College football GMs are the architects, quietly building winning rosters and pulling off recruiting coups. But Notre Dame just lost theirs! Chad Bowden, the Fighting Irish GM, has pulled a stunning power play, jumping ship to rival USC! The rivalry just went nuclear. While it might look like a lateral move on paper, let’s be real: money talks and the California sunshine probably didn’t hurt. Now, Notre Dame is scrambling to fill a gaping void in their football operations, putting Coach Marcus Freeman in the hot seat. But this isn’t exactly a new rodeo for college football; from South Bend to the rest of the nation, everyone’s seen this kind of thing before. Freeman, it seems, will likely weather this storm, too.

National analyst Josh Pate was asked by Sean Burke how he felt about Notre Dame losing their GM to USC, especially when the Irish were so close to the top. In a recent College Football YouTube video, Pate dropped some truth: “The right logo on your Polo can greatly enhance you, and so when you walk out the door, sometimes that’s the great measure of how effective you really are. If you walk out of a major program, do you keep producing the same results you did when you were there?” That’s the real challenge now for Bowden and USC!

However, Bowden seems capable. Football Scoop recently named Bowden the Player Personnel Director of the Year, and now he’s headed to USC with a big paycheck to match! The struggling Trojans lured Freeman’s go-to recruiter with a multiyear deal worth over $1 M annually. Considering Bowden was making just over $300,000 as the associate AD for player personnel, this is a massive pay bump. Chad, who worked with Freeman in Cincinnati and followed him to South Bend in 2021, is the son of MLB exec Jim Bowden. Looks like USC just got a major boost with this power move.

While USC got a major boost, the Irish took a major blow. Josh Pate compared this hit to the pain Nick Saban has felt over the years. He said, “I watched it happen in the South a long time, watching Saban lose personnel guys, and he just maintained his status as the number one program in America. Coaches steadily coming and going every single year; it’s just a revolving door. And you’re like, every single off-season, dirty word there. The fan base would get amnesia. He’ll lose a coordinator or a couple of coordinators or half his position coaches and then say, ‘Oh, we’re sc–wed now.’ Actually, you’re not because the script A is still on your chest, and it’s still being run by Nick Saban, so you’re fine.”

While comparing Marcus Freeman to Saban isn’t exactly apples to apples, the key is program stability. Alabama’s strength comes from its rock-solid foundation, something Notre Dame is still working to build. However, Pate wasn’t sweating it for Freeman—especially when it comes to losing guys at the GM spot. He knows Freeman’s got what it takes to bounce back, no matter who walks out the door!

Who’s gonna be Marcus Freeman’s new GM?

After Chad Bowden’s departure, Notre Dame is on the hunt for a new general manager. And they’ve got their eye on James Blanchard. According to 247Sports, Blanchard, who’s been rocking the GM role at Texas Tech since 2022, could be the Irish’s next big hire.

Red Raiders HC Joey McGuire raved about Blanchard, calling him “the best evaluator in college football.” McGuire praised Blanchard’s ability to connect with coaches and players. Plus, his sharp eye for talent—qualities McGuire said are rare to find all in one person. Looks like Blanchard’s got what it takes to make a big impact at Notre Dame.

Under Blanchard’s leadership, Texas Tech signed top-tier recruiting classes in 2022 and 2023, with the 2024 class landing at No. 25. But before joining the Raiders, Blanchard made a name for himself at Baylor, scouting high school talent as associate AD. He also brought NFL experience to the table, having worked with the Carolina Panthers’ front office.

On top of that, he scouted free agents and evaluated game footage of rival teams. With his track record, Blanchard is primed to make a major impact wherever he goes! Now, the clock’s ticking for Freeman and Notre Dame to keep the momentum going and lock down the perfect replacement for this key role.