Chad Bowden to USC

[irishff1014]

I actually think this is the perfect time for a guy like Freeman to be crushing it. In the past, ND wasn't going to get into the bag game with the SEC schools, so you were always going to lose players to that. Now, everything is legal and Notre Dame has plenty of money. No excuses anymore for not landing top guys.

I am not saying it won’t happen but we have been down this road. The school and freeman said they aren’t going to just drop bags.

 

[ThePiombino]

USC paying Bowden $1M is like the Giants drafting Daniel Jones in the top 10.

So if Bowden doesn’t want to work directly under Lincoln Riley, who will be held accountable when their roster sucks?

The AD

 

[NDRock]

I am not saying it won’t happen but we have been down this road. The school and freeman said they aren’t going to just drop bags.

It's not "dropping bags", it's trying to recruit at the highest level. All perfectly legal. Yes, we've been down this road before. Early entries, training table, over signing, facilities, pay for coaches, staff positions, transfers, etc... We eventually get there.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Wonder what Brady Quinn is making he would be good

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

Reading through this and trying to put it all together...it seems Bowden and ND mutually parted ways. The type of player ND targets is probably not completely within Bowden's wheelhouse. He got a raise to go to USC, a program where gimmicks and cool cars will be more attractive. Seems like a nice fit, and ND can and will do better.

 

[IrishLax]

USC paying Bowden $1M is like the Giants drafting Daniel Jones in the top 10.

So if Bowden doesn’t want to work directly under Lincoln Riley, who will be held accountable when their roster sucks?

If the team loses a bunch of games for a third year in a row Riley is BBQ’d…

Also, I don’t know exactly who Bowen was a direct report to at ND, but it was always really interesting to me that he was an assistant AD. I really feel like your model needs to be two guys:
1. AD level person in charge of contracts and money, should have a law or contract negotiation background.
2. A traditional player personnel / recruiting coordinator style person who deals with players, coaches, and families directly.

 

[irish4ever]

Wonder what Brady Quinn is making he would be good

I'm all in. I have always liked Brady as a player and his perspective of football upon retirement (from playing).

 

[Terry Jillery]

Wonder what Brady Quinn is making he would be good

Seems insane. But I wouldn’t be mad.

 

[notredomer23]

Doesn’t look like it’s been mentioned in this thread but the replacement is very likely Lake Dawson

 

[NDRock]

If the team loses a bunch of games for a third year in a row Riley is BBQ’d…

Also, I don’t know exactly who Bowen was a direct report to at ND, but it was always really interesting to me that he was an assistant AD. I really feel like your model needs to be two guys:
1. AD level person in charge of contracts and money, should have a law or contract negotiation background.
2. A traditional player personnel / recruiting coordinator style person who deals with players, coaches, and families directly.

Any idea how UNC is structured? I know Mike Lombardi is the new GM, curious if they are going for more of an NFL model.

 

[stlnd01]

Bowden played this game last year with Michigan. So he has clearly been looking for a reason to leave. I honestly haven’t been too impressed with him over the past two cycles.

Someone on the II board, who is obviously very connected and probably more connected than anyone, said there’s a good chance Notre Dame will upgrade here.

I think it's like any job. You can parlay a competing offer into a raise once, and good for you. You try to do it twice, you start to look like an asshole and the company's probably right to let you walk. I'm sure we'll find someone else. It'll be fine.

 

[Huntr]

If the team loses a bunch of games for a third year in a row Riley is BBQ’d…

Also, I don’t know exactly who Bowen was a direct report to at ND, but it was always really interesting to me that he was an assistant AD. I really feel like your model needs to be two guys:
1. AD level person in charge of contracts and money, should have a law or contract negotiation background.
2. A traditional player personnel / recruiting coordinator style person who deals with players, coaches, and families directly.

I've wondered for a while how exactly the Caleb Davis-Chad Bowden relationship worked, in terms of building the roster.

I think it was may have been Bowden over Davis, Turner, Jansen, and Sites, but, how it played out, IDK.

 

[Mavericknyc1980]

Doesn’t look like it’s been mentioned in this thread but the replacement is very likely Lake Dawson

Who is that

 

[CoachB]

If the team loses a bunch of games for a third year in a row Riley is BBQ’d…

Also, I don’t know exactly who Bowen was a direct report to at ND, but it was always really interesting to me that he was an assistant AD. I really feel like your model needs to be two guys:
1. AD level person in charge of contracts and money, should have a law or contract negotiation background.
2. A traditional player personnel / recruiting coordinator style person who deals with players, coaches, and families directly.

Very much agree with this

 

[BobbyMac]

Who is that

 

[Rizzophil]

Who is that

He was a wr when Holtz was there

I met him a few times and he’s a really really good dude.

Was an executive for titans for a decade or so

 

[stlnd01]

Doesn’t look like it’s been mentioned in this thread but the replacement is very likely Lake Dawson

If you have a sub to The Athletic, this is an excellent story. And, yeah, if we replace Bowden with a guy who's been in the mix for multiple NFL GM jobs, we likely win this round.

Getting a leg up: Bills star exec Lake Dawson wasn’t ‘supposed to be here,’ let alone on an NFL GM track

Dawson's climb to NFL front-office ranks started "from the bottom," growing up a vagabond with encounters that changed his life.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Irishcop]

Who is that

Play at ND, 1990- 94 I believe

 

[BobbyMac]

If the team loses a bunch of games for a third year in a row Riley is BBQ’d…

Also, I don’t know exactly who Bowen was a direct report to at ND, but it was always really interesting to me that he was an assistant AD. I really feel like your model needs to be two guys:
1. AD level person in charge of contracts and money, should have a law or contract negotiation background.
2. A traditional player personnel / recruiting coordinator style person who deals with players, coaches, and families directly.

This.

I'm picking up Whiskey in 30 minutes and boarding Leprechaun One at an uncharted desert runway used by the cartels so don't try to flight track us.

We're going back to back to back in '27-'29 before we join the B1G

 

[notredomer23]

Who is that

Besides what the others have mentioned about an ND/NFL WR, this is his personnel resume:

• Seattle Seahawks
  Pro scout & pro personnel assistant (2001–2004)
  Assistant director of pro personnel (2004–2007)
• Tennessee Titans
  Director of pro personnel (2007–2010)
  Vice president of football operations (2011–2012)
  Vice president of player personnel (2012–2015)
• Cleveland Browns (2016–2017)
  Senior personnel executive
• Buffalo Bills (2017–present)
  Assistant director of college scouting

 

[Terry Jillery]

Who is that

I think you meant where is that.

 

[HouseofPain]

There is no way that ND admissions is gonna let in the kind of brainless Athletes that are the Cream of the sport. You like a Johnny football from A&M. The guy didn’t even go to classes at all, and the university flat out admitted it! Same with Ohio State University. When the day comes that ND rolls over to these punks Is the day that ND quits being ND. And anyone that disagrees can’t see further than a temporary W. What benefits a university that wins a national championship, but loses its soul?

 

[NDohio]

In regards to the OP. That sounds like the classic excuse coming from someone that was both able to take advantage of a reputation to land a new role while simultaneously being pushed to perform better at their current employer. From the outside looking in, this definitely comes off as someone that was over their skis in a promoted position.

Honestly, it sounds a lot like his dad as well. He came up through the Reds organization and had this fantastic reputation in the personnel department. He became GM and was seen as successful for a couple of years because of the core players that were already under contract when he was promoted. When he had to build a roster he failed and was fired. He got other GM jobs based on that early reputation until he failed several times. There is a reason he is now a media member and not a GM.

ND will upgrade here.

 

[NDRock]

There is no way that ND admissions is gonna let in the kind of brainless Athletes that are the Cream of the sport. You like a Johnny football from A&M. The guy didn’t even go to classes at all, and the university flat out admitted it! Same with Ohio State University. When the day comes that ND rolls over to these punks Is the day that ND quits being ND. And anyone that disagrees can’t see further than a temporary W. What benefits a university that wins a national championship, but loses its soul?

Johnny Manziel was the 383rd ranked player. Prince Shembo was #344. Tim Tebow was a 5*. The idea that all the elite prospects are somehow thugs who just want money and don't want to go to class, is just not correct. Find the elite players that fit into ND's culture and compensate them at an appropriate level. Do that and you will get elite talent.

 

[Hautian Domer]

This was also a bad QB year. We can neutralize the talent gap when our opponents are starting Drew Allar level QBs. If this is a more typical year and one of the top schools has a Burrow or a Lawrence I’m not so confident.

This is a great point

 

[Dale]

This was also a bad QB year. We can neutralize the talent gap when our opponents are starting Drew Allar level QBs. If this is a more typical year and one of the top schools has a Burrow or a Lawrence I’m not so confident.

Ahh yes the very typical 2019 LSU

 

[Free Manera]

I didn't read back through all these so maybe it was mentioned but reading between the lines (just barely, it is almost obvious) ND and Freeman were ready to bring in a "real" GM and Bowden is not that. I have no idea how his agent got USC to overpay like that, but ND wasn't willing to give him a substantial raise let alone match the offer.

 

[Hautian Domer]

I think Freeman has proven in three short years that Kelly wasn't correct about a lot of things...

I don’t know…simply on its surface, Quinn’s FUND Collective in response to Kelly’s departure displays we were behind somewhere.

 

[IAIrish]

Thanks to Lax and others who have shared what they know or have been told regarding the deal and what they've heard about Bowden at ND.

One part stuck out from what Lax shared and gives you a sense of his persona, "He had no other reservations in taking the USC job and is confident that he can get the team turned around is ~1-2 years regardless of the coach."

That's quite a stretch in thinking he can make something happen, in spite of the coaches performance.

I believe I read that Bowden and Collinsworth lived out there together at one point so he has some sense in the change in scenery.

Point is, it's a helluva time to move to LA with the wildfires. Even if he did just triple his salary, there will be a significant cost of living adjustment after they begin to rebuild.

Thanks to him for being a part of this seasons run and his contributions. At this point, fuck him. He's now the enemy.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

There is no way that ND admissions is gonna let in the kind of brainless Athletes that are the Cream of the sport. You like a Johnny football from A&M. The guy didn’t even go to classes at all, and the university flat out admitted it! Same with Ohio State University. When the day comes that ND rolls over to these punks Is the day that ND quits being ND. And anyone that disagrees can’t see further than a temporary W. What benefits a university that wins a national championship, but loses its soul?

Paying the players that are great fits for the school but are currently enrolling elsewhere isn't losing your soul.