Fred Williams, USC Women’s Coach, Leaving

With neither side calling it a firing or a resignation, Fred Williams left the USC women’s basketball program Tuesday, initiating a search for the Trojans’ fourth head coach in four years.

Athletic Director Mike Garrett said Williams and his players “were in a situation where the dynamics were not meshing.”

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault, these things just happen in life,” Garrett said. “By mutual agreement and for the benefit of himself and the program, he will no longer coach here.”

Williams, 40, recently completed his second season with a 20-9 team that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. But some players and parents were unhappy with Williams’ laid-back coaching style.