USC tosses a curveball

Well, USC AD Mike Garrett obviously crossed winning the press conference off his bucket list. While there's no doubt Kevin O'Neill knows his stuff and can coach (it's silly that we even have to type that), he's never been known for for displaying an illuminating personality -- but he is the new USC head basketball coach.

Yes, Ben Howland will never be mistaken as the belle of the ball in any social gathering but he's at U-C-L-A and wins. Kevin O'Neill will eventually win as the Trojan head coach but his hard-nosed coaching style (although not that much different than Howland's), preference for running plays over any freelancing, plus all the upcoming NCAA sanctions are not going to work in his favor in landing PAC-10 level blue-chippers. Plus, we actually see him working better with kids at a bit lower level who will run through a brick wall, no questions asked, when ordered to do so.

But maybe this was the clincher: O'Neill will never face an NCAA inquiry, ever.

Here's an Andy Katz/ESPN February 2008 article on O'Neill and his background.

So why not Reggie Theus? Hopefully, someone with an insider view will provide the details on how that went down. Theus announced he was removing himself from consideration Friday night and then the O'Neill hire is quickly announced. These two events are connected -- we just don't know the how and why and speculation is worthless.

Here's Teddy Feinberg/Las Cruces Sun-News offered this earlier feature on Reggie Theus and USC:

Former Aggie men's basketball coach Reggie Theus a candidate for USC head job
Teddy Feinberg
Las Cruces Sun-News
6/20/2009

Former New Mexico State Aggie head basketball coach Reggie Theus is a lead candidate to take over the program at the University of Southern California, according to published reports.

Leading the Aggies from 2005-07, Theus compiled a 41-33 overall record including a trip to the NCAA tournament during his final season with the program, a campaign which saw NMSU finish with a 25-9 mark.

He left the Aggies the following summer to go to the NBA, taking over the reigns of the Sacramento Kings. After going a respectable 38-44 in his first season with the Kings, Theus was fired after the team got off to a 6-18 start to the 2008-09 season.

NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston said that he spoke with USC AD Mike Garrett and supported the idea of hiring Theus.

"I'm hopeful that he will be given an opportunity," Boston said. "I believe he would be a very, very good fit and have no doubt that he would do a very good job for them..."

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