Already in previous years, Marcus Freeman has sought to lure away James Blanchard, widely considered one of the top collegiate personnel experts, away from Texas Tech to Freeman's Notre Dame program in South Bend, Ind.
With Chad Bowden off to Los Angeles as the new general manager for Lincoln Riley's USC program, Blanchard once again is a name at the forefront of Notre Dame's now-weeklong-search to replace Bowden. Earlier this month, Bowden was named by his peers as FootballScoop's top personnel executive for the 2024 season.
Some two years ago, Freeman made an extended run to snag Blanchard away from Texas Tech before the Red Raiders at the time awarded Blanchard with one of college football's top deals in the personnel space. Freeman then pivoted to hire Butler Benton, now at UCLA.
Numerous sources beginning Tuesday afternoon told FootballScoop that Freeman and Blanchard once again had ratcheted up their communications and discussions about Blanchard as the top target to replace Bowden. Patrick Suddes, who's been North Carolina's general manager, also had been a name vetted by the Irish.
Matt Fortuna on Wednesday afternoon first posted that Blanchard was a name to watch in conjunction with the Irish's opening.
But this focus has dialed in on Blanchard, whom sources told FootballScoop on Wednesday had met with Freeman in Mobile, Ala., in conjunction with both individuals being in South Alabama in advance of this weekend's Reese's Senior Bowl.
How advanced are the discussions? At this point, "it's more like negotiations. They've talked numbers, potential other elements of the job."
Multiple sources told FootballScoop on Wednesday evening that Notre Dame's offer is believed to be in the high six figures.
"James Blanchard is a helluva evaluator, works his ass off in recruiting," a sitting Power 4 GM told FootballScoop Wednesday evening.
However, Texas Tech and affable head coach Joey McGuire have fended off suitors in the past for Blanchard, not only Freeman's Irish, and, sources with direct knowledge again indicated to FootballScoop that Texas Tech again is prepared to elevate its financial commitment to Blanchard. ESPN reported in August that Blanchard signed a 2-year contract worth $800,000 in total to remain at Texas Tech.
βHe loves it here and he wanted to be here,β McGuire said over the summer. βI definitely wanted to make sure we had him locked in. It was a lot easier to say βnoβ (to other schools). Some of the texts that I read [from other programs to Blanchard], they were throwing all kinds of money at him left and right and, βHey, letβs let you pick whatever your title isβ and all that. His title is a Red Raider, and so heβs fired up about being here.β
Notre Dame, which had among college football's highest-paid defensive coordinators in Al Golden before Golden returned to the NFL to take over as the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator after the CFP Championship game, also has committed to make offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and strength coach Loren Landow among the top-paid staff at their respective positions. Sources told FootballScoop in the past week that Notre Dame did counter Bowden's USC offer, but the Trojans maintained a superior monetary commitment -- even with cost of living and tax differences -- as well as a long-term, multi-year commitment.