who concluded his career ranked No. 8 in career receptions at UW with 153. Leonard ranked No. 4 in the Mountain West in receptions in 2010, averaging 3.9 catches per game.

Prior to his stint at Wyoming, Sage was the wide receivers coach at New Hampshire from 2005-09. UNH earned bids to the FCS playoffs in each of Sage’s five seasons with the program, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 and making it to the first round in 2007.

While at New Hampshire, Sage coached some of the greatest receivers in school history, including All-American David Ball. Ball set New Hampshire receiving records for career receptions (304) and career receiving yards (4,655). He also became the NCAA career leader in TD receptions with 58, breaking Jerry Rice’s previous record of 51 at Mississippi Valley State. Sage also coached 2007 first-team CAA selection Keith LeVan, who ranks second on UNH’s career reception list, with 201, and led the CAA in touchdown receptions in 2007. In 2008, Sage mentored first-team CAA selection Mike Boyle, who led the league in touchdown receptions.

Sage arrived at UNH from the University of Nevada, where he helped coach the defensive backfield as a graduate assistant in 2003 and the wide receivers as a graduate assistant in 2004. Nevada receiver Nicheron Flowers ranked sixth in the nation in receiving with 91 catches for 1,136 yards and six touchdowns in 2004.

A native of Sparks, NV, Sage played tight end for Sacramento City College for two years (1998-99), helping win conference and bowl championships at the junior college level. He completed his college career at Cal State Northridge, where he won two letters at tight end in 2000 and 2001.

Sage earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Northridge in 2002. While completing his undergraduate degree, he also helped coach at Moorpark Community College (CA), working with the offensive line and tight ends. Moorpark won a conference title and a bowl championship that season.

Sage and his wife Mandy have two children, daughter Piper (5), and a son, Casen (3)."

Coaching Experience:

2014-16 Toledo - Wide Receivers

2010-13 Wyoming - Wide Receivers

2005-09 New Hampshire - Wide Receivers

2003-04 Nevada - Graduate Assistant