All Trojans

USC Trojans General Manager Chad Bowden Makes Bold Recruiting Claims

The USC Trojans have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and the nation is taking notice. USC general manager Chad Bowden sat down for an interview with USC Athletics and reiterated the program's intentions to take over college football.

Kyron Samuels

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
In this story:

The USC Trojans have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, and the nation is taking notice. It’s only been a little over a month since general manager Chad Bowden accepted the position, and even less time since the Trojans hired three additional sitting general managers from Division I programs to work under Bowden. Yet, the return on investment is already proving plentiful. 

The fans have noticed the shift, as USC’s social media presence is seemingly growing by the day, but so have the national and local media. For the first time in a long time, there’s no talk about coaching changes or what USC hasn’t done; there’s only anticipation and excitement for what’s being built currently. One of the most important facets of the new USC is locking down the state of California in recruiting. 

“We are not going to take a backseat to any program in the country. We are going to be aggressive, thoughtful, and any time that someone recruits against us, they’re going to know they’re in for a fight," Bowden declared emphatically. 

USC Trojans WR's Ja'Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon
Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) celebrates with wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) and wide receiver Kyle Ford (81) after scoring on a 15-yard touchdown run against the Texas A&M Aggies in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Historically, that’s a factual statement. Even if USC was not winning national championships, when 80 percent or more of the roster was homegrown talent, they were highly competitive. For Bowden and the new-look front office, emphasizing what makes USC special has been a key ingredient to the rapid success. 

“This is what it takes. This is what it takes for USC. If you want to compete at the highest level, it starts at home. If you win Southern California, you have enough talent to go compete for a national championship,” said On3’s JD PicKell

USC is a blue blood. USC still places a litany of talent in the NFL yearly. And maybe most importantly, it’s in Los Angeles. There are few reasons not to live at USC as a recruit, or a coach/staffer for that matter, and they’re now reminding people of that fact. The sleeping giant is awake and letting the country know it. 

MORE: USC Trojans Predicted To Land 4-Star Running Back Recruit Deshonne Redeaux Over UCLA

MORE: Why 4-Star Receiver Recruit Trent Mosley Commits To USC Trojans Over Notre Dame

MORE: Updated Women's College Basketball National Championship Odds: UConn, South Carolina Lead

MORE: USC Trojans, South Carolina To Play Historic Women's Basketball Series

“Work. It’s one thing to go into a press conference and just talk. I don’t plan on going into any press conference saying you can win with what i’m going to say. It’s truly how a feel, and it’s truly what I mean. Anything we do with this program is going to be intentional and thoughtful," said Bowden.

The discourse created by Bowden is refreshing. He’s writing a big check with his words, but Bowden is well aware of what it takes to build a successful, competitive roster, and do it quickly. Sure, it may take some adjusting from the fans and media alike to get used to such a presence from a non head coach, but as long as the results in between press conferences continue, there should be no complaints. 

“People would tell me to slow down. A lot of people would say I’m like a tornado. It’s good in a lot of ways, but there’s also some destruction that takes place. I had a lot of people cleaning up messes of mine. I’m just being transparent. I was so fortunate to be around people that helped me find a better way to do things,” Bowden said of his growth as a leader. 

Bowden is not only candid with his thoughts about USC and where the program is headed, he’s just as candid with his own evaluation of himself. You’d be hard pressed to find a more relatable guy in college football, and he’s leading the charge for USC’s revival. 

Recommended Articles

feed

Published
Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

Home/Football