Freeman hires Butler Benton as Irish assistant AD for player personnel
Notre Dame has a new man in charge of the growing challenge of managing the Irish football roster.
Butler Benton, a 2008 University of Cincinnati graduate, is ND’s assistant athletic director for player personnel, a Notre Dame spokesperson confirmed Monday. He, in essence, replaces Dave Peloquin, who recently changed roles to boost Notre Dame’s name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts as assistant athletic director for football strategic initiatives.
Benton’s duties are expected to include and affect the areas of recruiting and evaluating, monitoring the transfer portal, and managing and developing the current roster.
“It'll help bring a lot of different pieces together that sort of aren't necessarily connected as well as they should be right now,” ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a university-sponsored chat in late February about the new role.
Benton most recently was at the University of Arkansas, in 2021 and 2022, as the football program’s general manager. He spent a year at Notre Dame, from August of 2013 to August of 2014, as assistant director of player development, engagement and academic enhancement.
The Detroit native has also had career stops at Georgia Southern, Michigan State, the University of New Orleans and Kent State, where he earned a master’s degree in sports and recreation management.
Benton played running back at the University of Cincinnati under head coaches Mark Dantonio and Brian Kelly.
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