#USC Hires Former Washington Head Coach Steve Sarkisian

I sure thought Ed Orgeron deserved the pick, but not Pat Haden, it turns out.

At LAT, "USC hires Steve Sarkisian as football coach."

And from Chris Dufresne, "USC's hiring of Sarkisian isn't sexy, but it feels right":

This USC coaching hire is reminiscent of the Bowl Championship Series standings in November — what a difference a play, and a day, makes.

Like Auburn beating Georgia two weeks ago on a last-second Hail Mary, the sport's volatility never ceases to amaze.

USC probably would have stripped Ed Orgeron's interim tag and introduced him as head coach had the Trojans defeated UCLA on Saturday.

But UCLA won.

USC probably would not have hired Steve Sarkisian as head coach had Washington lost another Apple Cup to Washington State on Friday. That would have locked up just another so-so, seven-win Sarkisian season.

But Washington won.

You shouldn't call Pat Haden's hiring of Sarkisian a Hail Mary, though. It was more like a Stanford handoff up the middle.

The hire wasn't dramatic or sexy, and nationally it was met with a tepid response.
However, unless I missed the next Bear Bryant on the list of candidates, USC's choice was understandable.

The headline above an Oct. 3 column I wrote on the subject was: "USC's coaching search should end at Steve Sarkisian's doorstep."

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