It's a new day in college football, and one that has placed more and more on the plate of head coaches across the country. Most at this point have recognized that, and a new position was formed in the last few years in college football that was never really prevalent before: the General Manager.
College football coaches are known to be prideful and hard-headed, but even the vast majority of them have now recognized that they need help to navigate roster building in the Transfer Portal, NIL, and now, revenue-sharing era of college football.
There's just a lot more moving parts now than there was 20 years ago. Or 10 years ago. Or 15 minutes ago. It's not just about identifying high school recruits; it's about recruiting the Transfer Portal, and re-recruiting your own roster every offseason because of college football's unlimited free agency.
And yet, there are still a few major programs out there that have yet to make the jump like most others. Time is probably running out, though, and it might be time for them to bite the bullet. As is, they are intentionally working at a disadvantage.
Hiring a football General Manager should be a priority for these schools
Georgia Bulldogs
The most high-profile program that has yet to hire a GM is Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs. He has explained in the past why he doesn't want to hire someone with that title, namely to prevent his program from looking more like an NFL program. He wants Georgia to remain a place about relationships, not transactions.
He might be the only coach in the country who can get away with that kind of old-school mentality. He's still signing top-tier talent in Athens, and Georgia remains in the upper echelon of college football programs. GM or not, that won't change as long as he is on the sidelines.
Smart has said that Georgia has multiple guys who fill that GM-type role, anyway. And as a two-time National Championship-winning coach, he's always going to be directly involved with everything Georgia does. But how much longer can Smart keep up with that way of thinking before it becomes too much even for him?
Tennessee Volunteers
It was a tumultuous offseason in Knoxville, highlighted by star QB Nico Iamaleava entering the Transfer Portal and ultimately transferring to UCLA in the spring. Most have applauded Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel for standing his ground with his QB and not budging, but it's fair to wonder whether having a GM in place might have helped the Vols navigate the Iamaleava situation differently.
Maybe a GM would have helped nip things in the bud before they spun out of control.
Heupel has been the most successful Tennessee coach since Phil Fulmer, sporting a 37-15 overall record in four years, which includes two wins over arch-rival Alabama, something the Vols hadn't done since 2006 before his arrival. He also led the Vols to the College Football Playoff last season.
But the fanbase in Knoxville is thirsty for more success, hoping to feel like it is 1998 once more. Tennessee has recruited well under Heupel, signing the 11th-ranked class last year, followed by the 14th-ranked class the year before. The Vols are currently behind the eight-ball for 2026, ranking 35th overall, but they do have a commitment from one of the top QBs in the nation in 5-star Faizon Brandon.
Adding a GM to help with roster building could take the Vols to the next level on the recruiting trail. How busy is Peyton Manning these days?
Miami Hurricanes
Miami was one of the first schools to hire a football General Manager when they hired former player Alonzo Highsmith back in 2022. But Highsmith left the Hurricanes following the 2023 season to join the New England Patriots' front office, and he has yet to be replaced.
In all honesty, the Hurricanes might be better off transitioning head coach Mario Cristobal into the GM role and hiring a head coach who better understands clock management. Cristobal is a master roster builder, but has had his struggles on game days.
Colorado Buffaloes
This one seems unlikely as long as Deion Sanders is the head coach, as it's hard to imagine he would give up any control over his program. And, so far, he has had success, turning Colorado around in year two and leading them to a nine-win season last year.
It will be fascinating to see how Colorado looks moving forward without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Sanders has landed some high-end talent in Boulder, but not enough of it to be a serious contender. Colorado's class last year ranked No. 38 in the composite, and they are way behind in 2026 with only four total commitments heading into July.
Sanders is notorious for not doing in-home visits with recruits, which seems baffling considering his presence and ability to motivate and influence kids. Finding someone who could do that job, or better yet, force Sanders to do it, could be pivotal for the future of the program.
Oklahoma State Cowboys:
When asked in April if Oklahoma State would hire a GM, Mike Gundy replied that he "felt like that's my job." A comforting thought for fans of the Pokes, no doubt.
Gundy has had an incredible run in Stillwater since he took over in 2005. But you tend to be able to tell when someone's run is over. And Gundy's run at Oklahoma State - specifically if he refuses to adapt to the ever-changing landscape - appears to be drawing to a close.
The Cowboys bottomed out in 2024, finishing with a 3-9 record and missing a bowl game for the first time since Gundy's debut season in '05. There's not a lot of cause for optimism, either, considering Oklahoma State is approaching its fifth straight recruiting cycle without signing even a Top 50 class.
Something is needed to right the ship. If Gundy isn't willing to bring aboard a GM, maybe the next coach will be.
Washington Huskies
When Kalen DeBoer left Washington in January of 2024 to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, perhaps the biggest blow to the Huskies' football program was that he took GM Courtney Morgan with him. Morgan is known as one of the best relationship builders in the sport, and he found plenty of hidden gems during his time in Seattle with DeBoer that helped Washington make the National Championship Game in 2023.
Most figured the transition to Jedd Fisch wouldn't be the easiest, and not only because DeBoer and Morgan were gone, but so were a lot of talented players like Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze. It was worse than most thought, however, with Washington slipping to 6-7, a year removed from playing for the National Title.
Fisch signed a class outside of the Top 25 in the 2025 cycle, and while the Huskies currently sit at No. 22 for 2026, it will be difficult to hang on to that spot. Even if they do, they'll need to recruit better to compete in the Big Ten moving forward.