Since USC coach Tim Floyd resigned last week, the Trojans’ job has been the hot topic among bloggers and analysts discussing the open positions in college basketball. According to ESPN.com’s Andy Katz, Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon is not one of the candidates for the job because he is not interested. Dixon has ties to the region but is happy with Pitt, which Dixon has made a perennial Big East contender, according to Katz. The Trojans are looking to make a splash with a big-name coach, and Katz mentions some of the leading contenders.
That Dixon’s name led the speculation is not surprising, as he is from Southern California, and his wife, who is from Hawaii, went to USC. But a source said there is no family pressure to go to USC. The Dixons have been extremely happy living in Pittsburgh, the source said.
The Trojans interviewed former Sacramento Kings and New Mexico State coach Reggie Theus on campus Thursday. No offer was made to Theus, according to a source. Theus remains a viable candidate and is the most likely, among those known to want the job, to give the Trojans a pop in Los Angeles, due to his extroverted personality and ties to area recruiting.
Through intermediary sources, USC made an inquiry to former NBA coaches Jeff Van Gundy and P.J. Carlesimo. It also was seeing if there was interest from Utah coach Jim Boylen, a former NBA assistant in Houston and Milwaukee.
