USC football: Pat Haden says Matt Barkley is in 'no hurry'

After meeting with Matt Barkley and his parents, USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said the quarterback was "a savvy kid" and that he expected Barkley would make an informed decision regarding his future.

Haden and Coach Lane Kiffin met with Barkley and his parents on Monday, just after the announcement of the Heisman Trophy finalists. Barkley was not among the five players invited to New York for Saturday's Heisman ceremony.

Barkley is weighing whether to turn pro or to return to USC for a final season.

"He's in no hurry," Haden said. "I met with him and I have no idea what decision he’s going to make."

Haden said Barkley would consider "extremely good advice" from a variety of sources before making a decision. Players have until mid-January to declare for the draft.

"I just said, 'You know the advantages of going, we all recognize those. If you come back, here are the advantages,'" Haden said. "He’s aware of those too.

"Hes a savvy kid. He knows both sides.... So he’s got finals coming up, he's going to get those behind him and then I think he’s going to be reflective. He's not going to rush into it and I think he’s going to make a very thoughtful decision."

--Gary Klein

 

USC football: Lane Kiffin 'grateful' for NCAA decision

Now that the NCAA's Committee on Infractions has announced that it found insufficient evidence to support findings of major violations by Lane Kiffin when he was at Tennessee, USC's coach is looking ahead.

Kiffin appeared before the committee in June as part of a broader hearing into Tennessee's athletic department.

The NCAA on Wednesday hit Tennessee with a so-called failure to monitor violation and two years of probation. Former Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl was cited for unethical conduct and was virtually banned from coaching at an NCAA school for three years. Each of his three former assistant coaches received similar one-year bans for major violations.

Kiffin will not be penalized for secondary violations committed by his staff at Tennessee.

Kiffin said in a statement that he was "very grateful that we were able to accurately and fairly present the facts in our case and that no action was taken against us. I'm pleased that the NCAA based its decision on the facts and not on perception."

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden, who attended Kiffin's hearing in Indianapolis, said, "I believe the NCAA's decision is fair and based on the facts presented. I'm glad this is behind us now and I know Lane feels the same way. From the time he arrived at USC, Lane Kiffin has been extremely compliant regarding NCAA rules and I feel confident that he will continue to be so."

More later at latimes.com/sports.

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Photo: USC Coach Lane Kiffin. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

USC salutes Olympians in run-up to 2012 London Games

USC has begun a yearlong celebration of Trojan athletes who have participated in the Olympics with a salute themed “Cardinal and Gold Medal Heritage,” the school announced.

In the run-up to the 2012 London Games, USC will have displays and banners in Heritage Hall and introduce Olympians at sports events. Video vignettes to be displayed at stadiums and other events and programs also are planned.

Since 1904, 393 USC athletes representing 57 countries have competed in the Olympics, winning 122 gold medals, 76 silver and 60 bronze, the school said.

“We are extremely proud of our unparalleled Olympic heritage and, with the 2012 Olympic Games on the horizon, we felt it was important to salute and acknowledge that tradition,” USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said in a statement. “I know our fans will be as excited as I am to see our past and current Olympians and to relive the many successes that Trojan athletes have had in Olympic competition.”

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Keyshawn Johnson, Randy Johnson to join USC Hall of Fame

Former football stars Keyshawn Johnson, Tony Boselli, Clarence Davis and Adrian Young are among 16 honorees who will be inducted into USC's Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 2012 class, the school announced Wednesday.

Other inductees: Art Bartner (Trojan Marching Band), Lindsay Benko (swimming), Steve Bisheff (media), Barbara Hallquist (tennis), Barbara Hedges (athletics administration), Bob Hughes (water polo/swimming), Bryan Ivie (volleyball), Randy Johnson (baseball), Jill McGill (golf), Tina Thompson (basketball), Forrest Twogood (basketball) and Quincy Watts (track and field).

"This is an outstanding group of Trojan greats -- Olympians, All-Americans, national champions and sports icons -- who have played an important role in USC’s athletic history," USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said in a statement. "They’ll join our first nine classes of Hall of Famers to form a real who’s who in USC sports."

The inductees will be honored at a dinner on June 12, 2012, at USC’s Galen Center.

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-- Gary Klein

Photo: Keyshawn Johnson in 1995. Credit: Eric Draper / Associated Press

USC football: Pat Haden 'surprised' by NCAA-Ohio State reports

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said Tuesday that he was "surprised" by last week's news that the NCAA had informed Ohio State that investigators had found no evidence that the university had failed to monitor its football program.

Haden, who succeeded Mike Garrett last year and oversees a program that is on probation, in the second year of a bowl ban and dealing with scholarship restrictions, cautioned that he did not know all of the details of the NCAA's probe of Ohio State.

"They know a lot more than I do, so it's dangerous for me to say, 'Are you kidding me?''" Haden said at Pacific 12 Conference Media Day, adding that Ohio State will have its hearing before the NCAA on Aug. 12. "It will be interesting to see what comes out of that."

Asked if he thought other schools had learned from USC about what not to do when dealing with the NCAA, Haden said, “You can always learn from others -- how some schools have done it well and how some schools have not done it well, so I'm sure everybody has looked at the way we handled the situation and made their own determination that they’re going to do it similarly or take a different tack."