The exit of Al Golden was expected.
This? This is an entirely different potential shockwave for Notre Dame football.
Multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Chad Bowden, earlier this month named as FootballScoop's Player Personnel Director of the Year as voted by his peers, has emerged as the top target in USC's ongoing search for its general manager.
Several sources told FootballScoop on Friday that USC has offered the job to Bowden, who was Marcus Freeman's first hire at Notre Dame when Freeman first came to South Bend in January 2021 as Brian Kelly's defensive coordinator.
Additionally, multiple sources shared that USC had targeted Bowden with a multiyear deal worth approximately $1 million annually.
Per sources, Bowden has been making between $275,000-300,000, including bonuses, since he rebuffed Michigan's offer a year ago and was elevated into the assistant athletics director, general manager role.
Sources on the West Coast told FootballScoop that Lincoln Riley had become very personally involved in seeking to hire Bowden away the rival Fighting Irish to help the Trojans rebound following a disappointing close to their 2023 season and a lackluster 2024 campaign.
Bowden helped assemble a Notre Dame roster that played for the College Football Playoff Championship Monday night against Ohio State, losing 34-23.
But Bowden had assembled the majority of that roster with an NIL budget that, per multiple sources with direct knowledge, ranged between $7-8 million -- less than half that of Ohio State's outlay for its title-producing team.
Bowden keyed Notre Dame's 2024 additions of quarterback Riley Leonard from Duke, Jordan Clark from Arizona State, Jayden Harrison from Marshall, Rod Heard II from Northwestern, Kris Mitchell from FIU and RJ Oben from Duke. He also helped the team retain key talent that included stalwart defensive tackles Howard Cross and Rylie Mills, as well as All-America safety Xavier Watts after the 2023 season.
The news comes as the general manager position in college football continues to see exponential growth -- in both salary and importance within the sport's landscape.
Alabama's Courtney Morgan, an earlier top target at USC, received a multi-year deal worth on average at least $850,000 and, per sources, is expected to again see a salary increase.
Additionally, Texas general manager Brandon Harris recently received a new deal, as first reported by Matt Zenitz, that potentially climbed towards $750,000 pending bonuses.
Oregon's Marshall Malchow, per industry sources, is expected to receive a new deal in the coming weeks as he's spurred the Ducks' ability under Dan Lanning to assemble an elite roster that made Oregon the No. 1 seed in this year's first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.
Update> It appears the deal is now in place. #FightOn