After a prolonged and detailed search to land a general manager for the football program, USC struck a blow at its rival in hiring away Chad Bowden from Notre Dame.
FootballScoop.com, 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz and others were first to report the news.
USC has yet to officially announce the hire.
As for why it’s such a big deal, Bowden was just recently named FootballScoop.com’s Player Personnel Director of the Year.
Bowden carried the title of assistant athletics director/general manager at Notre Dame. He initially followed coach Marcus Freeman (then the defensive coordinator) to Notre Dame in 2021 and took on the role of defensive recruiting coordinator in an analyst role before Freeman promoted Bowden to director of recruiting for the entire program once he became head coach.
Michigan made a run at poaching him a year ago before he opted to remain with the Irish.
“He’s elite at what he does, and he’s one of the hardest workers I know,” Freeman said of Bowden in December of 2023 on Wake Up the Echoes, a video podcast produced by Notre Dame’s in-house Fighting Irish Media. “There’s times where I’m actually like envious of the relationships he has with our recruits — maybe even with my kids. My kids, when they come to the office, most of the time they say, ‘Hi, Dad.’ They go right into the recruiting office and spend time with Chad and his staff, because they have a unique ability to bring those kids in and communicate and spend time with them.
“That’s trust. Trust is built over time. That’s why I’ve always wanted to work with him. He’s a hard worker. He’s a really good person. Most of the time he has outside the box ideas. He pushes me. Like one of our things is ‘The Golden Standard’. Challenge everything. You talk about a guy that challenges me to think outside of the box to get outside my comfort zone, sometimes I gotta say no. He is a guy that makes me better.”
Notre Dame’s recruiting classes ranked No. 6 in 2022, No. 11 in 2023, No. 9 in 2024 and No. 11 in 2025.
USC has had Dave Emerick in the role of senior associate athletic director for football / general manager. A long-time friend of Riley whom he brought over from Mississippi State, it’s unclear what his role in the new structure of USC football will be or the exact responsibilities Bowden will take on in this new world of college football with revenue sharing management on top of NIL.
Either way, the response around college football reverberates that the Trojans just made a major addition to their operation.
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The University of Southern California (USC) has made a major move in the world of college football by hiring Chad Bowden as their new football General Manager. Bowden, who previously served in a similar role at Notre Dame, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the Trojans.
During his time at Notre Dame, Bowden played a crucial role in building a strong and competitive football program. Under his leadership, the Fighting Irish experienced significant success on the field, including multiple bowl game appearances and a national championship berth.
USC is hoping that Bowden’s expertise and vision will help elevate their football program to new heights. With his proven ability to recruit top talent, implement strategic game plans, and foster a winning culture, Bowden is expected to make an immediate impact on the Trojans.
Fans and alumni of USC are excited about the hiring of Bowden and are optimistic about the future of the football program under his guidance. With his leadership, the Trojans are poised to become a dominant force in college football once again.
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