Texas Tech General Manager James Blanchard Reveals His New Recruiting Plan
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For the Texas Tech Red Raiders, recruiting isn't new, but recruiting at the level they are now, is.
College football program's all across the country have their way of handling the high school recruiting process, and for Red Raiders general manager James Blanchard, he has found a new way he will operate his program.
While Joey McGuire and his staff will get the most out of every available player's talent and abilities on the Gridiron, Blanchard will go a different way, paying the market value for players they deserve, avoiding skimping out on NIL offer's unlike other school's may be doing.
More Money Equals More Recruits
For many colleges around the country, their seemed to be this under-the-table agreement between programs to avoid bidding wars at all cost, or at least out of the public's eye. For Blanchard, he doesn't mind that, and in fact has no problem paying recruits the true value they deserve.
“We’re going to poach some guys. I’m going to do senior evals on the 2026 class across the country and if somebody is underpaying an elite guy that has senior tape he might be a four or five-star guy and people are only paying him 100, 200-thousand I’m going to give him three to 400-thousand and go steal somebody.”
They already have 19 commits in the class, and the 25-ranked overall recruiting class, headlined by five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, but they aren't satisfied. Hoping to increase their ranking, flipping top commits won't be easy, but after winning Ojo, Blanchard and his staff shouldn't be doubted any longer.
How They Got Here
For those that have played close attention to the Red Raiders, this won't come as a surprise, but for fans of programs around the country who prefer to live in their own bubble, they're in for a shock.
David Bailey, one the country's most sought after transfer portal players this spring chose Joey McGuire's team, believing in what was being built, and Blanchard wasn't afraid to open the checkbook for him either, swaying him from long-time in-state rival the Texas Longhorns.
For many, it was the sign that NIL was finally here and would bring parity, but for the staff within Lubbock, and the fans of their 'West Texas Oasis', it was blood in the water. The gloves are off now, and the checkbooks are open, and Texas Tech isn't afraid of anyone, but everyone is starting to be afraid of them.
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.