Just a couple of years ago, many wondered if USC-UCLA could become a rivalry that gets a lot of national attention and makes the Pac-10 even better. It wouldn’t become Duke-North Carolina, but the thinking was that it was a rivalry set to become more than just a local one. The reason for it was that USC, long a football school, seemed to be steadily on the rise, as UCLA already had a well-established basketball tradition and had become a powerhouse once again. USC had gained top prospect O.J. Mayo, and with the additional talent around him seemed poised to make a jump in basketball.
Now it all seems like that was so long ago. The addition of Mayo, which was thought to be a gateway to becoming contenders even if they would only have him for one season, now looks like a program killer.
With Tim Floyd resigning as head coach on Tuesday, the program’s only relevance for the foreseeable future is almost certain to be relegated to news of an NCAA investigation that includes the football program. Next season probably won’t be Indiana-like for the team in terms of rebuilding, but any way you slice it, it’s not going to look pretty. With Floyd out, it would be a shock if Taj Gibson pulled out of the NBA Draft and returned, especially since he’s 24 years old, and more players might transfer out. They’ll likely have a freshman, Lamont Jones, running the point, which almost always means major growing pains for a team.
But this isn’t about next season. Prior to the implosion that has recently occurred, the Trojans appeared ready to become consistent contenders in the Pac-10, something that hasn’t happened often. Floyd had the program moving in a good direction, and with Mayo coming on board, they had a big-time talent that, in theory, would help them land more such talents. The Galen Center opened, giving them another solid recruiting tool. It all led to another big-time talent, as DeMar DeRozan came to the school for a season, and they were in the mix to land Renardo Sidney, who has always been a tease but with undeniable potential if someone can harvest it.
This past season, the Trojans needed to win the Pac-10 Tournament in order to reach the NCAA Tournament, and they did just that. That keeps the momentum they had going, as they reached the tournament for the third year in a row for the first time in school history. Next season looked like it would have some promise if Gibson were to return, as they would return three other key players and Alex Stepheson becomes eligible after sitting out. Now all of that is up in the air.
With a new coach, there will be an adjustment for any players that stick around. Going forward, recruiting will be a challenge for a time since NCAA sanctions might be forthcoming, as players want to be in the NCAA Tournament, and sanctions may include recruiting restrictions. That will make the next head coach a difficult hire, but it is an attractive job even if the program is second fiddle to football and second fiddle in Los Angeles to UCLA in basketball. Certainly, the next coach will need a long-term deal given what he is likely to inherit.
The lost momentum is the biggest killer of them all in this. Prior to its current run of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, USC had only made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances three times. In other words, it’s not a school with a great deal of tradition, and the recent success meant they were in previously uncharted waters. This was supposed to be a period where basketball grew at the school and reached new heights. They were supposed to compete with UCLA for supremacy in Los Angeles and, ultimately, in the Pac-10. The City of Angels was to become the most difficult weekend trip for fellow schools in the conference. Well, most of that happened, at least the last couple of years – but at what cost?
The exact cost, in NCAA terms, won’t be known for a while, especially since the athletic department is now being investigated for a lack of institutional control in light of the prior football investigation. But the cost of the recent success appears to have a high price tag ahead: difficulty recruiting, followed by difficulty winning, and difficulty being relevant outside of news about the investigation and any sanctions for a while. That seems like a high price to pay, especially in today’s “win now” culture of sports, but nowadays, it seems a lot of programs are willing to risk paying such a high price for a slice of success.
It’s often said that success in sports is fleeting, both from an individual and team perspective. USC may be giving new meaning to that phrase now, reaching a fever pitch with the resignation of Tim Floyd.
