The 2024 season brought some dark times for Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans, as they saw their 5-star quarterback Julian Lewis commit to the Colorado Buffaloes after shutting them down. Plus, they finished with a lackluster 7-6 overall record. But as the curtain fell on that season, Riley wasn’t about to let the narrative stand. He made a power move, poaching Chad Bowden from Notre Dame, fresh off their National Championship run, to become USC’s general manager. This hire alone sent ripples of excitement through the program. Now, tasked with luring 2,200 athletes to Riley’s $923 million football landscape, Bowden delivered a compelling message.
This marks Bowden’s first college stint without Marcus Freeman, and USC backed up their belief in him with a multi-year, $1 million annual deal—a significant jump from his previous $270,000-$300,000 salary. The Bowden effect is already palpable. Riley’s squad has witnessed a surge in recruiting, currently boasting the No. 2 class in the nation for the 2026 cycle. This includes two 5-stars, ten 4-stars, and ten 3-stars. Last March, Bowden issued a bold declaration, stating, “Going into the future of the new era of college athletics, we are going to be blazing the trail, [as] opposed to just being a part of it. We’re going to be the leaders in it.”
With Bowden’s strategic mind and the program’s reported $923 million valuation, the Trojans are a force on the recruiting trail. They aren’t resting on their laurels, however, especially with 2,200 athletes now in the portal. Why should they choose USC?
Bowden shed light on their recruiting philosophy on the April 22nd episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show podcast: “Everybody’s past is different. Every kid wants to be the starter, wants to be the all-American, wants to be the first round pick, but everybody’s past is different. And it doesn’t mean you can’t achieve all your goals and dreams by year four or five in college. So you have to recruit that way, too.”
Bowden also talked about how they really focus on recruiting California kids who get what the program’s about. He admitted that maybe only one out of four or five official visitors will be totally on board right away, but the plan is to just stack enough of that one guy. The key, according to Bowden, is aligning recruit goals with program goals. For those considering USC, he laid out the essentials.
“You have to be able to sit there and say ‘Hey man we you have to value the place right. You have to put all your value into what USC can do for you and how we’re going to develop you.’ And I think that’s what we’re doing right now.” What it comes down to is that Lincoln Riley’s program really values the degree, the bond, and the environment. Turns out that the head coach, too, is changing himself, little by little, for this new era.
A fresh chapter for Lincoln Riley’s Trojans
It’s a new USC for Riley, as Gerald V Dixon pointed out on one of 247Sports’ podcast episodes. “That we got California on lock, and when you are recruiting at a high level like that and you go out and you hire the GM Chad Bowden, you’re making a statement. Everybody in the recruiting world once heard that Lincoln Riley does not want to recruit California. Shame on us.” While head coaches like James Franklin followed the ‘dominate the state’ strategy. Lincoln Riley was missing out on a big part. But the head coach now refuses to restrict himself.
“This 2026 class he’s knocking it out the park. He’s going out, and he’s targeting national potential athletes that can come out and ball in California.” As per the data, the Trojans’ 2026 class has a big army of in-state recruits. Out of their 21 commitments, 62 percent are from California. The notable in-state recruits are cornerback RJ Sermons (Rancho Cucamonga, California), Brandon Lockhart (Loyola, Los Angeles), and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui (Mater Dei, California).
“I just try to stay focused on the job that I have. I keep my feet just be where my feet are. I love this place. I sacrificed a lot, me and my family…I believe much in this program. We gave up so much to be here,” stated Lincoln Riley, shutting down the NFL rumor. Along with the head coach taking baby steps towards a better future, there is one more reason for recruits to choose the Trojans over other programs.
The GOAT, Tom Brady, rolled through for an inspiring session hosted by ex-Trojans HC Pete Carroll with the USC students. And Riley did not waste time to flex about it. He re-shared the clips with the caption, “The pLAce to be.” What more must USC do to become the no-brainer choice for recruits?
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