Texas Tech general manager James Blanchard turned down the same position with the Notre Dame football program, according to a report from ESPN.
That decision comes after Blanchard met with the Fighting Irish on multiple occasions about the position and took one reported trip to South Bend in person.
Blanchard will remain as general manager of the Texas Tech football program, a position he took in 2022 after serving as the program’s director of player personnel.
General managers at the college football level are key figures inside programs who are responsible for overseeing personnel and overall recruiting strategies for teams.
Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire has spoken highly of Blanchard, referring to him as “the best evaluator in college football.”
McGuire credited Blanchard with having a natural eye for talent acquisition and evaluation and for his skill in building relationships with players and coaches inside the program, two attributes the coach noted he has rarely seen in one person.
Under Blanchard’s leadership, Texas Tech signed highly-regarded football recruiting classes in 2022 and 2023, and its 2024 group was ranked No. 25 by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
Key to the 2024 recruiting haul was the commitment of five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson, the first 5-star prospect signed by the Red Raiders program.
Prior to joining the Red Raiders program, Blanchard worked as assistant athletic director for scouting at Baylor, where he located and recruited high school football prospects.
And he has experience in the NFL ranks, working with the Carolina Panthers front office, analyzing opponents’ game film and scouting potential free agent acquisitions.
Notre Dame found itself in the market for a new general manager after the departure of Chad Bowden, who left the program to take the same position at USC.
Now, the race continues for Notre Dame to find the right replacement for a critical figure inside the football program.
–
More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams
Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
