USC AD Pat Haden "will remain in his post and hire" the school's next football coach after USC President Max Nikias yesterday "threw his full support behind Haden," according to Michael Lev of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Haden’s "uneven handling" of the firing of former coach Steve Sarkisian "has led many fans and pundits to call for the athletic director’s ouster -- or at least for someone else to hire the next football coach." But it "doesn’t appear either will happen." Nikias at a press conference said Haden has "been doing an outstanding job in leading Trojan athletics in the past five years." Nikias: "I want to take this opportunity to reiterate my unwavering support for him. I look forward to working with Pat Haden as our USC AD for many years to come" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 10/14). In L.A., Scott Wolf notes Nikias' statement of support for Haden "was not one of those ... where someone gets fired a month later because Nikias and Haden are close friends." Nikias "handpicked Haden" to become AD after he fired Mike Garrett in '10. Nikias: “I am very, very fortunate to have Pat Haden as our athletic director -- as is the entire Trojan family. He is a man of true character and integrity” (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 10/14). Also in L.A., David Wharton notes yesterday's event "appeared carefully orchestrated." Moments before it began, Nikias "issued a statement that addressed at least some of the uncertainty about his athletic director’s future" (L.A. TIMES, 10/14).
ON THE DEFENSIVE: USA TODAY's Abbey Mastracco notes a "defensive Haden took full responsibility for the hiring of a coach who was wrong for the program and called into question the vetting process" of search firm Korn/Ferry Int'l, which the school "retained to hire him." However, Haden admitted USC "never did a public records search." That was "all it took" for the L.A. Times and the AP to "uncover Sarkisian's numerous alcohol-related incidents and receipts from restaurants and bars." Haden said, "We used a respected national search firm that screened all of our candidates, including Steve. Also, Steve had both NCAA and USC background checks done" (USA TODAY, 10/14). SNY’s Chris Carlin said Haden blaming the search firm "hired to conduct background checks" is "not owning" the situation. Carlin: "When you're an athletic director, you have to believe every problem stops with you. The immediate reaction can't be, ‘How do I blame someone else for this?’ It’s duck-and-cover, not leadership” (“Loud Mouths,” SNY, 10/13). ESPN’s Pablo Torre said there is "no way" Haden should make the next coaching hire. Torre: "This has been disastrous and it’s a lack of executive background checking. What kind of guys is he hiring?” The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan said he did not "understand how they can back” Haden going forward. Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw said Haden is “part of the problem” at USC right now (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 10/13). SEC Network's Paul Finebaum said, "I think Pat Haden looked the other way. I think he enabled, and frankly, I don't know how Pat Haden can be put in charge of this coaching search, although I realize the USC president has already said he will be” ("College Football Live," ESPN, 10/13). ESPN's Michael Smith: “I don’t necessarily trust Pat Haden’s judgment when it comes to picking the next coach given that he hasn’t shown an ability to do it so far” (“His & Hers,” ESPN2, 10/13).
WORTHY OF ANOTHER CHANCE? CBS Sports Network's Rick Neuheisel defended Haden's performance at yesterday's press conference, saying, “What I read when I saw what Pat Haden had to say and listened to what Pat Haden had to say, he said ‘It's my hire, I made a mistake, and I own it.’ I think Pat Haden came to USC at the request of USC, he was asked to come and try to bring integrity back to the athletic department when it was in question. I think he has done that. He hasn't been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, he'll be the first to tell you that. I think he is a guy who is very bright and will learn from his mistakes, and I think USC is still in good hands” (“Inside College Football,” CBS Sports Network, 10/13). But SI's Pete Thamel writes Haden's "ham-handed dismissal of Sarkasian ... fits a pattern." Many USC fans believe Haden "waited too long to fire Lane Kiffin as coach" in '13. When he finally did make the move, he "did so in the most awkward way possible: at 3 a.m. inside an airport terminal" after returning from a loss to Arizona State. By presiding over a "revolving door ... and handling the changes in command in embarrassing fashion, Haden has left himself open to questions about his own leadership." Few college football observers "doubt that USC will one day again be a national power." However, whether Haden "will be there to enjoy the new glory days is another question" (SI, 10/19 issue).
