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USC lands top personnel executive Chad Bowden as general manager

Erik-McKinneyby:Erik McKinney•01/24/25•

ErikTMcKinney

Chad Bowden
Notre Dame general manager Chad Bowden. (Mike Miller/Blue & Gold)

The USC Trojans continue to make splash hires this offseason. After landing tight ends coach Chad Savage, linebackers coach Rob Ryan and holding onto defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn with a contract extention, the Trojans went big again in prying Chad Bowden away from Notre Dame with a significant offer to become USC’s new general manager.

Bowden is a star in this space and was recently named FootballScoop’s Player Personnel Direct of the Year, as voted by his peers. He’s credited as a significant piece of assembling Notre Dame’s roster for the 2024 season that just played in the national championship game.

Bowden was the first person Notre Dame head coach brought with him from Cincinnati to Notre Dame when he took over as the defensive coordinator for the Fighting Irish. He was the Notre Dame defensive director of recruiting in 2021 and took over as director of recruiting in early 2022.

According to FootballScoop, USC head coach Lincoln Riley “had become very personally involved in seeking to hire Bowden” during this process. That’s a big win for Riley and the Trojans, who strengthen themselves while considerably damaging their biggest rival. Again according to FootballScoop, the deal to get Bowden away from Notre Dame is in the $1 million annual range.

Bowden is an active recruiter and had been working with an NIL budget reportedly in the $7-8 million range with the Irish. He will have considerably more than that to work with at USC. It will be fascinating to see how much of an impact he can have during the spring transfer portal period as the Trojans still have several holes to fill with veteran transfers.

Bowden’s father is Jim Bowden, who first served as general manager of the Cincinnati Reds when he was just 31.

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Garry Paskwietz (1966-2019)

Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz