USC athletic director Pat Haden addressed the media at the John McKay Center on Tuesday morning, one day after firing football coach Steve Sarkisian. Here are some of the highlights:
(opening statement)
The past few days have been challenging, as you might imagine. It was very difficult to terminate Steve Sarkisian. He’s someone who I sincerely like as a person and a coach. I’ve known Steve for a long time. It’s also been very difficult for our players, as you might imagine, and our coaches to go through this. I’m really proud of the way they handled this, when I talked to them on Sunday and earlier today as well.
On Sunday, as you know, I learned that Steve was not at practice. So I called him, and I as I said to some of you later that morning, I talked to him and determined he was not healthy. An hour later, I announced that Steve was taking an indefinite leave of absence. Over the next 24 hours, I was able to look further into the situation, gather facts and determine that Steve’s conduct did not meet USC’s standards and expectations of a head coach. Steve knew those expectations, failed to meet them, so we made a decision in the best interest of our student-athletes, and that was to terminate Steve. I’m not going to get into any further details of the termination process or any specific things about his contract.
I know some in this room and outside this room felt he should have been suspended or fired even after the incident in August after the ‘Salute to Troy’ event. I felt at that time it was in the best interest of our players, who had been through an incredible amount of adversity during these sanctions and the coaching changes they’ve gone through, and of Steve not to suspend or fire him. At that time, based on the input of trusted medical professionals and staff, it was determined that he could continue coaching while seeking treatment. I felt a great deal of compassion for Steve Sarkisian. He deserved another chance, and that’s what I gave him. After the Salute to Troy event, as I told you then, I had a private, detailed, serious conversation with Steve. It laid out our expectations for his behavior. He has violated those agreed-upon expectations.
And (as) for media reports of other incidents involving Steve while at USC, any credible report that came to me, I thoroughly investigated. For example, when a report of alcohol in the coaches’ locker room after games was brought to me, I immediately banned it prior to the season. I also know there have been media reports of incidents involving Steve while he was at the University of Washington. In our hiring process, we used a respected, national search firm that screened all of our candidates, including Steve. Also, Steve had both NCAA and USC background checks done. And we talked to dozens of people, including head coaches, staff members, friends and people who knew Steve well for many years, sometimes decades. None raised a concern. Further, Steve was never disciplined while at the University of Washington. And remember, Steve had been at USC now for a year and a half before the Salute to Troy without incident.
At the time of Steve’s hire, I firmly believed we made the right choice and fit for USC. As we sit here today, Oct. 13, the decision I made didn’t work out, and I own that. I own it. Once we made our decision to terminate Steve on Monday, I spent several hours reaching out to him without success. I also reached out to his agent many times. … When I could not reach Steve personally, I sent a termination letter to him and his agent immediately because a decision had been made. I really do look forward to talking with Steve at some point, I really do. Steve Sarkisian’s a good person. As I said, I’ve known him a long time. And I know he’s a good football coach; I wouldn’t have hired him otherwise. I wish him the absolute best, he has my support, our support. We’re mainly concerned for him and hope he focuses on his health and his well-being. …
This job means a lot to me. I’ve had a lot of good things happen here in the last five years. I know there’s lots of people inside this room and outside of the room questioning my leadership of USC, but I’m very proud of the record over the last five years.
First, we have successfully navigated severe NCAA sanctions. Secondly, despite the sanctions, over the last five years only two schools in the Pac-12 have won more football games than we have. Three, we’ve won 10 national championships over the past five years; only the University of Florida has won more with 11. Fourth, which I’m very, very proud of, our academics are at an all-time high. We just had the best academic semester in the history of USC athletics. … Fifth, we’ve had record-breaking fundraising over the past five years, over $300 million; we’ve taken our facilities from some of the worst in the country to among the best. I will continue to work very, very hard to get this right with football and I believe … our future is bright.
(on how disappointed he was about not being able to reach Sarkisian)
It was terribly disappointing, and I still hope to get a chance to talk to Steve. I spent two hours trying to get a hold of him. I called him, I texted him, I called three different numbers of his agent, I called his sister, finally got a hold of his brother-in-law. I didn’t want to deliver this any other way … but the decision had been made, and I had to get it out there.
(on how the L.A. Times and other outlets could find out about Sarkisian’s off-field issues but USC didn’t know)
Well, again, in the protocol of the background searches, which we followed, we actually do a little bit more in athletics. We don’t do a public-record search; the university doesn’t do public-record searches. And as I’ve said, we’ve known people who have known him for years and years and never raised it as an issue. I assume, if they were under public records, discovered, I assume those were endorsed on a university credit card and approved by the athletic department.”
(on whether he was aware that Sarkisian used alcohol, perhaps excessively)
Again, I think a lot of people use alcohol, but when you talk about alcohol as an issue, that is an assumption that you’re making, and I’m not going to go there and talk about any HR issues.”
(on whether it’s accurate to say Sarkisian was vetted)
It is accurate. You can disagree with the vetting, but he was vetted.
(on whether Haden has questioned his future as USC athletic director)
Did I ever question it? My wife did. My wife is having a difficult time, I’ll say that. No, I mean, I know who I am, at the age of 62. I know what I stand for. I know what I was asked to do when I was hired by President (Max) Nikias, and I think we’ve had some pretty good results.
Have we gotten everything right? Clearly not. They are going to be 20 head coaches fired at some point this year in college football, maybe more. This happens. The idea is to do it better next time, get it right next time. We’ll try to do our absolute best. In our interviews, we sit in rooms and we make decisions on coaches and we’ve done it 10 or 11 times now. You get them right, but a lot of times don’t. This is an inexact science, choosing high-profile football coaches or basketball coaches.
(on what he’s looking for in a football coach)
A guy that I think can win every single game, every year by 37 points. That’s what everyone wants. We want a guy who can embrace trying to win Pac-12 championships and national championships, (who’s) going to continue the elevation of our academic programs, is going to play by the rules and is going to be embraced by the Trojan Family.
