Back to those interesting reader questions, including a coaching question in this segment.
Q: dtksr1 said:
We are probably going to read in the very near future, Randy Shannon, ex-coach of the Miami Hurricaines becoming the defensive coordinator of Texas, unless a better offer comes. As if Texas doesn’t have enough talent from that state, here comes recruits from South Florida too? Give me 3-reasons (besides the present coorinator’s last name being Kiffin) why SC should stay with a coach who is 40 years older and has shown he is unable to keep up with the multiple offenses of college football?
A: I’m not sure I would list three reasons. He’s had a nice NFL resume, including a Super Bowl victory, and is respected in the coaching business. But coaching is a subjective profession. You could ask for three reasons why a 34-year-old should be the better as USC’s head coach than say, the coaches at Boise State or TCU. Or Jim Harbaugh. That is why USC’s recruiting needs to get better fast. Pete Carroll won a lot of games because he had guys like Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing and Mike Patterson more than any coaching schemes he utilized.
Q: sanchize6 said:
Hey Scott
Why is Pat Haden MIA and avoids any controversial issue like the plague. Are we getting a new baseball coach? was it Mr Haden who put together the funding for new athletic facility as claimed during a football game this year? Why did he say “we can’t be chasing ghosts” when asked by steve mason to comment on the Cam Newton situation?
Happy Holidays
Chize
A: I’d say he’s fairly accessible and doesn’t avoid issues. Mike Garrett was the ghost when it came to figuring out what the athletic dept.’s position was on key issues. Haden made Frank Cruz the interim baseball coach and said he would be a candidate for the permanent job. I wouldn’t credit him for the athletic facility because Pete Carroll worked for several years on getting it built. He’s had several comments on Cam Newton’s situation and one was quite controversial, which was out of character because I think he’s tried to be cooperative with the NCAA, which would help USC’s appeal.