Next Up with Adam Breneman Podcast

Texas Tech GM James Blanchard joins Adam Breneman to break down how he helped turn the Red Raiders into one of the most well-resourced, forward-thinking programs in college football. 





He shares what a day in the life of a GM looks like, how Texas Tech built the #1 transfer portal class, and why NIL has completely changed the landscape. Blanchard explains the NFL-style structure of their front office, what it takes to recruit elite talent, and how they evaluate players before they even enter the portal. 





He also talks about turning down the Notre Dame job, building a $250 million football “resort,” and what it will take to bring a Big 12 title to Lubbock. This is one of the most eye-opening conversations about the business behind college football.





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CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro

1:58 - Day in the life as Texas Tech GM





3:57 - Player personnel department structure 





5:30 -NIL at Texas Tech





8:02 - NIL and Revenue Sharing per position 





9:06 - Getting the call from Coach McGuire 





10:01 - First week in Lubbock, Texas





11:25 - Recruiting strategy





12:11 - Patrick Mahomes





13:28 - Building culture 





14:40 - James Blanchard’s elite trait 





15:20 - GM relationships across CFB





17:15 - What top schools will spend on their rosters 





18:15 - Negotiating process as a GM





19:57 - Most chaotic 24 hour stretch 





23:10 - High school coaches in the recruiting process





23:54 - Crazy transfer portal story and talent in the portal





27:22 - Cody Campbell 





28:35 - What fans don’t understand about the GM role





29:42 - Evaluating young coaches





32:36 - Head Coaches next up in CFB





35:41 - GM to Head Coach track





36:41 - How Texas Tech structured their personnel department 





38:42 - Making CFB more of a even playing field 





40:16 - Future of CFB





41:55 - Success at Texas Tech





42:35 - James Blanchard in 5 years





On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. 





Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. 





Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Jake Butt joins Adam Breneman for a raw, unfiltered conversation about the broken state of college football. From NIL hypocrisy to why players feel like employees, Jake dives into how the sport needs to evolve and fast. He also shares his journey from Michigan star to rising broadcaster, his thoughts on sports betting, why Penn State might be ready to break through, and how he rebuilt his purpose after football.



If you care about the future of college football, this is a must-watch.



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For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: [email protected]



CHAPTERS



0:00 - Intro



1:27 - How different Jake’s life would be if NIL was around when he was playing



3:28 - NCAA as an organization and future of College Athletes



8:59 - What Jake Butt is doing as CFB commissioner



10:01 - Jake’s pick for CFB commissioner



12:39 - Jake’s thoughts on the current situation of the transfer portal



18:58 - Broadcasting



22:35 - Jake’s income streams 



24:11 - Negotiations with networks



25:48 - Jake’s investment strategy and crazy insurance story



31:00 - UFL’s potential 



33:22 - Sports Betting



36:15 - Will broadcasters talk about betting lines during games



37:38 - Underrated teams heading into 2025



42:09 - Finding purpose after football



46:52 - Jake Butt in 5 years



47:28 - Jake's Big Ten champion prediction 

 

48:04 - Pulse of Michigan program and Bryce Underwood

On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.



Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.



Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

In this episode of Next Up, Adam Breneman sits down with the man behind the curtain at Penn State Football — General Manager Andy Frank. For years, Andy has played a critical but often unseen role in building one of the top programs in college football. He’s been Coach Franklin’s right-hand man going all the way back to their time at Vanderbilt, and now he’s overseeing everything from roster construction and recruiting strategy to navigating the chaos of NIL, the transfer portal, and revenue sharing.





We dive deep into how a college football program is actually built — not just for one season, but for sustained success. Andy talks through how they evaluate players, what they look for beyond size and speed, and how they balance winning now with building for the future. He explained the behind-the-scenes decisions most fans never hear about, like how scholarships are allocated by position, how they plan for injuries or depth issues years in advance, and why culture still matters just as much as talent.





With revenue sharing on the horizon and college football entering a new era, this conversation is a rare look at how top programs are preparing for massive change — and how Penn State is positioning itself to win big. Andy is one of the most thoughtful minds in the sport, and this conversation is packed with insights you won’t get anywhere else.





If you’re a fan of college football, curious about the inner workings of elite programs, or just want to understand what it really takes to build a team at the highest level — this one’s for you.





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For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: [email protected]





CHAPTERS:





1:03 - Andy Frank’s role and Princeton background





3:40 - Relationship with Coach Franklin





4:48 - Preparing for Revenue Sharing 





7:05 - Evaluating players 





9:12 - Building to win now vs. Winning down the road





11:15 - "Non-negotiables" when looking at recruits





13:44 - Personnel Department Structure

 



15:15 - Managing relationships with everyone 





17:00 - Structuring who recruits who





19:03 - The GM Role that fans don’t know about





20:59 - Best talent evaluation





22:15 - What still needs to happen to win a National Championship



On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans. 





Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports. 





Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

Billionaire entrepreneur Mike Repole — the mind behind Vitaminwater, BodyArmor, and now NoBull — joins Adam Breneman for one of the most raw and inspiring conversations we’ve had on Next Up. From growing up in Queens as the son of a waiter and a seamstress to selling companies for billions, Repole shares the unfiltered truth about what it takes to win — in business, in sports, and in life.



This episode dives into his mission to make NoBull bigger than Nike, his legendary partnership with Tom Brady, and how Kobe Bryant turned a $6 million investment into more than $400 million for his family. Repole doesn’t just talk business — he talks legacy, loyalty, and why he wakes up every day feeling like he’s starting from zero.



He also opens up about his deep love for St. John’s basketball — the program that shaped his roots — and why he’s gone all-in to help rebuild it into a national powerhouse with Rick Pitino at the helm. From NIL deals to the business of college sports, he breaks down why St. John’s success means so much more than just wins.

If you care about building something bigger than yourself — whether it’s a brand, a legacy, or a team — this conversation is for you.



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For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: [email protected]





CHAPTERS:



0:47 - 1 piece of the journey Mike is the most proud of



2:16 - Identifying No Bull as a brand Mike wanted to acquire



5:30 - Inside negotiations at No Bull



9:03 - Hiring talent



11:39 - Bringing the TB12 brand into No Bull



16:37 - Tom Brady as a businessman



18:22 - Scaling a brand in 2025



22:36 - Mike’s elite trait



24:51 - Overcoming adversity 





27:45 - Mike’s first “I made it moment”





31:59 - Horse racing 





34:10 - St. John’s NIL 





39:02 - Lessons from Vitaminwater and Body Armor





42:33 - Best advice Mike has ever received in his life





45:06 - Life as a billionaire 





47:24 - Mike’s why



On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.



Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.



Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

In this episode of Next Up with Adam Breneman, Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles opens up about his journey to Happy Valley and what it means to coach at the school he grew up idolizing.



From his first impressions of the Penn State culture to the fast-moving process that led him to take the job, Knowles brings you inside the mindset of one of college football’s top defensive minds. He breaks down how he’s merging his aggressive defensive philosophy with Penn State’s proud tradition, what great programs all have in common, and why caring for players is the foundation of elite teams.



Knowles also shares the biggest challenges facing defenses in today’s game, how he manages risk as a playcaller, and the coaching lessons that still guide him today. If you're a college football fan, a young coach, or just someone who loves the behind-the-scenes of elite programs—this episode is a must-watch.



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For sponsorships or business inquiries reach out to: [email protected]



CHAPTERS:

0:00 - First impressions of Penn State



1:46 - Journey to Penn State



3:40 - Process of getting DC job at Penn State



5:00 - Advantage of an experienced coaching staff



6:14 - Implementing his system at Penn State



7:55 - Balancing Penn State traditional defense vs. Jim Knowles defense



9:25 - Common denominator among top programs



12:05 - Biggest problems for defenses in current CFB



13:10 - Balancing risk as a playcaller



14:56 - Biggest coaching lesson Knowles has learned



17:39 - Post Spring ball takeaways





18:55 - What it would mean to win at Penn State



On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.



Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.



Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.