USC fans may be dreaming of Urban Meyer swooping in next season and returning their football program to national championship contention, but it is possible Meyer won’t get the Trojans head coaching job even if he wants it.
There has been talk for weeks now that USC president Carol Folt is against hiring Meyer because of all the controversy that has surrounded him over the years. According to a new report from Scott Wolf of the LA Daily News, Folt has not changed her stance and does not intend to let the school’s new athletic director pursue Meyer.
Cincinnati athletic director Mike Bohn is said to have a deal in place to take the same position at USC, but an official announcement has not been made. A separate report from Wolf claimed Bohn is having second thoughts about taking the job because of Folt’s anti-Meyer stance, though ultimately USC’s administration still believes the deal will get done.
Meyer has won three national championships, and there is no question he could rescue the Trojans with his recruiting prowess alone. However, USC has had a number of problems to deal with recently, as the admissions scandal that rocked the school is still playing out. The Trojans were also one of the teams involved in the FBI’s investigation into corruption within college basketball. Folt likely played a role in former athletic director Lynn Swann recently stepping down, as Swann was heavily criticized for the way he handled a lot of the issues at USC during his three-plus years there.
USC’s football program is at a level of mediocrity unaccepted by their fans, and boosters likely see Meyer as a potential savior. We have heard of at least one other top coach they could pursue, but most Trojan fans would be disappointed with anyone other than Meyer. If Meyer wants the job and Folt won’t let him have it, they will be downright outraged.
