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Notre Dame, at last, has its next general manager, according to a report.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Notre Dame is finalizing a deal to hire Mike Martin for the role. Martin currently serves in the Detroit Lions front office as their director of scouting advancement.
Martin just finished his 4th season in Detroit’s front office. According to his team bio, Martin played an “integral role” in building Detroit’s 2023 roster which won 12 regular-season games, tying a franchise record at the time. The Lions then shattered that record in 2024 by going 15-2 en route to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Martin is set to replace Chad Bowden, who left South Bend for the same role at USC earlier this offseason. Before arriving in Detroit, Martin spent more than a decade as a scout with franchises like the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers. As a player, Martin was a defensive back at Vanderbilt from 1999-2000.
This hire comes after an extended search that included Texas Tech general manager James Blanchard. However, after Blanchard decided to remain in Lubbock, Marcus Freeman and the Irish continued their search and ended up landing Martin for the role.
The general manager position in college football has been growing in importance and influence in recent years. As the revenue-sharing era in college football approaches with the pending House settlement expected to be finalized later this spring, the GM role will likely be even more pivotal for top college football programs in 2025 and beyond.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
