7 Things to know regarding Tim Floyd’s resignation

If you have any sort of sports pulse, then you are more than likely aware of the fact that USC’s Tim Floyd has resigned as the school’s head basketball coach. But before you go clamoring away, suggesting crazy things like Rick Pitino becoming the next coach of the Trojan hoops program, take a moment to sit down, relax, and jot down a few notes. Here are some things you need to know:

1. Floyd didn’t resign because he lacked enthusiasm

In his resignation letter, Tim Floyd wrote that he no longer had the level of enthusiasm necessary to remain in coaching. Sorry, but if you actually believe that, than you are about as naive as a third grade schoolgirl. Are we really supposed to believe that Floyd was suddenly dispassionate about his job just after complaining about his players’ departures to the pros and saying he wanted to build his own traditions at USC? Yeah, right.

The notion that Floyd, who was well-known for his sideline antics, has suddenly become an apathetic old man is absolutely ridiculous. This is the same coach that nearly took a rebuilding job at Arizona and had been begging his players to stay at USC in order to make a run at the Final Four. Now, a month later, it seems rather odd than he would suddenly be disinterested in building a basketball program.

2. Floyd had “help” making the decision to resign

So if Floyd was still interested in coaching college basketball, which I believe is the case, then it is likely that he was pushed out the door by USC. While it’s a jump to say that Athletic Director Mike Garrett forced Floyd to resign, it is reasonable to assume that USC made Floyd feel terribly uncomfortable, and therefore, he decided to resign. By doing this, it makes Floyd out to be some sort of sacrificial lamb and the program’s only problem. With an NCAA investigation looming, it is safer for USC to take this route by making Floyd the scapegoat. By pressuring Floyd to leave, it looks,  from the outside, as if the Trojans do have some “institutional control” by ridding themselves of the program’s cancer, which in the public eye is Floyd.

3. President Sample had a role in this

Since becoming president of USC in 1991, Steven B. Sample has overseen the school’s steady rise to academic prominence. According to U.S. News and World Reports, USC’s academic ranking has increased more than any other university in the nation from 1999 to 2008, jumping from number 41 to number 27. The school’s average GPA and SAT scores have risen above those of UCLA and Cal and just below those of Stanford.

But despite the growth of the school’s academic standing, the athletic program has been a thorn in the side of Sample’s mission. An ongoing investigation into the lack of institutional control threatens the integrity of the university, and you have to believe that Sample doesn’t take it lightly. While the athletic program does haul in millions of dollars for the university, a perceived lack of integrity has an even greater impact, as it damages the reputation that Sample has worked so hard to build . Given the academic progress USC has made under Sample, you have to believe that he would do everything possible to “fix this problem.”

4. The Arizona fiasco built distrust, nothing more and nothing less

Many people point to Floyd’s interview with Arizona as an early sign of his guilt. However, it’s important to remember that Floyd’s flight to Tucson came weeks before the allegations from Yahoo! that he had handed over $1,000 in cash to Rodney Guillary, a handler for O.J. Mayo. Floyd’s willingness to leave and USC’s desire for him to do so was spurred by May’s allegation that Floyd was actively involved in paying Mayo.

Do not attempt to tie Floyd’s resignation to his interview with Arizona. What Floyd intended by interviewing for the U of A job was to force USC into giving him a raise and contract extension, as his current deal was set to expire in a year or two. After three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, Floyd’s stock had never been higher and he was trying to force USC to add some longevity and money to his initial contract.

However, the plan backfired, and decreased the level of trust between Floyd and the athletic department. It made him look like a dishonest coach, who had been begging his players to return while he sought a better job in Arizona. In the end it made it easier for USC to cut ties with the coach, who did not appear fully committed to the job at hand.

5. Let’s face it: USC isn’t getting a big name

Before you go ahead and start saying that USC is on the cusp of hiring a Jamie Dixon or a Rick Pitino, it’s important to keep in mind that no matter how hard they try, USC will not be able to secure a top notch coach- at least for now. Until the NCAA hands down its ruling, no other college coach will be crazy enough to take this job with the amount of uncertainty that presently exists at USC.

USC does not have the basketball pedigree of schools like Indiana or Kentucky, and because of that, it will be extremely difficult for them to persuade a big-time coach to take on the basketball mess at USC. That is unless he is crazy. The only reason Tom Crean agreed to take over the program at IU was because of the school’s reputation as a basketball powerhouse. It was worth dealing with the potential NCAA sanctions, because it was well, Indiana. It’s as big as a college hoops job can get. So the reward definitely outweighs the risks involved. USC is not an Indiana-like program. Since its inception, the Trojan hoops program has zero NCAA titles, two Final Four appearances, and two Pac-10 titles since 1960. The most notable player in school history is a guy by the name of Harold Minor, also dubbed the Baby Jordan, who was an NBA draft bust. Oh, you might want to throw Brian Scalabrine in the mix as well.

The point here is that USC does not have the prestige necessary to bring in a high-caliber coach who is willing to deal with the potential of NCAA sanctions. No currently employed college or pro coach wants to touch this job with a ten foot pole. It’s extremely risky and carries a ton of baggage.

However, there is still a minute chance that someone like Dixon does take the job under one condition. That condition would have to be that he gets a ten year deal with maximum job security. This would give him a long enough time frame to overcome any NCAA sanctions. Granted, I have a hard time imagining USC giving a coach a deal that long and large, but it is still a possibility- albeit a small one.

6. With all that said, USC might even be getting an interim coach

With all the talk about USC looking for Floyd’s long-term replacement, there is still the possibility that they could actually hire a coach on an interim basis. Because Floyd’s resignation comes so late in the offseason, it is a strong possibility that USC could hire an interim coach. This would officially kill the program in the short-run, but it could pay off in the long run. By doing this the program could allow the NCAA to release its verdict regarding NCAA sanctions, allowing prospective coaches to at least know what they’re dealing with. By waiting a year it would also allow a better pool of prospective coaches to open. At this point, it’s so late that, as we stated before, few coaches would even be interested in the job. Therefore, by waiting, the athletic department could make a better long-term hire.

7. Everybody, and I mean everybody, is leaving town

The way it’s looking now, ‘Lil Romeo is going to be the team’s starting point guard next season. I’m not even joking. So far this offseason, the Trojans have lost the majority of last year’s team. Key reserve Keith Wilkinson has graduated. DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson, Daniel Hackett, and Marcus Johnson, have all declared for the pros. Don’t be surprised if freshmen forwards Leonard Washington and Nikola Vucevic transfer too. As for any recruits? You can kiss them all goodbye. USC commit Derek Williams is a goner. So is Lamont Jones from Oak Hill. 2010 commit Gary Franklin, arguably one of the top point guards in his class, will probably be headed elsewhere now too.

There is very little talent left at this point with the exception of Dwight Lewis and Alex Stepheson. Lewis is a senior and I find it extremely unlikely that he would leave. Stepheson just transfered to USC so it’s also unlikely that he would transfer again. Essentially, they’re the only two bright spots, Trojan fans really have to fall back on.

But in the end, it’s time for all of us to get ready for some lean years at Galen Center.