South Carolina Reports Say McGee Moving

Speculation continued over the weekend on the possible departure of Athletic Director Mike McGee from one USC to another.

McGee, athletic director at the University of Southern California since 1984, was called the leading candidate for the athletic director’s job at the University of South Carolina in stories in the Columbia, S.C., State, which also reported that various unnamed South Carolina officials had confirmed McGee’s candidacy.

Another South Carolina paper, the Charleston News and Courier, reported that the official announcement of McGee’s taking the job would come this week, possibly as early as today. The paper said it received this information from sources close to the university, but did not name them.

The Greenville (S.C.) News said in its Monday editions that John Palm, school president, had called a special telephone meeting with the executive committee of the board of trustees for this afternoon, ostensibly to discuss the athletic director’s job. A meeting of the complete board was called for one hour later, and a board member, who was not named, said he had a copy of a four-year contract with the name of the person involved left blank.

The Columbia State also quoted McGee’s brother, Jerry, as saying from his home in Elizabeth City, N.C., that “it’s not a 100% done deal.”

The implication, said the State, was that money might be the only hangup left.

McGee, who has yet to confirm that he is even a candidate for the South Carolina job, would not comment when reached at his home Sunday night.

Last week, when the stories began to surface, McGee told reporters he is a consultant to several universities seeking athletic directors and that South Carolina was one of those schools.

The new athletic director at South Carolina will replace King Dixon, who is being reassigned within the university.