LOS ANGELES — Steve Sarkisian was named the head coach at Southern California on Monday, leaving Washington to return to the Trojans’ storied football program for another run at national titles.
Two days after USC’s regular season ended with a home loss to UCLA, Trojans athletic director Pat Haden replaced interim coach Ed Orgeron with yet another assistant coach from Pete Carroll’s championship-winning era at the school.
The 39-year-old Sarkisian is a Los Angeles-area native who went 34-29 in five seasons at Washington, rebuilding a decimated program into a bowl contender. He is the permanent replacement for Lane Kiffin, his former co-offensive coordinator at USC under Carroll.
Sarkisian will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday. In a statement released by USC, the coach thanked the Huskies for his first head coaching opportunity.
“I am extremely excited to be coming home to USC and for the opportunity that USC presents to win championships,” Sarkisian said. “I can’t wait to get started.”
Kiffin was fired in late September and replaced by Orgeron, who didn’t get the permanent job from Haden despite going 6-2. Crosstown rival UCLA trounced USC 35-14 last Saturday in what turned out to be the Trojans’ final game under Orgeron, who resigned Monday after failing to get the head job.
Haden didn’t immediately announce who will coach the Trojans in their bowl game later this month, but it could be Sarkisian, who immediately left Washington. He also could bring a handful of Huskies assistants with him to USC.
Haden said USC conducted a major search during the regular season, interviewing five coaches for the job.
“We kept coming back to Sark,” Haden said. “He is the only one who was offered the job. I believe in my gut that he is the right coach for USC at this time. He embodies many of the qualities for which we looked. He is an innovative coach who recruits well and develops players. He is a proven and successful leader.”
Orgeron turned himself into a candidate for the full-time job with an impressive revitalization of a program that had grown dour and stale when Haden fired Kiffin, who went 28-15, at the airport five games into the season. Orgeron’s tenure was highlighted by the Trojans’ victory over No. 5 Stanford last month, but his groundswell of support for the full-time job dissipated with a home loss to the Bruins.
Haden said he spoke to Orgeron about remaining on Sarkisian’s staff, but Orgeron said he wants to be a head coach.
In a school statement, Orgeron thanked “all the Trojan players and family members who have become close personal friends during my 11 years at USC. I am especially proud of this year’s team and coaching staff, who had to start a new season and then bonded, played together as a family and competed like Trojans.”
Big Ten reprimands
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Big Ten has publicly reprimanded Ohio State offensive lineman Marcus Hall and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff for their actions in the wake of a fight during Saturday’s game at Michigan.
Hall was ejected from the game for coming onto the field to participate in the skirmish. As he was leaving the sideline, he angrily threw his helmet to the ground, kicked the team benches and then held up both hands in an obscene gesture.
Coach Urban Meyer has said he will issue punishment within the team to Hall and kick returner Dontre Wilson, who was seen throwing a punch.
Hall later apologized on his Twitter account.
No. 2 Ohio State (12-0) takes on No. 10 Michigan State (11-1) in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday in Indianapolis.
The conference also has issued a public reprimand of Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini and fined the school $10,000 for Pelini’s comments about the officiating in the Cornhuskers’ game against Iowa last week.
Pelini used an expletive at his postgame news conference while discussing a pass interference penalty against the Huskers. Pelini was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct during the game for swiping his hat at, and nearly hitting, the head linesman.
The Big Ten said Monday that Pelini violated the league’s sportsmanship policy, which requires “civility toward all, and respect, particularly toward opponents and officials.”
By wire sources