AD says Lane Kiffin is a leader who is ‘ready to bud’

Mike Garrett, USC’s athletic director, paused for a one-on-one interview Wednesday afternoon before he introduced Lane Kiffin as the Trojans’ new football coach. Times staff writer Gary Klein asked the questions and took the answers:

Question: Take me through the process of how you arrived at hiring Lane.

Answer: I won’t go through the process because that’s the way I operate. But when I’m looking for a coach, I’m looking for someone who is a leader and someone who can really recruit and manage a coaching staff and really be constructive with his student athletes.

Q: And you felt that he fit the bill?

A: Yes. The key to this one, though, is I don’t always look for someone who has been successful -- I’m always looking for that time when they just get right at the cusp, where you can read them, and I think that this guy is ready. . . . I was with Pete Carroll when no one believed, and Kevin O’Neill I believe the same way in basketball, and you can do the same thing with Ron Allice in track and field. When I got him he was out there at Long Beach State and no one never really had a chance to go big-time Division I. I’m always looking for those people who just have paid their dues and are just ready, I think, to bud.

Q: Is there any concern that you just hired a coach who has six minor infractions behind him at Tennessee, in a year, and you’re bringing him into a program that’s under scrutiny?

A: That doesn’t quite make sense.

Q: In terms of . . .

A: I wouldn’t go after someone who I thought was going to commit violations and had a bad reputation and all that stuff. We looked into that and we got all the answers we needed. So that wasn’t one of the fears. If that was one of the fears, then certainly the process would have stopped.

Q: So you don’t think it sends a mixed message that USC is under scrutiny and you’re bringing in someone who has developed somewhat of a reputation for playing loosely with the rules?

A: I think to be accurate on that; the things you’re talking about are secondary violations. He has one that could be a violation, and we looked at that and asked all the questions we have, and I think we got all the answers we needed so we didn’t feel that was a real concern. Now for him to come here, we know what we’re facing and that’s going to be facing it in a due time, and we feel good about what we’re trying to do here. So, that was not the real big issue. . . . The real issue was, can I get a guy who can come here and run the program and continue the winning ways that we have.

Q: There have been some reports that USC will go before the NCAA Infractions Committee next month. Can you confirm that?

A: I won’t confirm it, but we do meet in the near future and then that all will be adjudicated.

Q: Can you speak of how that process works? Did you have some contact with them before?

A: Those questions have to be answered by [USC spokesman] James Grant, because he’s the point person on it. Talking about NCAA stuff is not why I’m here talking with you today.

Q: What is the status of the Joe McKnight situation?

A: That would be with compliance and with James Grant.

Q: You just announced recently some self-imposed penalties for the basketball situation. Do you feel any culpability in regard to Rodney Guillory having been through a series around . . .

A: Talking about NCAA stuff once again, that has to go through James Grant and that’s the whole case. Those particulars would have to be presented to James Grant and he would get answers from our legal counsel.

Q: Your relationship with Pete Carroll. How would you describe it and was it strained at the end?

A: You guys take liberties and you guys are kind of like script writers now and then. I don’t think Pete and I ever had a strained relationship, nor did we ever argue, nor did we ever raise voices. Actually, I can almost tell you that I was never angry at Pete Carroll. So when I heard that, I said that’s creative writing, like much of the creative writing that I offered . . . a contract to [Jacksonville Jaguars Coach Jack] Del Rio and all that. I can’t tell you where that came from. And now Pete and I are strained. I don’t know where that came from either. That’s just news to me.

Q: Was Lane Kiffin your first choice, or was [Oregon State’s] Mike Riley your first choice?

A: Lane was the only one I talked to and made an offer to.

Q: Did you think you would be able to get it done sooner?

A: I thought we could close the deal in three or four days, and that’s we were trying to do.

Q: You as the athletic director have been criticized over the years and recently for the chain of events that happened here. For the NCAA stuff, for Pete Carroll leaving. Some people have said you are responsible for that.

A: No, I think that’s what the papers have said. And it really is creative writing. And that’s part of the deal where you write those things and you want me to respond to them and [there’s] no fact to it. That’s been what I’ve been hearing in the papers but not in the reality of our everyday relationship.

Q: Do you feel like your job is on the line?

A: No. For what? For what you just said?

Q: For what has happened in the program under your watch.

A: What has happened with me? Winning national championships, graduating kids, raising more money, building buildings.

Q: There has also been, there is an ongoing investigation of the football team, there have been some self-imposed penalties on the basketball program, there is the Joe . . .

A: Let me say this to you: We are getting all that adjudicated. If someone was tried, they’re assumed innocent until tried, and now you’re saying that my job, you’re asking if my job’s on the line . . .

Q: I’m asking you if you feel that way.

A: No, you’re asking me if my job’s on the line before we even go to the process. And I said once before, no. But the real thing is that you’re asking something and there’s no facts to that. And if there are no facts to it, how in the world am I going to feel about that?

Q: Would you have hired Lane Kiffin if he was not bringing Ed Orgeron, Monte Kiffin and possibly Norm Chow?

A: When I looked at Lane, I looked at him and I wanted to know if in fact he could handle the job. Because with the people he’s bringing in with him, they’re pretty seasoned and if he hadn’t gone to the NFL and coached there -- not important if he won or lost for me -- and then I watched him how he coached with the Tennessee Vols this year, I liked what he did. And so when it got down to would he come? I kind of liked that. I also knew if I got him most likely his father would come, and then Orgeron would be an issue, and other people would be an issue, but I said let’s try this and if it works maybe we get the other people and we do it. But Lane Kiffin is the primary reason, and the secondary reason is that he could probably bring a good staff.

Q: How did Norm Chow enter into this? Was that you suggesting it? Was it Lane suggesting it?

A: It was my idea. I said, you know, it would be nice if we brought that whole staff back and I don’t think Lane was against that. So that’s what we’re trying to do.

Q: So you’re looking forward to . . .

A: Well, it’s a possibility. It still has to happen and we’ll see.

Q: Are you a part of that process in terms of a negotiating process?

A: No, it’s really Lane’s deal. He’s going to recruit him and see how it works out.

gary.klein@latimes.com