Before heading to Orange County for business on Monday, the enthusiastic and innovative new general manager of the USC football program, Chad Bowden, spent nearly an hour at Heritage Hall chatting with reporters—essentially addressing the Trojans fanbase.
And you would have loved every moment!
As the chief recruiter, Bowden’s role is to say all the right things, and at just 31 years old, he clearly knows what’s expected. He discussed the goal of bringing the Trojans back to the top, focusing heavily on cultivating local talent.
“When national championships were won here and Rose Bowls celebrated, over 80% of Pete Carroll’s recruiting classes from ’02, ’03, and ’04 came from California,” Bowden noted at the start. “History tends to repeat itself, and examining how successful programs are built shows that homegrown talent played a crucial role in USC’s success.”
He expressed his vision to revive that tradition and invest in local talent, saying, “That will mean so much to the kids and our fan base.”
He emphasized that he was speaking directly to the fans, sharing his passion for the storied program he grew up supporting. “I pinch myself in the mornings,” Bowden said. “I’m committed to doing everything necessary for USC to succeed.”
“This place has it all,” he said. “I keep hearing about the challenges and difficulties, but I walk around here every day thinking, ‘This is incredible.’”
While he didn’t reveal many specifics about what USC can offer compared to Notre Dame or the size of the roster next season, he did indicate that they plan to invest significantly in revenue sharing to enhance the team’s roster.
Regarding name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities, Bowden stated, “Our ambitions for NIL will rank among the best in the nation, and I hope people recognize that.”
As for his reporting structure, Bowden described a collaborative atmosphere, saying, “There’s no power struggle; we’re all in this together. It’s going to be Jen, Lincoln, myself, Coach Lynn, and Dogg (Aaron Amaama).”
This sentiment echoes when Les Snead helped the Rams hire Sean McVay as head coach in 2017, emphasizing teamwork within the organization. In this case, Bowden, who grew up witnessing his father, Jim Bowden, work as a GM in Major League Baseball, is poised to make his mark in USC football.
He has brought key staff members with him, including Zaire Turner, who worked with him at Notre Dame, and Dre Brown, formerly with Illinois, as the executive director of personnel and scouting.
Bowden expressed his excitement about working with USC’s athletic director, Cohen, calling her “the best in the country” and praising her recruiting skills. He credited their initial two-hour video call for sealing the deal.
Regarding Coach Riley, who has revamped the coaching staff and improved the team’s performance over the past few seasons, Bowden remarked humorously on Riley’s cooking skills, while praising him as a holistic coach capable of doing it all.
“This place is much closer to success than people believe,” Bowden said. “It’s about the small details, and Coach Riley has done a great job building a competitive roster. My role is to enhance that.”
Bowden promised that they will be aggressive in their approach, and his leadership in USC’s newly modernized front office signals a strong commitment—at least until fans can see the Trojans back on the field to prove it for real.
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