'Everyone Wants More': Meet USC General Manager Chad Bowden
"There wouldn’t be a better place than USC, and the power of the Trojan network, and the power of the city of Los Angeles," Bowden told me. "We’re going to be the most powerful in this era.”
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Hey friends,
I recently caught up with USC general manager Chad Bowden for my latest edition of “Next Up.”
During our unfiltered conversation, Bowden gave me a behind-the-scenes look into what it takes to build a national powerhouse in today’s era of NIL, roster management through the transfer portal, and looming revenue-sharing guidelines.
He shared how he decided to leave Notre Dame and join Lincoln Riley’s staff in less than 24 hours, why he believes California is home to the best high school football talent, and what most fans and media members fail to understand about NIL.
This conversation is packed with insight from one of college football’s sharpest minds. Before diving into the full episode, here’s a brief look into my favorite takeaways:
1️⃣ Be A Forward Thinker
When you think of a “general manager,” you typically don’t match the title as a necessity within the realm of college athletics.
In 2016, LSU’s Austin Thomas made history as the first college football staffer to earn a general manager promotion in preparation for the sport’s looming professionalization era.
This offseason alone, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, and Wisconsin added general managers to aid head coaches and coordinators in roster management shortcomings.
However, the most impressive Power Four “front-office” hire of the offseason proved to be USC poaching Chad Bowden from Notre Dame.
Bowden quickly rose through the personnel ranks with the Fighting Irish, beginning as a defensive recruiting coordinator, before becoming Notre Dame’s director of recruiting in just one season.
Last March, he was promoted to become Notre Dame’s first-ever general manager, where he pieced together a top 12 recruiting class and a top 15 cohort through transfer portal.
“How you manage the roster and how you forward think [has changed the most], and I think that’s why this role has become so pivotal for all college football programs in the country,” Bowden told me. “… You need somebody who is always forward thinking.”
Since joining USC in January, the Trojans have skyrocketed in the 2026 recruiting rankings. Through Bowden’s recent efforts, USC now possesses the No. 1 overall class with one five-star and 12 four-star commitments.
In Bowden’s estimation, his presence has allowed fellow staff members to focus more on X’s and O’s, allowing the coaches to be in the best position to succeed with rich talent at their disposal.
“There’s an element of, you know, there’s practice, there’s that day-to-day grind of getting their players prepared and ready,” Bowden added. “That takes away from being able to look at the future, and that’s why you see the support for GMs in college football.”
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2️⃣ Authenticity Cultivates Winning
While many believe recruits and transfers have become blinded by dollar signs, Bowden still believes that authenticity on the recruiting trail is the true recipe for molding a program of consistency.
He knows that USC prospects don’t solely sign up to don the “SC” emblem for monetary gain. To him, recruits are pledging to play for the historic program “for all the right reasons.”
“They’re going to choose USC for the right reasons,” Bowden said about recruits. “… They want more than just being a football player, but they also know that if they come here, they’re going to have an opportunity to play for a national championship.”
In many cases, the transfer portal has become so dense because of empty promises made throughout the recruiting process that weren’t ultimately upheld on campus.
To Bowden, being transparent, honest, and upfront with recruits and families of prospects is the No. 1 rule to garner mutual trust.
While maximized NIL and monetization opportunities certainly enhance the draw to USC, that alone will never translate to a “winning culture,” according to Bowden.
“It’s by being authentic and real,” Bowden said. “And, here’s the thing — recruits and families, they sniff out when you’re not telling the truth, and I think if you’re being authentic and real about the situation of what we’re all being a part of, that’s how winning is done.”
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3️⃣ Harness Your Network’s Power
When it comes to “blue bloods,” traditional powers, and alluring brands in college football, few — if any — programs are more influential than USC.
Before moving to sunny Southern California, Bowden was working for another premier institution in Notre Dame.
But, spanning back to his childhood admiration for Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and potent USC squads of the 2000s, Bowden said he couldn’t turn down the chance to work for the Trojans’ long-running legacy.
“I don’t think there’s a better place [than USC],” Bowden added. “… I chose it because I knew that in this NIL world, there wouldn’t be a better place than USC, and the power of the Trojan network, and the power of the city of Los Angeles. We’re going to be the most powerful in this era.”
When it comes to NIL opportunities and revenue sharing capacity, not many programs have the resources, network, and regional edge USC has.
While these key indicators often present roster stability challenges, Bowden sees each avenue as a pipeline for opportunity rather than a potential hurdle.
“You could sit here and say [NIL] is difficult to deal with, but I believe that these kids deserve to be paid for their name, image, and likeness,” Bowden said. “The way I see this thing going here with [revenue] share and the new era of college athletics, I’m excited for it.”
To watch my full conversation with Bowden, click here.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email at adam@brenemanmedia.com.
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Shoutout to Connor Krause for helping to write this newsletter and putting it together!
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