The dust has not yet settled on the USC head coaching drama, as it has been only 48 hours since Steve Sarkisian was given a leave of absence to deal with his apparent addiction issues and only 24 hours since he was fired instead. Pat Haden made the call in what seemed to be a clear damage control endeavor, as details continued to flow from sources with more allegations as to inappropriate behavior by Sarkisian. Haden was going to have to explain why he either didn’t know of these instances when so many others clearly did, or how he did know about them and chose not to address them earlier. The easier solution was to change coaches. Haden’s tenure as athletic director at USC is certainly a question mark at this point. Sarkisian can get the help he needs without anyone paying attention since he is no longer the coach. Clay Helton takes over head coaching duties on an interim basis for the second time in two years and USC begins a search for its fifth coach in less than three years. Certainly some family counseling issues to be had on that campus as the Trojans try to fill yet another coaching void. But let’s move the conversation to the coaching issue because, since Pat Haden and I go to the same barber, it is clear he will seek my advice. There are going to be significant challenges in finding the right coach, but we’ll get to that after we peruse some of the names being thrown out there, (in no particular order).
Chip Kelly: His name is going to come up every time there is a major college opening, and this is certainly the name on the wish list of every internet USC fan, and it is quite possibly the most delusional wish. Yes, his offense at Oregon was electrifying and the stuff Trojan dreams are made of, but…Chip Kelly, even while currently coaching in the NFL, is under NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations that occurred during his tenure in Eugene. His 18-month show-cause probation ends in December of this year, so the timing would work, but after what SC has been through with the NCAA, is this really the smart next move? Kelly is politely considered quirky and excessively a loner, which is going to make it hard to glad hand the high end Trojan donors that pay for the football program.
Kevin Sumlin: He is 68-28 in 7 ½ seasons at Houston and now Texas A&M, including this season’s current 5-0 start. Texas A&M’s move to the SEC has done wonders for his recruiting, but can he actually ever win the conference going up against Alabama, LSU and the like each year. He is a quick turnaround guy and while SC fans may not want to admit it, they are in need of a makeover. He is quarterback friendly coach, witness Johnny Manziel, Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray at A&M, and could be the right guy to help QB-star-in-waiting Max Browne at USC. His buyout at A&M is reportedly only $5 million…a drop in the bucket for SC.
Kyle Whitingham: Probably the least glitzy and most logical choice for USC. Whittingham is 89-43 in a little more than 10 seasons at Utah and currently has the Utes in the national playoff conversation with a 5-0 start. Utah has made bowl appearances in eight of his first 10 seasons, including a Sugar Bowl win in 2008. Most of the bowls have been minor ones as it has been what he had to live with prior to the school joining the Pac 12. He already recruits very well in the Los Angeles area which can’t be easy when you are trying to tell Southern California kids that Salt Lake City is the place for you. There has never been an indication he would leave Utah, but if SC calls, don’t you take that call?
Jim Mora: Settle down UCLA fans. You knew the name had to come up. Mora has led UCLA to three straight victories over USC and that certainly has to put him on the Trojan donors wish list, or hit list…whichever comes first. He was rumored to have had the inside track to the Washington Huskies job in late 2013 before getting a significant bump in contract terms for he and his assistants at UCLA. While he has certainly improved the football vibe at UCLA, he has also made significant monetary contributions to future program projects, giving him longer term ties there. The guess is that if he were to bolt Westwood it would most likely be for another shot at the NFL.
Ed Orgeron: Of course he served on Pete Carroll’s staff at USC as well Lane Kiffin’s staff and served as the interim when Kiffin got fired in 2013. SC fans glamorize him for his legendary recruiting prowess and because he righted the Trojans’ ship after the tumultuous Kiffin era. But he had one completely failed run as a head coach, going 10-25 in three years at Ole Miss. Seems very comfortable back home in bayou country as the defensive line coach for an LSU program that is making a SEC title run, and he was turned down already by USC after his interim term.
Other names to toss around: Jeff Fisher (St. Louis Rams coach and former USC player and asst. coach); Tom Herman (University of Houston coach); Jack Del Rio (Oakland Raiders coach and former USC player); Clay Helton, (not really a choice but he has been interim twice, so what the heck).
This selection process will likely be different than any other that USC has gone through. It is rumored that Haden will not be empowered to make the choice alone, that there will be a committee given the final decision. There will also be numerous job openings across the country that will be attractive for some candidates. The South Carolina job is open with the retirement of Steve Spurrier. The Maryland job is open and presumably the Arkansas and Washington State jobs will be also.
I know loyal Trojan fans are saying their job coaching vacancy is the most attractive out of all of those and they are probably right, but the administration would do well to realize there have been “only” four significant coaching tenures at USC (Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson-the first time, and Pete Carroll), and accept that just because they are USC it does not entitle them to more epic eras. In an age where nearly every college game is on TV somewhere, the money for coaches is better all over the country and the visibility for players can be had at most schools. Break out of the Carroll era ties. Stop over-glamorizing the days of yore. While your history was great, your recent past has a high turnover rate, people acting as enablers for a coach with a problem before eventually piling the dirt on him when he didn’t win enough, and high level commits cancelling their official visits because of the maelstrom. You will get some version of your swagger back. Find yourself a coach who will make you a contender for the next five years and then hope you can convince him to stay beyond that. Anything else is giving yourself more credit than any school deserves. Solid advice from your friendly neighborhood Bruin.
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