Jim Leavitt to USC?

[Charles Fischer]

There is already talk brewing about that in this article, and I would imagine that Jim Leavitt would grab it in a second.  (But would he move his family?) 

 

I told a number of people to watch out for SMU this year, as they are currently undefeated and the combination of Leavitt as DC and Sonny Dykes running the offense (remember at Cal with Jared Goff?) could be a potent combination...and it is.  Thoughts?

 

[Jon Joseph]

I wish ISM hadn't joined the Pony Party?

 

With the dust up Leavitt had at USF I don't know if he will pass SC president Carol Ford's smell test?

 

I don't think Leavitt lit it up while recruiting for the Ducks?  Taking back recruiting from the Ducks is a  must for the new SC coach.

 

Leavitt would be a big PR drop from the likes of Penn State's James Franklin. 

 

If SC ends up hiring a guy who has never been a P5 or NFL HC, it will say a lot about SC and likely the entire conference?

[Haywarduck]

I love Leavitt, all I will say about that one. The guy can flat out coach, and you don't have to recruit at sc, just don't turn them off. I mean if Helton can bring in the talent then you don't need a Cristobal, you need a coach.

[David Marsh]

Sonny Dykes runs an air raid... if they want to keep that offense that would be a good hire. However, I have said it a million times now it feels like... the air raid doesn't win Conference Championships, let alone National Championships. It is an offense that allows schools with less resources and lesser recruits to compete and play spoiler. WSU did it with Leach, Dykes did it when he was at Cal. USC is doing it now and guess how many Conference Championships they have won with it so far? Yep... none... and they are a far cry from doing it again this year. 

 

Leavitt may be a good Head Coach or DC hire for USC though... however, they may need someone who wants to recruit more. USC doesn't typically require a power recruiter but going against Cristobal is though. Williams has done well at a few positions at USC but USC's roster may be highly ranked but it is an absolute mess. They have some good recruits in some places where in others they have some very bad recruits in others... namely the offensive line. 

[kirklandduck]

USC could do worse.  Leavitt's always been a solid coach with a good record of success, defense is always elevated when he comes on board.  He's a decent recruiter, he brought in some blue chips to Oregon when he was here but if he were hired as USC then he'd probably want to hold onto Donte Williams and have him run the recruiting program.  Then hire on a good OC and then USC is back on stable ground to work up from.  

[oregon112]

Leavitt is a great DC.  Helfrich was a great OC.  Great coordinator does not equal great head coach.  It would be a huge gamble for USC. 

[jrw]

Leavitt does not have the star power nor the public relations glow USC thinks it needs to shine in the L.A. media market. They're too enamored of their public image to give the keys to a crusty, old, Pepsi-swilling dude (and I mean that as a compliment).

[jega]

On 10/12/2021 at 10:23 AM, Charles Fischer said:

There is already talk brewing about that in this article, and I would imagine that Jim Leavitt would grab it in a second.  (But would he move his family?) 

 

I told a number of people to watch out for SMU this year, as they are currently undefeated and the combination of Leavitt as DC and Sonny Dykes running the offense (remember at Cal with Jared Goff?) could be a potent combination...and it is.  Thoughts?

 

Charles, I keep hearing Coach Franklin as SC's first choice for the job. 

 

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/13/2021 at 12:32 AM, jega said:

Charles, I keep hearing Coach Franklin as SC's first choice for the job. 

 

He's got a good gig making 8 million a year...why would he leave?

[Drake]

If my job was hiring coaches, Jim Leavitt would be a possible choice if I were working at a school like Colorado. However, at USC I would want someone more charismatic than Leavitt as my hire.
 

Nothing against him as a coach, but as a casual observer he just seems very vanilla. Oregon players didn’t rally for him as their candidate, they were more excited about Cristobal. Not that the players would carry a lot of weight in my decision, but I would at least listen. 
 

There is a lot of pressure on the AD at USC to get this right. Otherwise, we may see another 10 years of slightly above average football from USC. 
 

 

[Kurt Rambis]

There has been some great discussion about the SC job on The Dan Patrick Show.  One of the perspectives is that the 40 - 70 year-olds running the campus and athletic dept and paying the bills as boosters are still seeing SC as a glory job; a top 5 job in the nation.  They're still living in the days of OJ Simpson and Charles White and Reggie Bush. 

 

Eighteen-year-old kids, on the other hand, look at SC and they couldn't care less about the history and the championships from the 1970s.  Former SC QB Sean Salisbury had an extensive rant in which he took the SC boosters and administration to task for looking at the job through maroon-and-gold colored glasses, rather than recognizing it for what it is:  a mediocre program without any flash or anything that will particularly interest teenage recruits in a mediocre conference (you know, like FSU, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Miami mostly are now, although at least Arkansas and Nebraska are in the SEC and Big 10).  

 

So the idea that SC can get someone big-time like James Franklin may not be realistic.  The only advantage for SC over PSU is recruiting the Southland rather than PA and NJ, but even there it's not like Franklin's recruiting area right now is the Dakotas.

[David Marsh]

On 10/13/2021 at 8:14 AM, Charles Fischer said:

 

He's got a good gig making 8 million a year...why would he leave?

He's also got Penn State heading in the right direction right now. 2020 was a bit of a stumble but again we shouldn't judge too much any team or coaching staff for 2020. 

 

Penn State was a rebuild and it looks like he has done it, or is doing it very well. He also made Vanderbilt respectable for a few years before Penn State. He would be a good hire for USC if it is determined that he fits the culture there. However, does he want a rebuild. USC is a rebuild no matter what anyone says. 

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 11:14 AM, Charles Fischer said:

 

He's got a good gig making 8 million a year...why would he leave?

 

Ohio State? Reason enough to leave?

 

Great point Charles, but Franklin is a limelight guy and would be a fit in LA. At SC he would not be looking at the gauntlet that is the B1GE year after year.

 

But, like Leavitt, Franklin's record is tarnished by the incidents of rape that happened under his watch at Vanderbilt.

 

I think SC Prez Carol Ford, who was hired in part to clean up the admissions mess at SC, will not hire anyone with a hint of scandal surrounding their name?

 

BTW, up today on one of the SC boards is a take on Va Tech HC Justin Fuente coming to LA to be the Trojans OC? 

 

I expect that prior to SC actually making the new hire the speculation will include every half decent coach in the USA?

 

So glad you posted this Charles. Lots of fun to speculate. Considering the upcoming media negotiations, this HC hire by SC will have an even greater conference wide impact.

[Haywarduck]

I still don't get it, Jack Del Rio has expressed interest in the past, as recently as 2019, and fits the bill. If I was the AD I would go after Del Rio like no other, full court pressure.

 

You have a guy who is exactly what worked last time, an ex-nfl coach who failed, but is a good coach. Not only does he fit the mold of Pete Carrol, he is an sc legend.

 

I suppose the one thing we can count on with the sc job is for the AD to make a poor choice. The AD in place has a history doing exactly that, and I fully expect him to pick another loser out of the candidates who apply.

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 12:49 PM, Haywarduck said:

I still don't get it, Jack Del Rio has expressed interest in the past, as recently as 2019, and fits the bill. If I was the AD I would go after Del Rio like no other, full court pressure.

 

You have a guy who is exactly what worked last time, an ex-nfl coach who failed, but is a good coach. Not only does he fit the mold of Pete Carrol, he is an sc legend.

 

I suppose the one thing we can count on with the sc job is for the AD to make a poor choice. The AD in place has a history doing exactly that, and I fully expect him to pick another loser out of the candidates who apply.

 

The SC, AD, Mike Bohn hired Luke Fickell at Cincinnati. I believe he has a much better than average hiring record as the AD at other spots. He arrived at SC too late to pull the trigger on Helton before this season.

 

I don't think he'll screw this hire up? 

 

Del Rio? Too much of the same old have to have SC ties to be hired?

 

How about Reggie Bush's idea? Hire Deion Sanders? How about NO!

[David Marsh]

I feel the USC problem for finding a fit is right now they want some star power and someone proven from the coaching world... However, the world of College Football hasn't seen a powerful USC for around 15 years now! USC is not a destination school it used to be, and USC is a hot mess whose name doesn't hold the weight it used to and they can't even reliably keep the best recruits from their back yard anymore. This has all been said a  million times. 

 

The big factor that I think USC is running into right now is so many of the best coaches out there with the most rising success are in places that fit their personalities, which aren't big city LA personalities or colleges. A lot are mid-west coaches who fit their mid-west town. That doesn't mean they can't take over and have success in LA but the other question is... do they even want to move it? Is being the USC head coach a big enough of a draw for them in the first place? USC would be a great platform for them to rebuild and realistically have a shot at a National Championship. 

 

But failure results in being fired mid-season which makes the firing all the more embarrassing. For the record USC's last three Head Coaches were fired mid-season... Kiffin, Sark, and now Helton. At least being fired at the end of the season results in you leaving your job when everyone else is and you can talk about the difficulties of that season... getting fired midseason is the Athletic Director saying "You're bad at your job and we should have done this sooner but we can't wait to do it later... so .... BYE!" 

[Haywarduck]

On 10/13/2021 at 9:58 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

The SC, AD, Mike Bohn hired Luke Fickell at Cincinnati. I believe he has a much better than average hiring record as the AD at other spots. He arrived at SC too late to pull the trigger on Helton before this season.

 

I don't think he'll screw this hire up? 

 

Del Rio? Too much of the same old have to have SC ties to be hired?

 

How about Reggie Bush's idea? Hire Deion Sanders? How about NO!

In his first AD job he took Idaho from winning about 60% of their games to winning about 20% under Tom Cable, his hire.

He then went to SDSU who had been winning about 60% of its games to hiring Chuck Long who brought them down to winning under 20%.

His last stop before sc was Cincinnati where he fell into hiring an Ohio native who won't be leaving Ohio anytime soon.

He takes over at sc for a coach who was averaging winning about 60% of his games, unless he hires somebody who just wants the job, and falls into the spot, expect sc to go to winning about 20% of their games, if history is any indicator.

Mike Bohn is exactly who we need to hire the next coach at sc, if we want to continue to rob the recruits from down there.

[Charles Fischer]

Haywarduck....awesome research, commentary and meme!  I learned a ton there, so THANKS.

[jrw]

I remember going to the USC campus for the first (and only) time and thinking...this dump is what everyone gets so excited about?

 

I like to hate on USC even more than I enjoy hating on the Huskies.

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 1:54 PM, Charles Fischer said:

Haywarduck....awesome research, commentary and meme!  I learned a ton there, so THANKS.

 

AMEN. Great research.

 

But I don't think Bohn will screw this hire up? And I am fairly certain he will not be making the decision on his own? Too much is at stake. 

 

SC is not Idaho or SDSU. Who knows what the budget was at those 2 schools at the time of the hires?

 

Fickell, who had a tough year as the Ohio State interim coach was an outstanding hire. Quite something to go toe to toe with UGA in the 2020 bowl game and to have a G5 team ranked #3 in the country.

 

As to the job itself? Bama had many the tough season before Saban showed up. Bama pre-Saban, was recruiting nowhere near today's level.

 

SC was down between McKay/Robinson (both Ducks) and the hire of Pete Carroll. Get the right guy on board and studs in the western footprint, especially So Cal, are not heading east.

 

I do expect that the hire will move the PR needle. Plenty of wealthy SC alum are invested in the football program and in this hire.

 

I'm torn. SC is a hire away from being ultra competitive with Oregon. But like it or not, SC being a player on the national scene is a boon to the Pac-12 conference.

 

 

 

 

[Haywarduck]

"But I don't think Bohn will screw this hire up? And I am fairly certain he will not be making the decision on his own? Too much is at stake."

 

Do you mean a collaborative committee where group think rules, there is hope! Agree the law of averages just might be in sc's favor, but not history. 

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 2:53 PM, Haywarduck said:

"But I don't think Bohn will screw this hire up? And I am fairly certain he will not be making the decision on his own? Too much is at stake."

 

Do you mean a collaborative committee where group think rules, there is hope! Agree the law of averages just might be in sc's favor, but not history. 

 

Here is my off-the-wall pick to be the next SC coach?

 

Mel Tucker. (Of course having raised Tucker as a candidate, MSU probably loses at Indiana Saturday?) Mel was an excellent recruiter in his stops in the SEC. Before the in-your-face Buffs, he was bringing in a good class at CU. He has MSU ranked in the top 10. His use of the portal, becoming more and more important in today's CFB, has been masterful. 12 MSU starters in 2021came out of the portal.

 

He has no taint, other than bolting CU after a year, but for twice the money who can blame him, on his record. Like Franklin he is an African American which could be influential in the SC's president's decision making.

 

Unlike Franklin his salary is not to the moon high. He is making less than is David Shaw. However, Mel may be off to LSU before SC puts its oar in the water? I can't believe LSU having won the Natty 2 years ago is +10.5 at home vs 2L Florida?

 

I think the other question regarding the next SC coach is whether SC will be a member of the Pac-12 or an independent? SC might be able to score an NBC/Notre Dame deal and a Notre Dame/ACC scheduling agreement with the B12 for the other sports? This would include 5 football games a year vs B12 teams. Notre Dame is staying on the SC schedule. So, SC would have to find 6 other games. If a 12 team PO comes to fruition, SC as an independent would be like ND, in the mix for a PO spot with only having to play 12 games.

 

Unless GK can pull off a media miracle deal, is SC going to be content with sitting way behind the B1G and SEC money wise and giving an equal share of a smaller pie to WAZZU?

 

2 schools move the viewer #s in the Pac-12, SC and Oregon. If NBC wants to go deeper into CFB, the LA media market would be the logical choice.

 

I'm not sure a committee per se will make the SC coaching decision but the SC prez will be involved as will financial fat cats. I very much doubt that Mullens hired Mario without first obtaining the Oregon prez approval and checking in with Uncle Phil?

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/13/2021 at 12:34 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Here is my off-the-wall pick to be the next SC coach?

 

Mel Tucker.

 

Jon, I think you came up with a really good candidate, but I cannot help but wonder if he would not just use the LSU/USC jobs for leverage to get his contract increased?  I recall reading his story, and I believe he is an MSU guy who coached for them 20 years ago under Saban, and thus may be inclined to stay if the money is in the upper range?  (Although he went to Wisconsin)

 

These are crazy conversations, but I cannot help but wonder if a coach is better for 5.5 million at a school where they give him extra time to turn it around when they run into a bad patch, (as Notre Dame did for Brian Kelly) than go into a pressure-cooker for 8 million per year?  Crazy numbers...

[Haywarduck]

It is amazing when you see a coach leave an amazing job, for his next dream job, and even more money and fail completely. What is it that drives some to their level of incompetence, so blindly?

 

It certainly can't be the money, as many of us know, there is only so much you need, and then it becomes a distraction. It must be a huge blindspot for what is important in life. Happiness and engagement are more important than just having the biggest drum to pound on. You really only end up with something useless and looking stupid. 

 

[Annie]

On 10/13/2021 at 9:49 AM, Haywarduck said:

...

 

I suppose the one thing we can count on with the sc job is for the AD to make a poor choice. The AD in place has a history doing exactly that, and I fully expect him to pick another loser out of the candidates who apply.

 

Works for me!

[oregon112]

On 10/13/2021 at 8:14 AM, Charles Fischer said:

 

He's got a good gig making 8 million a year...why would he leave?

Great Question.  And why leave if you don't perform a miracle, you are out fast and your reputation is in the toilet.  Kiffen is a good coach, and he was bounced out of there. Lane has been succeeding at every stop since.  USC is a setup to fail, especially since many of the top players in so cal are going east to play college football.  I doubt that anyone could restore USC to the Pete Carroll era anytime soon. 

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 4:11 PM, Charles Fischer said:

 

Jon, I think you came up with a really good candidate, but I cannot help but wonder if he would not just use the LSU/USC jobs for leverage to get his contract increased?  I recall reading his story, and I believe he is an MSU guy who coached for them 20 years ago under Saban, and thus may be inclined to stay if the money is in the upper range?  (Although he went to Wisconsin)

 

These are crazy conversations, but I cannot help but wonder if a coach is better for 5.5 million at a school where they give him extra time to turn it around when they run into a bad patch, (as Notre Dame did for Brian Kelly) than go into a pressure-cooker for 8 million per year?  Crazy numbers...

 

Great points all Charles. BTW, my bad, the Prez of SC is Carol Folt, not Ford.

 

I hate to think of myself as a coward but if I could make close to the same money I think I'd prefer competing in the Pac-12 S compared to the SEC W? Ditto the B1G E? But then again there is the financial security of the B1G and the SEC to consider?

 

Hayward could be more than right about Jack del Rio? I have no idea what Jack is up to these days? Has he kept his hand in coaching?

 

I am often in error and I hope I am in error when even considering a move by USC to becoming an independent? That would not be good for Oregon or the conference.

 

He later walked it back but not so long ago Bohn brought up the idea of SC doing its own deal with NBC.

 

And you are right. These are crazy numbers! In many states the head football coach is by far the best compensated state employee.

 

I wonder what was the apogee of Knute Rockne's compensation?

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/13/2021 at 5:01 PM, Jon Joseph said:

considering a move by USC to becoming an independent?

 

You strike your deal when you are the hottest....and the Trojans are not that currently.  Win big and often as they did with Pete Carrol, and then the timing makes more sense, IMHO.

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 5:15 PM, Haywarduck said:

It is amazing when you see a coach leave an amazing job, for his next dream job, and even more money and fail completely. What is it that drives some to their level of incompetence, so blindly?

 

It certainly can't be the money, as many of us know, there is only so much you need, and then it becomes a distraction. It must be a huge blindspot for what is important in life. Happiness and engagement are more important than just having the biggest drum to pound on. You really only end up with something useless and looking stupid. 

 

 

Great take. The all-time bad move may have been Mike Price from WAZZU to Bama where he ended up never coaching a game.

 

Kiffin from Tennessee also did not work out too well. Although perhaps the worst AD in history, Pat Haden, should never have knee-jerked fired Kiffin. If Haden is not the worst, how about Lynn Swann who gave Helton a big pay raise and a huge buyout?

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/13/2021 at 8:06 PM, Charles Fischer said:

 

You strike your deal when you are the hottest....and the Trojans are not that currently.  Win big and often as they did with Pete Carrol, and then the timing makes more sense, IMHO.

 

Spot on. But it is getting close to decision time on whether to continue to pledge media rights to the Pac-12 and whether to agree to take the same slice of the pie as the 11 other teams? 

 

Pledge those rights for the new media deal and you are locked in for at least 4 years?

 

SC is obviously down. But the LA market is a big draw for any media company. And even when down, SC football draws many the eyeball.

 

I think the reconstituted B12 would open the wallet large for SC, the Arizona schools and CU? Bowlsby, snubbed by The Alliance,  which I understand, might be willing to give SC a bigger piece of the pie?

 

I think OK/UT to the SEC and BYU. Cincy, UCF and Houston to the B12 will not be the final moves in this round of conference restructuring?

[Haywarduck]

On 10/13/2021 at 5:09 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

Great take. The all-time bad move may have been Mike Price from WAZZU to Bama where he ended up never coaching a game.

 

Kiffin from Tennessee also did not work out too well. Although perhaps the worst AD in history, Pat Haden, should never have knee-jerked fired Kiffin. If Haden is not the worst, how about Lynn Swann who gave Helton a big pay raise and a huge buyout?

After Miami hired Dennis Erickson away from WSU, the next WSU coach, Mike Price, seemed like the sure bet to cure Alabama's woeful problems. I think the Price story made teams check their coaches a little better.

 

Of course there was George O'Leary's 5 day stop. One should never lie on your resume, oh well. O'Leary might have been a good fit for ND, but he only lasted 5 days.

 

Agree sc history of hiring and firing coaches isn't going to help convince a coach sc is the best job in the country.

 

I do remember our search for a new head basketball coach. We went into it thinking we were going to hire some big name. We ended up with a mid major coach and it turned out pretty good. Maybe sc will get off it's high horse and find a decent coach, nah that just isn't going to happen!