ESPN College Football

Jim L. Mora, a two-time NFL head coach with almost no college experience, is UCLA's new football coach, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com.

And UCLA made the official announcement a short time later.

Mora, 50, is currently an analyst for the NFL Network. He was fired from his last coaching job -- a single season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2009 -- after going 5-11. His only college coaching experience? He was a graduate assistant in 1984 at Washington, where he played from 1980-83.

Are Bruins fans going to immediately embrace this hire with buzzing enthusiasm? Probably not, particularly after Arizona and Washington State made splashier hires with Rich Rodriguez and Mike Leach.

I like how ESPN LA's Peter Yoon describes things here:

True, Mora isn’t exactly the splashy, big-name hire many UCLA fans were hoping to land, but there are reasons to believe his hire makes a lot of sense.

First, he has no UCLA ties in his past. Second, he is a defensive-minded coach. Third, he has no noteworthy experience as a college coach.

That bucks the trend of the past three UCLA coaches who are seen as the holy triumvirate of mediocrity. Bob Toledo, Karl Dorrell and Neuheisel were all Bruins assistants at some point before they became head coach; Dorrell and Neuheisel were UCLA players.

Before joining Seattle, Mora served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-2006. In his first season with Atlanta, the Falcons went 11-5 and made it to the NFC championship game. His teams went 8-8 and 7-9 the next two seasons and he was fired. But keep in mind, he was dealing with QB Michael Vick -- a stellar talent with a terrible work ethic and attitude at that time, something Vick has owned up to after he got out of jail.

A former Washington Husky reserve who played for Don James, Mora is a defensive guy with a strong resume working with secondaries.

That last part should be encouraging for Bruins fans. His area of specialization is stopping the pass. There, you might have heard, is a lot of throwing in these parts.

Mora also has the potential to be a charismatic recruiter. The parallel UCLA folks are surely thinking of -- whether they want to or not -- is USC's hire of Pete Carroll in 2001. Carroll had little college experience and was generally thought of as a mediocre-to-bad NFL head coach. Just about everyone panned his hire and mocked then-athletic director Mike Garrett's bumbling coaching search (which was a true comedy of errors and sloppiness).

Trojans fans eventually changed their feelings. There's a possibility that Mora will do the same.

"As someone who has been around the game of football my entire life, I have always held the UCLA job in the highest esteem," Mora said in a statement. "Given its location and its tradition, UCLA is truly a sleeping giant and I realize that an opportunity of this magnitude doesn't present itself more than once in a career, so I jumped at the chance to be a Bruin."

It's fair to say Mora was the Bruins' third choice. Boise State's Chris Petersen and Miami coach Al Golden both rejected previous entreaties.

I know UCLA fans don't always appreciate using USC as a measuring stick, but, again, Carroll was the Trojans fourth choice after an 18-day search. He was widely seen as a lightweight.

So this is an outside-of-the-box hire. At the very least, skeptical Bruins fans can grab hold of that.

Further, it's worth noting that a massively negative reaction would serve no useful purpose for the program. In fact, 11 other Pac-12 programs are likely poised to print out such reactions and use them against the Bruins in recruiting.

Meanwhile, the Bruins will play Illinois in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on Dec. 31 with interim coach Mike Johnson, who took over after Rick Neuheisel was fired two weeks ago.

Here's the LA Times on the Mora hiring.

The LA Daily News.

And the Orange County Register.

First things first. USC fans, you have a right to be outraged by the NCAA infractions appeals committee decision to uphold all penalties against the Trojans football program.

The sanctions -- two-year bowl ban, a 30 scholarship reduction over three years -- were not fair based on historical precedent. They weren't fair based on the flimsy evidence against the program. They weren't fair even if all the findings were true.

Said USC in a statement:

"We respectfully, but vehemently, disagree with the findings of the NCAA's Infractions Appeals Committee. Our position was that the Committee on Infractions abused its discretion and imposed penalties last June that were excessive and inconsistent with established case precedent."

But it's time to get over it. Being angry isn't going to change anything. This, by the way, was expected. The Appeals Committee is set up to reject appeals. Another ridiculous part of the NCAA process? Absolutely. But as you might have told your child when he or she was ranting about some playground injustice: "Life isn't fair."

Recall this letter from athletic director Pat Haden:

During the period of our NCAA probation we won't wake up each morning with a "woe is me" attitude as a result of the sanctions. I have failed if I cannot create a positive, upbeat environment that cultivates success in spite of the sanctions.

Want some solace? You weren't Ohio State coach Jim Tressel when you got out of bed this morning. He might be the only person more unhappy with the NCAA ruling than USC fans. If the USC football program gets hammered like this for the Reggie Bush fiasco, what will Tressel face? The stocks for a year in Ann Arbor?

A second grounds for solace? It's over. The seemingly endless process is at an end. After the anger slows a bit, there at least will be clarity, even if the picture isn't rosy.

USC won't be eligible to compete for the first Pac-12 South Division title. Scholarship limits over the next three years will have a significant impact on competitiveness. It's unlikely the Trojans will rejoin the national title hunt within five years. (Pedro Moura does a nice job here speculating on the immediate scholarship situation).

A third grounds for solace? USC is a far better athletic program today under Haden than it was under the often bizarre leadership of Mike Garrett, whose adversarial handling of the NCAA investigation provided a firm foundation for the infractions committee to justify a fit of pique when the evidence didn't do so. (Chris Defresne does a nice job of explaining that here).

A final grounds for solace? USC was far from innocent. For all the winning the Pete Carroll Era produced, the program was a circus of opportunity for leaches and opportunists. Part of the NCAA's ire -- the justified part -- was the lack of organized and firm monitoring. That appears to have changed under Haden.

Who are the big winners today? The other 11 teams in the Pac-12, particularly the five teams in the Pac-12 South, and -- most particularly-- UCLA.

Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel is on the hot seat, yes, but if he can lead a successful season -- seven or eight wins -- he should survive and then have a banner year recruiting in Southern California almost by default. Some were surprised that didn't happen this past recruiting campaign, when Lane Kiffin surged and Neuheisel tanked. But the new reality is there are more than 15 elite recruits in the Los Angeles area and if they want to play football near home, they now have only one option in an AQ conference.

That won't make USC fans happy. But, Trojans, it's time to breathe. USC is a timeless football program. It will rise again.

Oh, one more grounds for solace: The NCAA has its own problems.

LOS ANGELES -- The nominee for "Worst Person in the World" from the state of Tennessee has been a bit of a letdown on the West Coast. When he wore bright orange, Lane Kiffin was as loud as the Volunteers' uniforms. He was a controversy not waiting to happen. He called people out. He trashed-talked. He immediately started beeping loudly on the NCAA's radar.

But since he arrived in Los Angeles, ascending to what he called his "dream job" at USC, he's been mostly an all-business, old school, grumpy football coach.

"You been bored?" Kiffin quips. "You were all excited when I got hired here."

Yes and no. Things have been pretty hectic around USC for the past year or so. While reporters often enjoy a little drama, there are limits. Typing fingers do cramp up, after all. The Reggie Bush mess. Pete Carroll leaving. Kiffin getting hired and the ensuing hullabaloo in Knoxville. NCAA sanctions. The comings and goings of scores of players. The comings and goings of athletic directors and school presidents. A five-loss season for a program that had grown accustomed to the number five representing a disappointing final AP ranking. Highly-rated recruiting classes, despite sanctions. Tennessee shipping its NCAA problems to Kiffin's new address. A seemingly endless wait for the NCAA to rule on USC's appeal of sanctions.

A notable void, however, has been controversy arising due to Kiffin's conduct at USC. Oh, he took a shot at rival UCLA after signing his 2010 recruiting class, but that was more a tempest in a thimble than a teapot. He sometimes provides assessments of players' shortcomings that can seem too honest. But, really, the only big story this spring at USC is injuries, which means there are plenty of stifled yawns by observers at practices. Who saw that coming?

"Sometimes I get people here that actually want to see that brash side," Kiffin said.

Just not many over the age of 21.

On the one hand, this is a good thing. It's possible that Kiffin shortly will be judged on substance, on whether he can coach or not, on whether he can lead the Trojans back to the top of the Pac-12 or not. His oft-noted limited résumé -- a 5-15 record coaching the Oakland Raiders and a 15-11 mark in two college seasons -- reveals little.

What is revealing is five losses a year after the Trojans, in their final season under Carroll, were unceremoniously smacked out of the conference's top spot by Oregon. What is revealing is watching practice and wondering, "Where did all the NFL-looking dudes go?" Just three years ago, USC looked better getting off the bus than any team in the country. No longer. Now they look like just about everyone else.

Part of that is injuries. Twelve members of the two-deep depth chart have practiced little or not at all this spring. The Trojans numbers were already down, which convinced Kiffin to sign a handful of early-enrollees who weren't up to previous standards just to get more available warm bodies.

Still, there are plenty of old school USC guys, starting with quarterback Matt Barkley and his top target, Robert Woods. They are a potentially dynamic pass-catch combination. Left tackle Matt Kalil, defensive end Nick Perry, safety T.J. McDonald and cornerback Nickell Robey are going to be playing on Sundays. D-tackle George Uko has been impressive this spring. But there are obvious holes -- for one, the offensive line is perilously thin and unproven -- and the backups don't look like the next generation.

"We got guys running with our twos that weren't even going to play football, but we found them in science class after a tryout," Kiffin said.

A touted recruiting class of 23 arrives in the fall, and many of those freshmen are going to immediately be in the mix for playing time. Toss in the expected return of the injured players, and the reinforcements will number 35.

But will they win? It may be nice that the hyperventilating from critics is trending down, but the bottom line is there is a bottom line, of which Kiffin is well aware: Winning.

Kiffin said he feels more comfortable this spring, and it's clear his players share that sentiment. Understand: The transition to Kiffin was challenging for many. Carroll had become an icon at USC. All those five-star players he signed did so in large part in order to join Carroll's "win forever" cult of personality. Carroll was all about bottomless enthusiasm and optimism. Kiffin is a different bird. For some veteran players, his approach, which often included unvarnished criticism, was tough to take.

"First spring, it was rough with getting guys to buy-in and accept that we didn't have Coach Carroll -- the 'there's a new coach, just deal with it,'" Barkley said. "Some guys were holding back and didn't like the way things were going."

Barkley said Kiffin has loosened up a bit. "Even this year, Coach Kiffin has given in a little bit, making it more fun for us, that competition style we were kind of used to before," Barkley said.

The person at USC who knows Kiffin best waves away the criticism that has dogged him. "It's basically one state," said USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Lane's pop.

"I know him. I've known him for 35 years. I feel I've got a pretty good feel for him," Monte Kiffin said. "If I thought he was a smart alec or wasn't a good head coach, first I wouldn't have gone to Tennessee or I would have taken opportunities to go back to the NFL [instead of going to USC]. They don't know him."

That's fair. An ill-fated tenure working under Al Davis and a single year at an SEC school shouldn't define Kiffin as a coach. And, ultimately, it won't. Kiffin knows what will, though.

"If you are worried about what people are writing about you, win games," he said.

Or else those negative assessments will begin to develop a foundation built on incontrovertible fact.

Some quick notes to get you through the hours until Saturday.

• Five Pac-10 players accounted for at least three TDs last weekend: California's Shane Vereen, Oregon's Kenjon Barner (5 TDs), USC Ronald Johnson (4 TDs), Arizona State's Deantre Lewis and Arizona State's Cameron Marshall.
• Three Pac-10 QBs rank among the nation's top seven in passing efficiency: Stanford's Andrew Luck at No. 3, USC's Matt Barkley at No. 4 and California's Kevin Riley at No. 7.
• Seven different Arizona receivers caught at least three passes last week at Toledo.
• Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber is 3 for 3 from beyond 50 yards in his career after booting a 52-yard field goal vs. Portland State. He was one of three conference kickers to connect from beyond 50 yards (Washington's Erik Folk, 54 yards, and Washington State's Nico Grasu, 56 yards).
• Cal is 2-2 all-time with Colorado, but this is its first meeting since 1982.
• Oregon is one of eight teams nationally that produced shutouts last weekend.
• Ducks CB Cliff Harris returned two punts for TDs -- for 61 and 64 yards -- in the win over New Mexico. Two punt returns for TDs has only been accomplished twice before by Pac-10 players: USC's Mike Garrett in 1965 vs. Cal; UCLA's Sam Brown in 1954 vs.Stanford.
• Oregon State safety Lance Mitchell leads the conference in tackles after recording 18 vs. TCU. Fellow safety Suaesi Tuimaunei is tied for third with 14.
• UCLA leads its series with Stanford 45-32-3.
• UCLA kicker Kai Forbath tied two NCAA records after going 3 for 3 vs. Kansas State. His 27 games with at least two field goals ties Georgia's Kevin Butler and his 13 with at least three ties Arizona State's Luis Zendejas. Forbath has made 40 consecutive field goals inside of 50 yards. His 75 career field goals are just 12 short of the NCAA record of 87.
• USC has won 31 consecutive night games (USC-Oregon kicked off at 5 p.m. last year).
• Washington QB Jake Locker made his college debut as a redshirt freshman at Syracuse in 2007. The Huskies won 42-12.
• Dating back to the last part of the 1975 season, the Huskies have gone 35-14 when playing at home the game after a loss on the road.
• Washington State is trying to snap a 10-game losing streak Saturday vs. Montana State. The Cougars are 6-0 all-time vs. the Bobcats.

In June, the NCAA ruled running back Reggie Bush retroactively ineligible when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2005 because he was breaking rules by receiving extra benefits from would-be sports agents, so USC is giving back the tainted trophy as part of its plan to disassociate the university from Bush, now with the New Orleans Saints.

That plan of action was made public shortly after USC president-elect Max Nikias announced that Pat Haden would replace Mike Garrett as athletic director, one of a number of other moves intended to improve athletic department oversight.

Nikias also said USC would take down murals featuring Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo, who also broke rules when he received extra benefits, at the Galen Center, Heritage Hall and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

In other words, USC is cleaning house. And showing a bit of contrition.

Many might say this: About time.

Mike Garrett's eventful 17-year tenure as USC's athletic director is over. He will be replaced by Pat Haden, a former USC quarterback, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Garrett, 66, was a former Heisman Trophy winner for the Trojans. The highlight of his tenure was his hiring of Pete Carroll in 2001 -- at first a controversial decision -- and the subsequent success of the football program, which included consecutive national championships in 2003 and 2004. The lowlight was the severe sanctions the NCAA pounded the football program with in June.

Haden, 57, led the Trojans to three Rose Bowls as a player before an NFL career. He also was a two-time academic All-American and Rhodes Scholar. He has been a member of the USC board of trustees for 19 years. The Times reported that Haden will give up his job as a Notre Dame football analyst for NBC.

It's been clear for some time that Garrett's tenure was at an end, particularly with new school president, Max Nikias, taking over for a retiring Steven Sample on Aug. 3.

Haden obviously knows football and college athletics and is very bright. This seems like a good move toward getting the USC athletic program back on track.

Of course, for coach Lane Kiffin, it means the AD who hired him is no longer around. Haden won't have any professional stake in how Kiffin is evaluated going forward.

That's not necessarily a big deal at present, but it could be in the future if the program struggles and/or there are any off-field problems.

BURLINGAME, Calif. -- Hundreds of miles away from Heritage Hall and only a few hours after the release of an NCAA report that spelled out major penalties for USC, athletic director Mike Garrett broke his silence on the matter by telling a group of the school’s sports boosters that the report was “nothing but a lot of envy.”

“As I read the decision by the NCAA, all I could get out of all of this was … I read between the lines and there was nothing but a lot of envy, and they wish they all were Trojans,” Garrett said to cheers Thursday night at the San Francisco Airport Marriott.

Garrett made the statement on a previously scheduled coaches' tour stop for football coach Lane Kiffin and men’s basketball coach Kevin O’Neill, whose programs faced sanctions. Football took the brunt of the hit in the report with a two-year bowl ban among other penalties due to improper benefits received by Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. USC will appeal.

Declaring that “we can still split a national championship if we win all our games,” Kiffin also indicated he was heartened to learn 56 of his players appeared this morning for a voluntary 7 a.m. workout.

“Regardless of what happens in that appeal, we know this: SC is more powerful than anything else,” Kiffin said. “The university, the football program, the basketball program -- no matter what they try to do to us, it won’t matter.”

Before dining on seared fillet mignon and chocolate mousse cake, Garrett was greeted warmly with hugs and handshakes by USC fans who each paid at least $75 for event admission.

Wearing a striped cardinal-and-gold-colored tie -- and a smile -- Garrett had this to say when I approached him before the start of the event: “No comment. Don’t bother me. The world is great.”

While walking away with associates, he said, “Don’t talk to that guy. He’s the press.”

Later, when asked why he had not spoken publicly about the NCAA report or even issued a video statement, Garrett acted like he did not hear the question. He patted me on the chest and said, “God bless you.”

When a newspaper reporter asked if he were worried about his job,” Garrett patted that writer on the chest as well and said, “I’m just worried about your job.”

The crowd gave Garrett a standing ovation and also applauded and cheered when he mentioned the school would appeal the NCAA ruling.

“We’re fighters,” Garrett said. “As I told my staff, I said, ‘You know, I feel invigorated by all this stuff.’”

O’Neill, whose team faced few additional sanctions because the school had already self-imposed a postseason ban for this past season, said it was “a great decision by Mike” to go ahead with those sanctions in January.

O’Neill was not present at the school while star one-and-done player O.J. Mayo was being recruited, but he did address difficulty in maintaining institutional control.

“We can’t control people 24 hours a day,” O’Neill said. “That’s all there is to it. You cannot control people from the outside. You cannot control agents. You cannot control runners. Those kinds of things get away from you sometimes because you have no way of knowing. I do know this: We do the right thing every single day by the university, by the athletic department, by the student-athletes.”

Kiffin, playing to the crowd, compared the idea of institutional control to raising children.

“Imagine if you have 120 of them to control,” he said. “And imagine if you also have responsibility for every parent and every family member they have. It’s a pretty difficult situation.”

TEMPE, Ariz. -- And after three days, they rested. Their case.

USC's hearing before the NCAA infractions committee ended at 6:30 p.m., local time, Saturday, after nine hours of deliberation.

A hotel worker strained to roll away an overloaded cart of documents that included seven boxes and two massive bound folders that contained USC's responses to allegations of NCAA violations for the football and basketball programs.

To be accurate, USC was done -- football coach Lane Kiffin quickly said goodbye and raced to a town car so he could catch a flight back to L.A. -- but the infractions committee's work continued into the evening.

USC's ultimate fate still requires a verdict, which will require further deliberation for the infraction committee at another location. The ultimate ruling won't be made public until a final report is completed. That typically takes six to 10 weeks.

NCAA officials refused to comment afterwards, and USC officials weren't much more forthcoming.

"I can't even say no comment on no comment," USC president Steven Sample joked with reporters, then added. "It will come out. It will be great."

Said USC spokesperson James Grant, "We've been asked by the chairman of the committee not to discuss the proceedings. But we do want to thank the committee and NCAA staff and everyone involved for these proceedings and we are pleased we were able to present our side of the events and we look forward to an outcome and to moving on."

The first two days of the hearings focused on football, with Trojans running backs coach Todd McNair seemingly spending the most time being questioned. McNair reportedly was aware of a relationship between former running back Reggie Bush and a pair of aspiring agents who allegedly provided him with cash and gifts that would break NCAA rules against athletes receiving "extra benefits."

Basketball was the subject on Saturday, with former Trojans coach Tim Floyd appearing before the committee.

ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported in May of 2008 that former basketball player O.J. Mayo accepted cash and gifts -- extra benefits -- from Rodney Guillory, who was connected to Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management. Moreover, Floyd was alleged to have provided a $1,000 cash payment to help steer Mayo to USC, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

"We got the opportunity to present our side of the case," said one of Floyd's lawyers, Jim Darnell.

USC already admitted wrongdoing with the basketball program and sanctioned itself, including a ban on postseason participation, a reduction of scholarships and vacating all of its wins from 2007-08.

However USC chose to contest the allegation against the football program, its ultimate goal is to overcome the perception of a lack of institutional control, which could result in significant sanctions, including scholarship reductions, TV and postseason bans, recruiting restrictions and probation.

Moreover, if USC is found guilty of major violations, the NCAA also could rule that the Trojans are "repeat violators." Per NCAA rules, "An institution shall be considered a 'repeat' violator if the Committee on Infractions finds that a major violation has occurred within five years of the starting date of a major penalty."

The athletic program was last sanctioned in August of 2001, so if the Bush allegations are found to be major violations, they would fall within that time frame.

So a lot is at stake.

David Price, the NCAA's vice president of enforcement, wouldn't discuss any details of the case but he admitted the hearings were "the longest in my 11 years" as an NCAA enforcement officer.

USC athletic director Mike Garrett's only comment afterwards probably reflected sentiments shared by all participants on both sides of the conference room.

"I'm glad it's over," Garrett said.

Of course, it won't be over until the NCAA finally sings.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- After nearly eight hours in front of the NCAA infractions committee, former USC basketball coach Tim Floyd, carrying a folder overflowing with hastily gathered papers, walked out of a conference room at the Marriott "The Buttes" resort and shared a handshake and what appeared to be a warm exchange with new Trojans football coach Lane Kiffin.

Floyd hopes the hearing and the handshake afterwards aren't his last contact with college coaching, which is one of the reasons he attended the hearing.

The other?

"It's the right thing to do," he said.

Floyd, now an assistant coach for the New Orleans Hornets, was shortly hustled away by his lawyers, Jim Darnell and David Scheper, into a waiting elevator.

Floyd appeared before the committee because ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported in May, 2008, that his former player, O.J. Mayo, accepted cash and gifts from Rodney Guillory, who was connected to Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management. Moreover, Floyd was alleged to have provided a $1,000 cash payment to help steer Mayo to USC, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

His lawyers said their intention was to present their side of the case and clear Floyd's name. They said they felt the hearing was fair. While they wouldn't talk about what went on behind closed doors -- or whether things got contentious -- they admitted there were some unexpected twists.

"Over eight hours there are always surprises," Darnell said. "But nothing that big of a deal."

As far as their odds of success, Darnell said he didn't have "the slightest idea."

"I'll know that in two months," he said.

USC already admitted wrongdoing with the basketball program and sanctioned itself, including a ban on postseason participation, a reduction of scholarships and vacating all of its wins from 2007-08.

While the details aren't available -- USC's status as a private institutions allows it to keep NCAA allegations from public scrutiny -- it's fair to say USC's version of events and Floyd's version don't match.

In fact, in recent interviews with the LA Times and New Orleans Times-Picayune, Floyd talked about how he believed USC athletic director Mike Garrett made him the program's scapegoat.

"Mike's reputation took precedence over the truth," he told the newspapers.

Floyd and his lawyers left at 3:30 p.m., local time, but the hearings continued.

Former football coach Pete Carroll was interviewed on Thursday. Current running backs coach Todd McNair, who allegedly was aware of former running back Reggie Bush's dealings with a couple of would-be sports agents, was interviewed Thursday and all day Friday.

When the committee is finished with USC, it will reconvene -- at an "undisclosed location," NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn said -- to evaluate the testimony and reach a verdict.

That could last well into the evening, and it remains possible that the committee won't be able to finish its business.

But, when the elevator doors closed behind Floyd, the last of the star witnesses departed.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- They shuffled by at 5:30 p.m. local time, sharing a message for those who might wonder how things went during USC's meeting with the NCAA infractions committee on Thursday.

"No comment."

Said USC athletic director Mike Garrett, "I can say hello. I can say goodbye."

Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott was amused by a reporter's attempt to chat about how things might be going for USC as it defended itself against alleged NCAA rules violations for its football and basketball teams. "Thanks for asking," he said.

USC president Steven B. Sample enjoyed a cookie and used a pregnant pause to support his quip that he wasn't even going to say no comment.

The silence wasn't terribly surprising.

"We have been instructed by the chair of the proceedings not to discuss the proceedings," USC spokesperson James Grant said.

That would be former Miami athletic director Paul Dee, who slipped by before a reporter collecting various forms of "no comment" could acquire his.

So what can we say about Day 1 of USC's hearing, which will continue Friday and Saturday?

Former USC coach Pete Carroll was in attendance. He said he was leaving Thursday night and headed to LA for a charity event.

That, paired with the apparent absence of former Trojans basketball coach Tim Floyd as well as the presence of running backs coach Todd McNair, would suggest strongly that football was the focus of the first day. And that Carroll and McNair answered question about their knowledge of extra benefits former running back Reggie Bush allegedly received from a pair of would-be agents, among other things.

New football coach Lane Kiffin, sporting an impressive suit that Carroll took a moment to admire, also was on hand. He provided the day's best -- only -- analysis when he called the interaction inside the meeting "interesting" but the expressions of most folks' faces when they left the meeting room suggested that even James Cameron couldn't make the proceedings lively.

The big question for Day 2?

Will Floyd and the basketball program take the stage? Or will football still lead the agenda?

According to a source with knowledge of the proceedings.

"No comment."

UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow spoke to reporters about his flirtation with USC for the first time Thursday afternoon.

Well, sort of.

During a 20-minute teleconference, reporters asked for specifics about his contact with USC. He responded by saying, "It's an exciting time for UCLA football."

Reporters asked a lot of questions, as they are wont to do, and Chow let out a number of knowing laughs and then didn't say much. As he is wont to do.

Some things did become clearer.

Chow admitted he gave overtures from USC "some consideration."

"There was some thought to it, sure," he said.

He said new USC coach Lane Kiffin "made several phone calls, several attempts" to talk to him. They never did talk, but that wasn't because of hard feelings between the two.

"There's no problem with Lane Kiffin," Chow said.

He also never talked to USC athletic director Mike Garrett. His agent Don Yee and Chow's son, Carter, an attorney with Yee's agency, handled all the discussions with USC.

Chow said he was on vacation in Marco Island, Fla., -- which included tending to a sick friend -- when the news of Kiffin's hiring broke Tuesday night. He said that, despite reports he was already a part of Kiffin's USC staff, he and his agents had not yet talked to anyone representing USC.

That's why he didn't see any reason to deny that he was interested in going back to USC, where he coached from 2001-2004 under Pete Carroll and with Kiffin.

"How do I know if I'm not interested?" he said.

He said he immediately informed UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel that Kiffin had contacted him. He was vague about whether USC and his agents talked specifics of a potential contract. He said he talked to a few recruits as well as Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince during the process.

He said "Lane will do well at USC" and that he "had great admiration for Lane Kiffin." And that he was "flattered" by the attention.

But most of all?

"We're awfully excited about what's ahead at UCLA," he said.

Unless lightning strikes again, Norm Chow won't be part of the massive transformation at USC.

Chow will remain UCLA's offensive coordinator and not join Lane Kiffin's staff at USC, <a title="Chow's agent told ESPN" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/news/story?id=4825852" target="_blank">Chow's agent told ESPN</a>.

This might be best for Chow and Kiffin.

Chow apparently wanted assurances he'd get a contract extension from the Bruins before he made a decision. He's presently in the third year of a three-year contract, which will pay him $640,000 this year.

While USC athletic director Mike Garrett was on record wanting Chow to reunite with Kiffin, it's less likely Kiffin was as keen on the idea.

Chow's decision now allows Kiffin to make his own call at offensive coordinator -- as well as to call his own plays. And to avoid a potential soap opera with Chow.

And, considering reports that Chow was going to be offered more than $1 million dollars to come to USC, there's plenty of money in the USC coffers to go after a big-time coordinator.

Seemingly every big-name coach in the country had been connected to the USC vacancy. Lane Kiffin's was included in some reports, but almost as an afterthought.

And yet Kiffin, Tennessee's head coach for just one year, is coming back west to coach the Trojans and replace his mentor Pete Carroll.

It's a stunning, splashy decision that few saw coming, but will inspire a lot of "Really?" from media and fans.

Kiffin's head coaching career has been spotty. He was 7-6 in one season at Tennessee and had an acrimonious split in 2008 with the Oakland Raiders, where he went 5-15.

Kiffin, who coached under Carroll from 2001-2006, has been known to be outspoken. Almost immediately after he was hired at Tennessee, he got in trouble with the SEC for making comments about other coaches and other programs, particularly Alabama and Florida. During his brief tenure in Knoxville, Kiffin had some issues with the NCAA, and his players had some off-field trouble.

Yet hiring Kiffin also might turn out to be a home run, particularly when you consider the staff he is putting together.

Kiffin, 34, will bring his father and defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, as well as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron with him to USC.

The elder Kiffin is one of the country's mostly highly regarded defensive minds. Orgeron is considered one of the nation's best recruiters. He was the Trojans recruiting coordinator from 2001 to 2004, when USC multiple times landed the nation's No. 1 class.

A source told the Pac-10 blog that USC also is expected to pursue Norm Chow as offensive coordinator. Chow is presently the offensive coordinator at UCLA, but he was Carroll's coordinator when the Trojans won consecutive national titles in 2003 and 2004.

"Lane Kiffin is a great get," said USC offensive lineman Jeff Byers, a sixth-year senior who played for Kiffin for three seasons. "He learned under coach Carroll. He's a guy who's been there. He's a great recruiter. I think it's a great hire -- I think [athletic director] Mike Garrett pulled a great one out of his hat. I don't think anybody was thinking Lane Kiffin."

Nope.

The recruiting skill is significant. Kiffin and Orgeron are leaving behind a class at Tennessee that presently ranks sixth in the nation, according to ESPN.com's Scouts Inc. His first class with the Vols ranked 15th.

One of the major worries when Carroll bolted for the Seattle Seahawks was that the Trojans recruiting class, presently ranked 11th, would fall apart. Odds are pretty good that won't happen now. Orgeron is a force of nature in recruiting.

And let's face it: While USC was always well-coached under Carroll, the secret of his success was recruiting the best players.

As far as Xs and Os, if Kiffin is able to pair his dad and Chow, he will have as good a pair of coordinators as any program in the nation.

“It’s great news," quarterback Matt Barkley told ESPNLosAngeles. "I remember meeting Kiff way back on the recruiting trail when I was a freshman in high school. I liked him when I met him. I like that he knows how to live and breathe the Trojan way.”

Barkley also pointed out that the Kiffin combination -- and potentially Chow -- will mean significant continuity in terms of scheme on both sides of the ball. The elder Kiffin was one of Carroll's defensive mentors, and they share many of the same philosophies.

"It’s comforting to know that not a lot is going to change,” Barkley said. “Kiff will have his own way of doing things, but I’m glad the offense isn’t going to be a whole lot different."

"Kiff" does have his own way of doing things, that's for sure. His hiring will generate national buzz, good and bad.

Now all he needs to do is duplicate Carroll's 83.6 percent winning percentage.

In a sprawling 20-minute, stream-of-consciousness monologue, Pete Carroll was full of "thank yous" and nostalgia as he said goodbye to USC during a Monday evening press conference at the school.

Carroll said he's breaking up with USC not because of anything the Trojans did -- or because of the NCAA or athletic director Mike Garrett, for that matter -- but because the Seattle Seahawks made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

"Why can't it keep going?" Carroll rhetorically asked. "It can't keep going because I can't pass up this opportunity that has come up."

What exactly the "opportunity" the Seahawks are giving Carroll is presently vague.

Carroll repeatedly has said he'd never give the NFL another try unless he received total control of the franchise. Early reports were the Seahawks planned to give him that. Then there were conflicting stories as to how much power Carroll would have that arose due to questions about the Seahawks compliance with the "Rooney Rule," which requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for coaching jobs. To this point, all the Seahawks have said is Carroll will have "a collaborative capacity on football matters."

Carroll, who has had a number of previous chances to return to the NFL, described that "collaborative capacity" as a "unique opportunity."

"I thought I would be here forever and then this came along," he said.

Hmm.

But that's the NFL side of things, which Carroll mostly refused to talk about, including which members of the USC staff he plans to take to Seattle. At present, he's expected to bring along offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, linebackers coach Ken Norton and offensive line coach Pat Ruel.

Instead, Carroll, who talked to his now-former players before his press conference, reviewed his nine years at USC and thanked everyone -- really, everyone -- around the program, from players, to administrators, to fans, to people who work for his charity, to police officers, to his beat reporters, etc.

He called his years at USC "gorgeous times" "a marvelous run."

"It hurts to separate right now," he said.

He said he's separating, however, because his competitive fire won't let him pass up "the challenge of a lifetime."

Carroll denied that he is leaving because of the football program's NCAA issues, as well as his widely reported schism with Garrett.

"If you say something else, you are not telling the truth," he said.

He didn't provide many details about his meeting with the Trojans players.

"For the guys that are here right now, it's a bit of a shock that this is happening," he said. "But they're strong. They're tough. They'll compete to take the next step."

Now the next step for USC is hiring a new coach coach to replace a man who produced one of the greatest runs in college football history.

For Carroll, it's about taking his competitive fire to the "highest and most intense level."

It wasn't an easy decision to make.

"There's nothing easy about it," he said. "My body is in shock. My emotional side is in shock. I haven't slept in days."

USC just sent out a press release on Pete Carroll becoming the Seattle Seahawks new coach.

Based the comments, the breakup is being spun forward as one with mostly good feelings from both sides.

Here's what Carroll said.

"The nine years at USC have been the best years of my coaching life. I will forever be indebted for the opportunity to represent this great university and would like to extend my thanks to President Sample and Mike Garrett for giving me the chance. For all the unforgettable memories, I want to thank the players, coaches and support staff who made it all possible. My family and I have been blessed, and we will always appreciate and respect our association with USC, our fans and the Trojan Family. I will continue to be committed to the community through our foundation, A Better LA.

“The university graciously approached me to stay but this choice is about pursuing the great challenges of competing in the NFL and I found this opportunity too compelling to pass up.”

And USC President Dr. Steven B. Sample:

“I had hoped this day would not come; this is a big loss to all of us. But we are proud of Pete Carroll­ -- and proud that the Seattle Seahawks recognize his talents and his accomplishments­ -- and are offering him this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He rewrote the book on college football and now he intends to do the same for professional football. And my guess is that he will succeed wonderfully.

“Every Trojan everywhere owes Pete a big debt of gratitude for what he did for USC and USC football this past nine years. Two national championships, three Heisman Trophy winners, and seven consecutive Pac-10 Championships earned him a lasting place in our history. He launched more professional football careers than any coach in recent memory, including 35 All-American first teamers and 53 NFL draft picks.

“But even more important than this, he brought joy and grace back to the game. He filled the Coliseum to the rafters. He was an educator as much as a coach, and taught all of us by example how important it is to take personal responsibility for making the world a better place. Pete’s work with the toughest gangs of Los Angeles through A Better LA is the stuff of legend.

“We will miss Pete, but he will always be a Trojan. And he and his family will always have a warm and welcoming home at the University of Southern California.”

And USC athletic director Mike Garrett:

“Pete Carroll propelled the USC football program to unparalleled heights and became a college football icon in doing so. All of us connected with the University­ and indeed, the entire Trojan family thank him for everything that he did during his nine years at USC. He was a valued colleague and good friend. We’re obviously sorry to see him go, but we congratulate him on the new challenge that he has accepted with the Seattle Seahawks and wish him the very best.

“Pete had an incredible run at USC as our football coach. He restored our program to national prominence and produced some of the most memorable moments in our history. The expectations at USC are very high, and Pete and his teams achieved at the highest level imaginable. He not only was a winner on the field, but he made a dramatic impact on our campus and in the community.

“We did everything we could to keep Pete at USC, but he was presented with a rare opportunity to really build a program in the NFL. We know he will do a great job with the Seahawks. We’ll be rooting for him.”

Garrett said that a search for Carroll’s successor would begin immediately.

“Pete built and left in place a truly outstanding organization. While he leaves behind an impressive legacy, I am confident that we will find a new head coach who will continue the success to which we are accustomed at USC.”