Garrett Comments

``I didn't have to sell because USC sells itself. they know it's a
quality athletic program with a quality staff.''

``Everyone i talked to was not shying away from USC. It was not a
selling job. It was about finding the right fit.

Q: Was Tim forced out?
A: No, Tim was not forced out.

Q: Was the job offered to anyone else?
A: Well, in the process I will go and talk to people and people will
assert that certain things have happened. Some things are accurate
and sometimes their not. I'd just rather leave that open because it's
always agreed that when we talk it stays there.

Q: When Kevin said he was not the first choice? Was that accurate?
A: No, I think Kevin was my first choice once I started talking to
him. He's the one that I wanted to have. He's the guy that fit what I
needed. I feel very fortunate to have him.

He's a guy that's been around. He's hungry. He's ready for his
chance. I think we have the kind of potential where he'll have the
chance to make his mark. That's the kind of profile we were looking
for.

Q: Perception of the university, some people wondering whether it's losing
control...

A: I've never got that from anyone

Q: How badly do you need to get this resolved?
A: Personally we want to get it over with. That's where we are. We
can only go as fast as they want to go. And until this comes to a
resolution, on what decision they want to form, that's up to the
NCAA. All we can do is cooperate.

Q: Were you surprised by Tim's resignation?
A: it was a surprise that he resigned, because we didn't expect him
to do that.

Q: When was last time you talked to Tim before you got the letter?
A: I talked to him the week prior, but just about when we'd get
together to talk.

Q: Did you ever get a sense that he had lost his passion, as he put
it in his letter?
A: I heard he said that and I have to take him at his word.

Q: Have you talked to him since he resigned?
A: No.

Q: Are the football and basketball investigations linked now?
A: I don't know. I think that's what we're trying to find out from
the NCAA. If we had answers we would give you answers. But we don't
have answers. You have the right to speculate, we don't.