Army West Point Athletics
Football
Cheston Blackshear
- Title:
- Offensive Line
Cheston Blackshear enters his third season on the Army coaching staff in 2026, serving as the co-offensive line coach alongside John Holt. Blackshear initially joined the staff before the 2024 season as the tight ends coach before transitioning to assistant offensive line coach in 2025.
During his first year at West Point in 2024, Blackshear guided the tight ends, mentoring senior David Crossan, who started 13 of 14 games and served as a crucial blocker for the nation’s top rushing attack.
In 2025, Blackshear’s work with the offensive front helped pave the way for elite programmatic success, headlined by center Brady Small earning All-Conference First Team honors in the American for the second consecutive season, and senior left guard Will Jeffcoat, who was selected as a Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Second Team All-American. Small, a junior from Mt. Ephraim, N.J., started all 13 games at center to extend his consecutive starting streak to 39 games—a run dating back to the opener of his freshman season in 2023. Jeffcoat, a native of Pelion, S.C., was the lone senior starter on the line, starting every game at left guard. With Jeffcoat following 2024 Second Team honoree Lucas Scott, it marked the first time since the 1958–59 seasons that Army produced FWAA All-Americans in back-to-back years. Both Small and Jeffcoat were foundational components of the 2024 offensive line that took home the prestigious Joe Moore Award.
Behind Blackshear’s front, the Black Knights dictated the line of scrimmage, ranking fifth in the nation by averaging 256.9 rushing yards per game and leading the country in time of possession at 34:27 per game. This dominant style was highlighted by a performance at Kansas State, where Army held the ball for over 40 minutes and converted 6-of-7 fourth-down attempts.
Before Army, he spent two seasons as an offensive line quality control coach with the Florida Gators (2022-23).
While at Florida, he was a part of the 2022 team that played in the Las Vegas Bowl. OL O’Cyrus Torrence went on to become a second-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2023 and went on to start all 17 games as a rookie.
Before Florida, he spent four seasons (2018-21) at Dartmouth, where he was the offensive tackles and tight ends coach. In 2019, he developed offensive line convert Jake Guidone and helped him become one of the best blocking tight ends in the conference, earning an honorable mention without catching a pass. In 2021, Blackshear coached two all-conference tight ends in J.J. Jones III and Robbie Mangas.
Blackshear was in the same role in Nevada from 2014-17, New Mexico from 2009-12, and at Columbia from 2006-08. He was also the tight ends coach at Georgetown for the 2013 season and a graduate assistant at Illinois in 2005. Blackshear began his coaching career at Florida as a graduate assistant from 2002-04.
A native of Jacksonville, he guided Lucas Reed to Freshman All-America honors in 2009 and was selected as a candidate for the John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End). Also, at UNM, he coached former NFL offensive lineman Byron Bell.
He has participated in the NFL's Bill Walsh Internship Program and worked with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Miami Dolphins during training camp.
Blackshear was a four-time letter winner for the University of Florida, playing in 41 games with 28 starts from 1995-1999. A member of the 1996 National Championship team, he was tabbed both a 1999 Coaches' and AP Second-Team All-SEC selection and awarded the Fergie Ferguson Award in his senior year.
Following graduation, he signed with the Carolina Panthers and then played guard for the Orlando Rage of the XFL from 2000-01 and helped them 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.
During his first year at West Point in 2024, Blackshear guided the tight ends, mentoring senior David Crossan, who started 13 of 14 games and served as a crucial blocker for the nation’s top rushing attack.
In 2025, Blackshear’s work with the offensive front helped pave the way for elite programmatic success, headlined by center Brady Small earning All-Conference First Team honors in the American for the second consecutive season, and senior left guard Will Jeffcoat, who was selected as a Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Second Team All-American. Small, a junior from Mt. Ephraim, N.J., started all 13 games at center to extend his consecutive starting streak to 39 games—a run dating back to the opener of his freshman season in 2023. Jeffcoat, a native of Pelion, S.C., was the lone senior starter on the line, starting every game at left guard. With Jeffcoat following 2024 Second Team honoree Lucas Scott, it marked the first time since the 1958–59 seasons that Army produced FWAA All-Americans in back-to-back years. Both Small and Jeffcoat were foundational components of the 2024 offensive line that took home the prestigious Joe Moore Award.
Behind Blackshear’s front, the Black Knights dictated the line of scrimmage, ranking fifth in the nation by averaging 256.9 rushing yards per game and leading the country in time of possession at 34:27 per game. This dominant style was highlighted by a performance at Kansas State, where Army held the ball for over 40 minutes and converted 6-of-7 fourth-down attempts.
Before Army, he spent two seasons as an offensive line quality control coach with the Florida Gators (2022-23).
While at Florida, he was a part of the 2022 team that played in the Las Vegas Bowl. OL O’Cyrus Torrence went on to become a second-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2023 and went on to start all 17 games as a rookie.
Before Florida, he spent four seasons (2018-21) at Dartmouth, where he was the offensive tackles and tight ends coach. In 2019, he developed offensive line convert Jake Guidone and helped him become one of the best blocking tight ends in the conference, earning an honorable mention without catching a pass. In 2021, Blackshear coached two all-conference tight ends in J.J. Jones III and Robbie Mangas.
Blackshear was in the same role in Nevada from 2014-17, New Mexico from 2009-12, and at Columbia from 2006-08. He was also the tight ends coach at Georgetown for the 2013 season and a graduate assistant at Illinois in 2005. Blackshear began his coaching career at Florida as a graduate assistant from 2002-04.
A native of Jacksonville, he guided Lucas Reed to Freshman All-America honors in 2009 and was selected as a candidate for the John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End). Also, at UNM, he coached former NFL offensive lineman Byron Bell.
He has participated in the NFL's Bill Walsh Internship Program and worked with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Miami Dolphins during training camp.
Blackshear was a four-time letter winner for the University of Florida, playing in 41 games with 28 starts from 1995-1999. A member of the 1996 National Championship team, he was tabbed both a 1999 Coaches' and AP Second-Team All-SEC selection and awarded the Fergie Ferguson Award in his senior year.
Following graduation, he signed with the Carolina Panthers and then played guard for the Orlando Rage of the XFL from 2000-01 and helped them 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.
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