Out with Lane Kiffin, move over Ed Orgeron, Washington's Steve Sarkisian is taking over as USC head coach.
Multiple outlets are reporting Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian has been tapped as the new head coach at the University of Southern California. Sarkisian's Huskies are 8-4 this year, while the Trojans are 9-4. (Via KIRO)
Sarkisian first worked at USC in 2005 as a quarterbacks coach, before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2007. He accepted the head coaching job with Washington in 2009. (Via KABC)
Sarkisian's overall record at Washington is fairly pedestrian at 34-29. But, CBS points out, while at USC, Sarkisian "helped groom two Heisman Trophy winning QBs, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart." Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker also played under Sarkisian at Washington.
The hiring of Sarkisian lands interim head coach Ed Orgeron in limbo.
Orgeron took over after former head coach Lane Kiffin and USC lost to conference foe Arizona State September 28th. USC officials took Kiffin off the team bus home and fired him following the loss. (Via ESPN)
Since then, the Orgeron-led Trojans have gone 6-2 and have posted a big win over then-fourth-ranked Stanford.
It was previously believed Orgeron, along with Vanderbilt's James Franklin and the Denver Broncos' Jack Del Rio, were leading candidates for the gig. Still, USC's three-touchdown loss to UCLA last week and Orgeron's 10-26 record as the head coach at Ole Miss were glaring issues to some analysts. (Via Fox Sports / Scout) (Via CBS)
And ESPN's Brett McMurphy tweets Orgeron was "outraged" he didn't receive the job and has already resigned, meaning he won't coach USC's bowl game.
USC did not qualify for the Pac-12 conference championship this year. Arizona State and Stanford will play in that game Saturday night.
