Notre Dame General Manager Chad Bowden has left the program for USC with a reported $1M salary following key program departures
Notre Dame continues to navigate turbulent waters following the football program’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
With a cascade of key departures in the aftermath – including players declaring for the NFL Draft or entering the transfer portal and defensive coordinator Al Golden – team general manager Chad Bowden has left South Bend for a position with USC.
The news was first announced Friday afternoon by QB Collective, a quarterback development organization before USC made the official announcement later that night. Bowden is believed to have earned earned between $275,000-300,000 per year with the Fighting Irish, and reports indicate that Southern Cal will boost that figure to $1 million.
Known for his unique and impactful recruiting style, Bowden’s departure comes on the heels of defensive coordinator Golden returning to the NFL to join the Cincinnati Bengals in the same role. Bowden was the first hire of head coach Marcus Freeman, and his recruiting skills were instrumental in Notre Dame’s success.
He played a pivotal role in securing commitments from high-profile four-star recruits like Will Black, CJ Carr, Kenny Minchey, and Brenan Vernon. He also brought in valuable three-star players such as Armel Mukam, Preston Zinter, and Taebron Bennie-Powell.
Bowden’s efforts extended beyond the conventional, run-of-the-mill house call and were demonstrated by his viral recruitment of Zinter in 2023. He greeted the prospect at the airport dressed in a suit, dancing to an instrumental version of ‘We Like to Party’ while holding a giant boombox.
Despite missing out on Bowden, Michigan still managed to secure Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 recruit in the country. The Fighting Irish appear poised to weather the storm, despite nine players leaving the program in the transfer portal and several key players, including two-time All-American safety Xavier Watts, to the NFL Draft.
With 24 recruits already committed for the 2025 season, Notre Dame’s incoming class ranks 12th nationally, narrowly ahead of USC’s 13th-ranked group. Yet USC could be on the rise after receiving a major commitment in five-star California quarterback Husan Longstreet, the No. 4 quarterback in his class, while the Fighting Irish have yet to earn the signature of a 2025 five-star talent.
Notre Dame offered a scholarship to the class of 2026 edge rusher Xavier Griffin, who chose to enroll at USC instead. Bowden will join the staff of Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley at a program that concluded last season with a 7-6 overall record and a losing 4-5 record in Big Ten play
His recruiting creativity was widely recognized across college football. Last March, Michigan made an aggressive push to lure him away from Notre Dame, and in response, the Irish promoted Bowden from Director of Recruiting to Assistant Athletic Director for Player Personnel/General Manager.
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