USC men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd has resigned in the wake of a recruiting scandal and player defections. The The Clarion Ledger newspaper of Jackson, Miss., broke the story that he stepped down though a letter sent to USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett.
"As of 1 p.m. today, I am resigning as head basketball coach at the University of Southern California. I deeply appreciate the opportunity afforded me by the university, as well as the chance to know and work with some of the finest young men in college athletics. Unfortunately, I know longer feel I can offer the level of enthusiasm to my duties that is deserved by the university, my coaching staff, my players, their families, and the supporters of Southern Cal. I always promised my self and my family that if I ever felt I could no longer give my full enthusiasm to a job, that I should leave it to others who could. I intend to contact my coaching staff and my players in coming days and weeks to tell them how much each of them means to me. I wish the best to USC and to my successor."
Neither Floyd nor USC has commented on this story.
Floyd has been caught in the middle of a recruiting scandal with former star O.J. Mayo. He allegedly gave at least $1,000 cash to an associate of Mayo, something disputed by those close to Floyd.
But not by the university in a serious way. As it has with the Reggie Bush recruiting scandal, USC has officially remained silent. One has to wonder if the silence by the university played a role in this decision.
The NCAA has combined the Bush and Mayo investigations and is discussing a potential “lack of institutional control.” Which usually means a serious punishment is coming.
Combine that with the fact that USC probably won’t be very good next year.
At one point not long ago it looked like they could be very good — super recruit Renardo Sidney said he wanted to come to USC and play with Demar DeRozan, Daniel Hackett and Taj Gibson. If everyone came, USC could have been a title contender. Instead DeRozan, Hackett and Gibson are staying in the NBA draft and Sidney is now going to Mississippi State (USC pulled that scholarship offer because of concerns of violations surrounding Sidney’s family). Fairfax High forward Solomon Hill also took back his verbal committment to come to USC. One recruit has asked out of his letter of intent and more are rumored to be doing so soon.
Things were about to get really tough for the USC basketball coach. So Tim Floyd is leaving that job to somebody else.
