USC Trojans New-Look Staff Lock Down Recruiting In State Of California?

The future of the USC Trojans and in particular the recruiting side of the program was rightfully scrutinized heading into the 2025 offseason. Since the bowl win over Texas A&M, the Trojans have not only retooled their staff and added marquee players to the roster, they’ve rebranded. On3 college football analyst J.D. Pickell recently released a segment on his show detailing the shift in focus and emphasis on the sustainability of a modern program under coach Lincoln Riley.

One of the key talking points of the segment was that Riley deserved credit for making hires like D’Anton Lynn at defensive coordinator and the hiring of Chad Bowden as the general manager from Notre Dame to oversee the recruiting efforts.

Bowden, who is viewed as one of the most up and coming personnel leads in all of football, has emphasized locking down the state of California, which could be the catalyst to developing the USC culture that once permeated the college football landscape.

USC is built for modern CFB but the product NEEDS to speak for itself. https://t.co/F8lxgCt3aj pic.twitter.com/InMB5hMERf
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) February 12, 2025

'In this upcoming class, we're going to major in high school and we're going to minor in the portal. We're going to be aggressive and we're going to attack. Our business is change. Every single day something could change. We're going to be on offense every single day and we're going to attack it. We're going to attack it through high school.” General manager Chad Bowden said in his introductory press conference.

“We're going to attack it through the state of California. The best high school football in America is played in California and we're going to do everything we can to get the best players in California to stay here and play for USC," Bowden continued.

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Bowden not only comes as an integral part of the operation, but he hired an impressive, young staff that will assist his efforts and be able to establish and maintain relationships with potential prospects, beyond just an evaluation.

Finding players that are talented and fit what you want to do schematically is one thing, but building true bonds is a skill in and of itself. The game has always been based on relationships, and people that understand that have usually succeeded.

“It’s just a culture. It’s all about culture. I think the things that you can do in a recruiting process, the earlier you can get them and have them committed, you’re already building your culture. When you can acquire that in high school and you have years with the player and with the family, because you’re not just recruiting a kid anymore, you’re recruiting a family….that’s how you build the culture of a program,” Bowden said to reporters.

USC FB GM Chad Bowden:

"We'll do whatever it takes when it comes to recruiting. If it makes sense, we're going to do it. Coach Riley is up for anything. ... Whatever it takes for us to get the very best players in the country, we're going to do it."
— Ryan Young (@RyanYoungRivals) February 5, 2025

That culture is what’s been missing. USC has fielded talent and they’ve hired some great football minds. The missing piece is the culture that as the Colosseum packed on Saturdays and was must-see television. Securing the home state of California is the first step in reviving that.