The LSU Tigers made another staff move on Wednesday when head coach Ed Orgeron announced Austin Thomas’s hiring as general manager.
While most fans are familiar with the role of general manager as someone who manages the roster for professional sports teams and, in many cases, hires and fires the head coach.
In his new role, Thomas will help Orgeron manage the roster. The position of general manager has become more popular for larger college programs due to the advent of the NCAA transfer portal.
A college general manager will support the head coach, helping manage day-to-day operations, with roster management being a primary focus.
Thomas returns to LSU after spending the 2020 season at Baylor, where he was the senior associate athletic director for football.
Thomas worked at LSU from 2013-17, starting in a support role before being moved up to general manager by Orgeron in 2016. At the time, he was the first person in the SEC with the general manager title and only the second in college football.
Thomas released a statement on his return to Baton Rouge via the team’s official website.
My family and I are humbled and excited to return to Baton Rouge and for the opportunity to serve as the general manager for the LSU football program. We are forever grateful to Coach Orgeron, Scott Woodward, the LSU administration and the entire LSU community for this opportunity and for welcoming us with open arms.
Thomas also served as the associate athletic director for football personnel at Texas A&M from 2018-19.
Before coming to Baton Rouge in 2013, he spent time at both Tennessee and USC.