USC parts ways with RB coach

Todd McNair, USC’s running backs coach for the last six seasons and a key figure in the NCAA’s investigation of the school’s athletic department, became the first staff casualty in the aftermath of major sanctions levied against the program. In its infractions report, made public on June 10, the NCAA found that McNair “knew or should have known” that former Trojans running back Reggie Bush and two would-be sports marketers from the San Diego area “were engaged in violations that negatively affected” Bush’s amateur status. – Los Angeles Times

Utah set to join Pac-10

It’ll soon be official. After lengthy speculation, the Pac-10 has extended a membership offer to the University of Utah. A formal announcement is set for Utah’s Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday. The public is invited to attend the 12:30 p.m. gathering, set for the sixth floor at the Rice-Eccles Stadium Tower. The only item on the agenda is the “discussion of athletic conference,” which will be presented to the board for its approval. A news conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. After efforts by Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott to lure Big 12 members Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech out West failed over the weekend, various media reports targeted Utah as the institution most likely to join Colorado (a Big 12 defector) in the expanded conference. Although Scott’s hopes of establishing a 16-school superconference failed to materialize, the so-called Pac-12 now has enough teams to hold a lucrative football championship game — something the NCAA allows for leagues with at least 12 members. Beginning as early as 2011, the Utes will compete for such an opportunity against the Colorado Buffaloes, as well as Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington and Washington State. The Utes will reportedly be placed in the Southern Division with Arizona, ASU, Colorado, UCLA and USC. – Deseret News

USC Slammed by NCAA

The USC football program was almost put out of business yesterday. The loss of 30 scholarships over three years, with a cap of only 15 a year, is huge. The NCAA wanted to send a message. And it did. And of course all the parties involved–Pete Carroll, Reggie Bush–are shocked, SHOCKED, that these sort of penalties could be handed down. The NCAA didn’t give USC the death penalty, but it was close. And by the way: After what happened yesterday with the football and men’s basketball programs at USC, how in the world does athletics director Mike Garrett keep his job? – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Reggie Bush: I’ve done everything I can for USC

While USC officials sat with NCAA investigators Thursday, former Trojan star Reggie bush was taking in the Olympics in Vancouver. “There are attorneys, there are lawsuits, there are all those things that keep you from being able to talk,” Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, said during a promotional stop at a sponsor’s office in Vancouver, adding, “I’ve tried to do everything I can, on my part, to help USC out.” When asked for details about how he helped USC, Bush said, “I can’t really speak on that because of pending things, but I’ve done everything I can and I will defend ‘SC until the day I die. . . . That’s just because I felt USC was so good to me. . . . I am USC and I represent USC.” USC representatives spent more than eight hours in a hotel ballroom fielding questions from the 10-member infractions committee. The hearing, scheduled to continue through Saturday, is the culmination of a nearly four-year investigation that included allegations that Bush and former Trojans basketball player O.J. Mayo received extra benefits while competing for the Trojans. – Los Angeles Times

Who’s Next at USC?

Athletic Director Mike Garrett is considering a list of coaches thought to include Boise State’s Chris Petersen, the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars’ Jack Del Rio and Oregon Athletic Director Mike Bellotti. Not that Garrett was sharing any information. “I don’t talk about my search,” Garrett said after Carroll’s emotional afternoon news conference at Heritage Hall. – LA Times

Pete Carroll Upset with USC AD Mike Garrett?

Pete Carroll now on the spot, the perception nationally the Trojans’ football program is out of control, if not in need of an NCAA spanking, and AD Mike Garrett is nowhere to be found to assist the guy who saved his career. Garrett owes every day on the job, every penny earned to Carroll after stumbling across him almost a decade ago and hiring him to take the job Mike Riley, Dennis Erickson and Mike Bellotti turned down. And now, as wacky as it is to even suggest, Carroll needs Garrett to buy him some time to regroup. It has been a terrible year for Carroll, starting with the embarrassing way he reacted to Mark Sanchez’s decision to turn pro knowing more than anyone he’d be left without a solid quarterback — and leading all the way up to this week and the Joe McKnight affair and three players declared academically ineligible. “I don’t think he did anything wrong,” Carroll says, but if that’s the case, then why isn’t McKnight here practicing with his teammates? “It’s out of my hands,” Carroll says, a hint of dissatisfaction and even disagreement in his voice. – LA Times

Jim Harbaugh ticks off Pete Carroll

When Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll met at midfield after Stanford completed its 55-21 defenestration of USC here Saturday, their conversation was brief, pointed and seemingly unsatisfying. “What’s your deal? What’s your deal?” Carroll said, according to two sources near enough to hear. “What’s your deal?” Harbaugh retorted, and that was that. Now there’s the brevity of wit for you. It is also evidence of what will be a lingering dislike-a-thon between the two men, punctuated by Harbaugh’s impish yet gratuitous two-point conversion attempt after Stanford’s seventh - yes, seventh - touchdown. It looked like what it was, Harbaugh putting a knee in Carroll’s exposed coaching nethers. – San Francisco Chronicle

Should Steve Spurrier take over play-calling duties?

Four games, 49 points and one looming question: Is it time for Steve Spurrier to take over all of South Carolina’s offensive play-calling again? That was the $1.75 million question on Gamecock message boards following Saturday’s 33-16 loss to Arkansas — the fourth consecutive game in which USC failed to break 17 points. This is not the lowest-scoring, four-game stretch during Spurrier’s five-year USC tenure. The Gamecocks managed a total of 37 points over the final three games of last season — lopsided losses to Florida, Clemson and Iowa — and the 7-3 opening win at N.C. State this year. But the inability to find the end zone consistently has prompted many fans to wonder whether the Gamecocks would be better off with Spurrier calling all the plays, as he did his first three seasons in Columbia. – The State

USC football program generated $35.2 million in revenues

According to a report that must be filed annually as part of the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act of 1994, USC’s athletic department balanced its budget, reporting total expenses and revenues of $80.2million for the period covering July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2009. The football program generated $35.2 million in revenues on expenses of $21.4 million. Athletic department revenue from sources such as support groups, donations and endowment income was $39 million. – LA Times

Rick Neuheisel Silencing Critics at UCLA

There is nothing like anything Neuheisel does, is there? He comes to town as UCLA’s third choice, loses eight of 12 games his first year, and still manages to tweak USC and laugh with the fans and love the alumni and strum his guitar and convince kids it all makes sense. He shows up this year, untested quarterback, freshman running backs, suspended players, USC sucking down every last ounce of publicity, and what happens? The Bruins begin the season beating teams from three good conferences while Neuheisel’s group is being slowly surrounded with something rarely felt in recent years. That not-so-slick thing known as love. During their pregame walk into the Rose Bowl, their fans are now forsaking hamburgers for back slaps. “Last year during the walk, everyone was sort of just standing there, but this year, completely different body language, they’re all leaning in, like, I want to get a piece of this,” Neuheisel said… The coach who was too flighty is calmly building the solid foundation for success. The big ego has surrounded himself with strong coaches encouraged to shout him down. The flashy Hollywood guy is slowly winning over the wary attitudes of an inner city where he must compete on Fridays to win on Saturdays. The brain who knows only offense is fashioning a complete team that competes. Winning with a quarterback who hasn’t played in two years? Check. Winning after that quarterback breaks jaw? Check. Winning after a week in which four players were suspended? Check. Winning with nearly half as many rushing yards in three games as they had all of last season? Check. Neuheisel’s biggest fault so far has been perhaps that he cares too much, his frustrated sideline gestures at struggling players continuing to irk the most important of critics. “I get graded on that every week by my mother, and last week she read my lips when I said something bad, and I got in trouble,” he said. “I’ll never get an A, but I’m working on it, and I think the players appreciate the real emotion.” – LA Times

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