The Evolving Role of General Managers in College Athletics

The landscape of college athletics is undergoing a transformative shift. And with it, new administrative roles are emerging to meet the complex demands of modern programs. One of the most notable of these is the rise of the general manager (GM) — a role that, until recently, was virtually nonexistent in collegiate sports.

As athletic departments grapple with changing NCAA regulations, the growing influence of the transfer portal, and the rapidly expanding world of name, image and likeness (NIL), the GM role has become increasingly pivotal. Yet what it means to be a GM in college athletics varies widely from campus to campus.

Origins and Catalysts

The GM role in college sports borrows heavily from professional models, particularly in football and basketball. At the professional level, GMs are responsible for talent acquisition, salary cap management and long-term strategic planning. While collegiate programs don’t operate under a salary cap per se, the proliferation of NIL opportunities has introduced financial and marketing elements that mirror professional dynamics.

Several forces have catalyzed the rise of GMs in the college space:

• Transfer portal freedom: Student-athletes can now transfer schools with greater ease and eligibility flexibility, leading to a more dynamic roster management environment.
• NIL monetization: Schools are increasingly supporting student-athletes in capitalizing on NIL, requiring coordination with collectives, brands and compliance officials.
• Recruiting complexity: Scouting, evaluation and long-term recruiting strategy now warrant a full-time, professionalized approach.

Key Responsibilities of College GMs

Although the role varies by institution, the following functions commonly fall within the college GM’s purview:

Roster Management

• Projecting scholarship allocations
• Tracking eligibility and attrition
• Coordinating with coaching staff on positional needs

Recruiting Operations

• Overseeing high school and transfer recruiting
• Managing recruiting databases and communication
• Strategizing evaluation periods and official visits

NIL and Compliance Integration

• Collaborating with NIL collectives and school-affiliated entities
• Ensuring alignment with compliance frameworks
• Educating student-athletes on opportunities and limitations

Personnel Strategy

• Supporting staff hiring and contract planning
• Aligning departmental goals with athletic and academic performance

External Relations

• Representing the program in media or public-facing roles
• Facilitating donor and booster engagement when applicable

Variability Across Campuses

Despite shared core responsibilities, the GM role can look very different depending on the size, budget and priorities of a given program.

Power Five Programs

At large, resource-rich schools, the GM might resemble a high-ranking executive. They could have a robust staff including recruiting analysts, NIL specialists and operations directors. In some cases, GMs are former agents, NFL scouts or business executives.

Group of Five and FCS Schools

The GM may be a dual-role staffer, balancing roster oversight with on-the-ground recruiting work or even sport operations tasks. At these levels, the GM role is often about maximizing limited resources.

Division II and III Programs

Where present, the GM may focus primarily on compliance and roster planning, given the more constrained scholarship landscape and absence of NIL collectives. These GMs often work across multiple sports or departments.

Sport-Specific vs. Department-Wide

In football and men’s basketball, GMs are becoming standard. However, some institutions have begun exploring department-wide GM structures to support multiple sports. This development could further blur the traditional boundaries between coaching and administration.

A GM Becomes the Decision-Maker: The Stanford Scenario

In a highly publicized and somewhat unusual turn of events, Andrew Luck (the former NFL quarterback and Stanford alum) found himself at the center of a major leadership moment in college football in a general manager-style advisory role.

Bernard Muir, the university’s athletic director, had recently announced his resignation. This left a leadership gap at the top of the department. The head football coach was dismissed shortly afterward, sparking widespread speculation about who made the call.

With no AD in place, Luck — who had been brought in as a consultant or GM-like figure — emerged as the key football authority. His deep knowledge of the sport, leadership credibility and proximity to program operations positioned him as a natural decision-maker. While it’s unclear whether he had the final say, it’s widely believed he played a central role in shaping or advising the outcome.

This situation highlights how the GM role can expand beyond its original scope, particularly in moments of institutional transition. When traditional structures falter, a GM can become a stabilizing force and strategic actor, stepping in to make or influence decisions typically reserved for athletic directors or university presidents.

“In today’s college athletics environment, roles aren’t static — they’re dynamic and reactive,” one insider noted. “The Luck situation proved that having a respected football voice in the building can be the difference between chaos and continuity.”

The Road Ahead

As college athletics continues to evolve, the GM role is poised to expand in prominence and influence. With the anticipated implementation of new NCAA regulations tied to revenue sharing and employment-like rights for student-athletes, the demands on program infrastructure will only grow. General managers, with their hybrid skill sets at the intersection of sport, business and compliance, are uniquely positioned to lead this evolution.

Still, questions remain: Will more schools adopt a centralized GM model? Will we see GM certification or standardization across the NCAA? What training pathways will best prepare future GMs?

How James Moore & Co. Can Help

As the general manager role continues to evolve in the collegiate athletics industry, institutions are recognizing the need for strategic advisory support that spans athletics, finance, compliance and operations. That’s where James Moore comes in.

Our collegiate athletics advisory team works with athletic departments of all sizes — from Power Five to Division II — to assess infrastructure, define operational roles and design sustainable models for success. We assist with:

• Strategic planning and org design: Whether you’re exploring a new GM structure or refining your current staffing model, we help tailor a framework that aligns with your program’s size, mission, and budget.
• NIL and compliance advisory: Our team helps institutions navigate the regulatory and reputational complexities of NIL, including policy development, collective engagement, and education for student-athletes and staff.
• Financial modeling and resource alignment: We support data-driven planning, forecasting, and strategies that keep your program competitive and compliant.

As your trusted partner in collegiate athletics, James Moore stands ready to support the next generation of general managers — and the evolving ecosystems they lead.

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