Chad Bowden to USC

[IrishWayDomer]

Man, if you can't see the difference in talent, coaching, program prestige, etc. between ND and MFing TCU than you are extremely pessimistic. I mean look at our comparative paths to the national title game. TCU beat Michigan and then got genocided in the title game. They were more equivalent to a SMU or ASU, but lucked out drawing Michigan and was able to pick up on Michigan's sign stealing scheme and caught them flat footed.

It's besides the point. All I'm saying is I trust John Brice's info on our NIL and how it measures against the top programs.

 

[OhioIrish]

Because I trust John Brice and he's said repeatedly our NIL is half of what the top programs are. I don't want to get into a pissing match over who speculated what on numbers we can't see, but I listen to John Brice a lot and I personally trust him more than others who speculate on the topic. And he says it with conviction.

I like Brice because he is not a homer, but he strikes me as a good ole boy and and absolute bullshitter. Not saying you are wrong, but my impression is definitely different.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Jaylen Sneed and Jadarian Price staying is really all you need to know about ND's NIL status for current players.

I figured others woulda bounced

 

[arrowryan]

Considering Oregon did the same for Jeremiah Smith and Carnel Tate, seems like they were just throwing out offers to every elite player in the country via DM lol

I thought Miami offered Smith that? I wouldn’t be surprised if Oregon did that though.

If it wasn’t for their NIL department, let’s just say that their secondary in 2025 would look VERY different. Notre Dame’s NIL for their current roster is elite.

 

[TorontoGold]

Does this apply to TCU and Washington too? I think ND vastly overachieved this year (which is awesome). But the depth and top talent obviously isn't there yet.

I don't want 2024 to be an anomaly and every CFB champion from here on out, would be shocking if they're not a top ~8 NIL program.

The depth is absolutely there, that’s quite literally the biggest reason why ND got to the finals. Those TCU and UW teams weren’t missing nearly the same amount of talent. The better comparison for those teams is ASU, who pretty close to knocking off Texas but would have been rocked by OSU.

Top end talent is different discussion, but the depth is absolutely elite.

 

[NDPhilly]

Phil Knight is 86, and he's getting very antsy (understandably so). We don't really compete in the "elite+, go to highest bidder" type of recruit, but schools like OSU & UGA have been outbid on numerous guys they were slated to get last minute by them.

 

[Free Manera]

Oregon and others came at Love HARD, like probably multi million dollar offers. ND kept him.
ND's retention rate with players they care about keeping is very very high.

 

[Dale]

 

[Dale]

Assistant to the regional manager got called to the big leagues

 

[NDPhilly]

Is Mickens even on the road? Haven't seen him in any photos. Concerning.

 

[Dale]

Is Mickens even on the road? Haven't seen him in any photos. Concerning.

He has both days but reduced itinerary compared to the rest

 

[irishff1014]

I was told by a very good source that Love was offered a very hefty NIL deal from Oregon this season. Other key players were receiving offers as well.

This is BS. If they aren’t in the portal other teams shouldn’t be able to talk to them.

 

[IrishFanForever23]

This is BS. If they aren’t in the portal other teams shouldn’t be able to talk to them.

The portal doesn’t actually exist. Also, it’s not like the coaches are talking directly to the players. At least that’s not how it typically works. Typically, there are back channels where someone is speaking with the players family or agents. Everyone is doing it, including ND.

 

[Giddyup]

Its bizzaro world. No serious adults are running this thing anymore

 

[choo choo]

With the way this offseason has started wouldn't be surprised if we hired Willingham

Please don't even think that

 

[stlnd01]

This is BS. If they aren’t in the portal other teams shouldn’t be able to talk to them.

You're funny.

 

[thekid33]

The portal doesn’t actually exist. Also, it’s not like the coaches are talking directly to the players. At least that’s not how it typically works. Typically, there are back channels where someone is speaking with the players family or agents. Everyone is doing it, including ND.

Yes and No.

Any of the big names that are switching schools have been "tampered" with via family/agents, etc. and almost assuredly know where they are going once they officially enter the portal. At this point, the industry norm (for lack of a better word) is that they still enter the portal - but the give away that they already know where they are going is the "do not contact" designation and they are just playing the game of making it look official. The act of entering the portal, even if it's just for show, is all set up by the school that you are leaving - kids can't actually enter the portal. They just have access to it once an official from the school enters them. That was part of my brother's job when he's an associate AD. I am not sure how much longer that charade will even continue. As we just saw with the Wisconsin kid, there really isn't anything preventing a kid from unenrolling and enrolling somewhere else at any point in time.

Where the portal process actually has value, and what will probably become the only use of the portal in the near future, is the kids who want to transfer out but aren't at the talent level of being tampered with. It gives them an opportunity/marketplace to shop around and makes the process easier for them.

I'd be fine if we just did away with the charade of big names entering the portal and saved people the work of having to enter them so that they could focus more on the kids who actually need the portal to find a new home.

 

[IrishFanForever23]

Yes and No.

Any of the big names that are switching schools have been "tampered" with via family/agents, etc. and almost assuredly know where they are going once they officially enter the portal. At this point, the industry norm (for lack of a better word) is that they still enter the portal - but the give away that they already know where they are going is the "do not contact" designation and they are just playing the game of making it look official. The act of entering the portal, even if it's just for show, is all set up by the school that you are leaving - kids can't actually enter the portal. They just have access to it once an official from the school enters them. That was part of my brother's job when he's an associate AD. I am not sure how much longer that charade will even continue. As we just saw with the Wisconsin kid, there really isn't anything preventing a kid from unenrolling and enrolling somewhere else at any point in time.

Where the portal process actually has value, and what will probably become the only use of the portal in the near future, is the kids who want to transfer out but aren't at the talent level of being tampered with. It gives them an opportunity/marketplace to shop around and makes the process easier for them.

I'd be fine if we just did away with the charade of big names entering the portal and saved people the work of having to enter them so that they could focus more on the kids who actually need the portal to find a new home.

You said the same thing I just did using more words. Kids' families and agents are discussing going to a different school with other people. "Entering the portal" is just a formality hence, the reason the NCAA backed down and said there's nothing they can do about it when the Wisconsin kid left for Miami.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

You said the same thing I just did using more words. Kids' families and agents are discussing going to a different school with other people. "Entering the portal" is just a formality hence, the reason the NCAA backed down and said there's nothing they can do about it when the Wisconsin kid left for Miami.

Has entering the portal ever been a prerequisite to transferring?

Grad transfers commonly didn't because once they graduate they are no longer enrolled at their old school, correct?

I though the innovation was that the portal would allow for students could talk to schools while enrolled at a different institution; not that it was a required step.

 

[thekid33]

Has entering the portal ever been a prerequisite to transferring?

Grad transfers commonly didn't because once they graduate they are no longer enrolled, correct?

I though the innovation was that the portal would allow for students could talk to schools while enrolled at a different institution; not that it was a required step.

I think this is the crux of the problem the NCAA finds itself in.

There's really nothing stopping anyone that is an undergrad from just unenrolling and enrolling somewhere else. The NCAA had just historically not been challenged in court on the transfer restrictions that were/are in place.

The portal is a tool that players can now use - but there's really no way for the NCAA to require athletes to use it.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

I think this is the crux of the problem the NCAA finds itself in.

There's really nothing stopping anyone that is an undergrad from just unenrolling and enrolling somewhere else. The NCAA had just historically not been challenged in court on the transfer restrictions that were/are in place.

The portal is a tool that players can now use - but there's really no way for the NCAA to require athletes to use it.

The Portal isn't real. It's more or less Facebook Marketplace for FB players

 

[thekid33]

You said the same thing I just did using more words. Kids' families and agents are discussing going to a different school with other people. "Entering the portal" is just a formality hence, the reason the NCAA backed down and said there's nothing they can do about it when the Wisconsin kid left for Miami.

I didn't want to assume that you understand that the portal was an actual reality. You'd be surprised at the number of people that I've talked to who think that "entering the portal" = announcing publicly that you plan to leave they don't realize that there is a literal portal. It's like Michael Scott - they think that you can just "declare" you are in the portal like he "declared bankruptcy!" lol

 

[Irish4life]

Considering Oregon did the same for Jeremiah Smith and Carnel Tate, seems like they were just throwing out offers to every elite player in the country via DM lol

Uncle Phil trying to win a title before he croaks

 

[Dale]

 

[Dale]

Interesting. He’s a Rhule tree guy.

Baylor > Panthers > Texas Tech

 

[NDPhilly]

Well i'd definitely take him over Bowden in a fight.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Well i'd definitely take him over Bowden in a fight.

Dude is going to force kids that sign before they leave campus.

 

[NDPhilly]

Really dominated the portal - I see why they like him. Also recruited well above TT's weight in 2023 & 2024.

Texas Tech Red Raiders 2025 College Football Transfer Portal Latest Activity

Texas Tech Red Raiders 2025 College football Transfer Portal Latest Activity

247sports.com

 

[Dale]

Would be an aggressive play at the state of Texas for sure

 

[NDFAN2008]

Would be an aggressive play at the state of Texas for sure

Looks like they are hitting Texas hard in 2026 so it would be a good hire