USC COACHING SEARCH
Imposters make calls
LOS ANGELES - Apparently even people who don’t work for Southern California are trying to hire the Trojans’ next football coach.
USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said Monday that two people pretending to be representatives of his school have contacted two coaches and attempted to discuss the Trojans’ coaching vacancy with them.
USC has identified the posers and is taking “appropriate action,” the school said in a blog post on its official website.
The Trojans (3-2, 0-2 Pac-12) fired Lane Kiffin on Sept. 29 and installed Ed Orgeron as their interim coach while Haden looks for a new leader for one of the nation’s highest-profile programs.
Haden said somebody pretending to be a USC official repeatedly tried to speak to an unnamed member of the Denver Broncos’ coaching staff about the opening.
Another phony school representative contacted Tony Dungy, the former Tampa Bay and Indianapolis coach.
Dungy talked about his apparent contact with USC on a national radio show Monday, saying he turned down the representative and outlining what the Trojans need in a new coach.
“Tony’s discussion on the radio today of being contacted by USC was a complete surprise to us,” Haden said. “So were the calls made to the [Denver] Broncos. I can assure you no authorized representative of USC or our athletic department made these calls.”
Haden has said Orgeron will coach the Trojans for the rest of the season, but his early firing of Kiffin freed USC to spend plenty of time planning its next move. Haden indicated USC is unlikely to do extensive formal interviews for the next two months.
USC’s next game is Thursday night at the Coliseum against Arizona.
TEXAS TECH QB status unknown
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech Coach Kliff Kingsbury said Monday that starting quarterback Baker Mayfield’s right knee has no structural damage after the freshman was hurt during the No. 20 Red Raiders’ victory at Kansas.
The walk-on’s injury doesn’t “appear to be a season-ending type,” Kingsbury said. “Timetable-wise, I’m not sure yet but that was good news.”
Kingsbury said he’s not sure whether Mayfield will start or even play against Iowa State this week.
Mayfield went down with seconds left in the third quarter, tackled while he was in the pocket attempting a pass. He hobbled very slowly off the field with someone helping him under each arm. A short time later, he left the field on crutches.
MIAMI (OHIO)
Interim coach named
OXFORD, Ohio - Miami of Ohio has named Mike Bath as interim coach after six seasons as Red-Hawks assistant.
The announcement follows the firing of coach Don Treadwell on Sunday, a day after the team fell to 0-5 with a 21-9 loss at home to Central Michigan. Offensive coordinator John Klacik also was fired.
Bath is a former RedHawks quarterback. He coached tight ends from 2006 to 2008 and has coached quarterbacks and wide receivers for the past three seasons.
Treadwell went 8-21 at his alma mater. He decided to go to a run-based offense this season, and it didn’t work out at all, setting up repeated blowouts. The Red Hawks lost to Marshall 52-14, to Kentucky 41-7, to Cincinnati 14-0 and to Illinois 50-14.
Miami plays at Massachusetts on Saturday.
Sports, Pages 21 on 10/08/2013