Texas Tech general manager James Blanchard turns down Notre Dame

Texas Tech’s James Blanchard is turning down the open general manager position at Notre Dame, multiple sources tell On3. Viewed as one of the top front-office staffers in college football, Blanchard repeatedly met with the Fighting Irish, including a trip to South Bend.

He ultimately decided to stay in Lubbock, keeping his family in the state of Texas. He played a pivotal role in constructing the No. 1 portal class this winter in On3’s 2025 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings and will now have the opportunity to see it on the field.

Blanchard’s new three-year contract will have a total value of $1.575 million, a source tells On3.

USC hired Notre Dame’s Chad Bowden as its general manager in late January. Bowden was one of the key players in helping construct Notre Dame’s national championship game roster. Now Marcus Freeman will have to move on from Blanchard and identify another target. Sources tell On3 that Notre Dame’s search is ongoing.

Blanchard was the first major addition to Joey McGuire’s staff at Texas Tech. Blanchard was previously in his second stint as Baylor’s assistant athletic director for scouting before joining McGuire. He’s also spent time in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.

Blanchard has reshaped the Texas Tech personnel department and how the Red Raiders recruit. Similar to an NFL front office, Blanchard and his staff identify every prospect every recruit the program offers, allowing McGuire’s staff to focus on player development and scouting.

Texas Tech finished the 2024 cycle with the No. 1 class in the Big 12, headlined by Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Micah Hudson, the first five-star commit in program history. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported in 2022 that Nebraska tried land Blanchard, who was previously on Matt Rhule’s staff at Baylor and Carolina.