Trojans Near a Majerus Deal

Former Utah coach and current ESPN analyst Rick Majerus and USC officials were finalizing a deal Tuesday night that will have Majerus introduced as the new Trojan coach in a news conference today, sources said.

Majerus, 56, who was in the Los Angeles area Tuesday night, did not return phone messages, while Daryl Gross, USC’s senior associate athletic director, who has been handling the search, would not comment.

A source close to Majerus said the contract would be for five years at $1 million a season, and although Majerus is expected to leave his job with ESPN immediately -- it is not thought USC will be involved in any type of buyout with the cable network -- he will not take over the program until after this season.

Majerus, who was the head coach at Utah for 15 years, Ball State for two and Marquette three, has a career winning percentage of .742 (422-147) and has taken his teams to postseason play 15 times, going 18-11 in the NCAA tournament with four Sweet 16 appearances, 8-4 in the postseason NIT.

He left Utah abruptly in January after suffering severe chest pains. He had already undergone heart bypass surgery, missing most of the 1989-90 season at Utah, and has battled weight problems his entire career.

Majerus had also been linked to many previous openings, including Nevada Las Vegas, Arizona State and UCLA.

Interim USC Coach Jim Saia, who was installed by Athletic Director Mike Garrett after firing Henry Bibby on Dec. 6, will continue to run the team along with Bibby’s old staff. It is not known how closely Majerus will monitor the program under Saia or whether he can actively recruit.

The Trojans play host to Western Michigan in a nonconference game Saturday before departing for Hawaii on Sunday for the Rainbow Classic.

“What I told the team was that we can just control what we can -- the rest of the season,” Saia said. “We still need to just focus on Western Michigan. If [the Majerus hiring is] the case, then that’s not until next ... April. It doesn’t affect the [Pacific 10 Conference] season.

“I think everyone’s excited about the season. We’re a senior-oriented team, so we’re not going to worry about next season until it comes.”

With the Trojans boasting six seniors, sophomore Rodrick Stewart and freshman Emanuel Willis having received their releases from the school, and sophomore Lodrick Stewart having already threatened to transfer on numerous occasions, Majerus could inherit a team with only three returnees -- guards Gabe Pruitt, Dwayne Shackleford and Nick Young. USC signed two high school players in November -- shooting guard Sead Odzic and small forward Mike Freeman.

Majerus, though, should get to coach in the Galen Center, USC’s campus arena scheduled to open in two years.

“I never heard about him,” Lodrick Stewart said of Majerus. “I’m just trying to finish out this season. There’s been too much stuff going on. We should be 2-0 under Coach Saia. He’s a good coach. I really like him. I wish he could stay our coach.”

The last week of turmoil has taken its toll on the players, Stewart added.

“I feel like the Lakers right now,” he said. “I’ve never been through this much in basketball in my life. Crazy.”

Pruitt also said he had not heard much of Majerus, who took Utah to the 1998 national championship game against Kentucky.

“I’ve heard he’s a good coach, but that’s all I’ve heard so far,” Pruitt said. “I’m just focusing on Saturday. It will be a big relief to have someone set.”

Young, who has called USC his “dream school,” agreed.

“I heard he was a ... respectable coach who’ll let us play,” Young said. “We just need to take control this year. I’m kind of cool with any coach. It’s the school [that’s important]. I plan to be back.”

But with nothing guaranteed, Majerus’ hiring a successful recruiter as part of his first USC staff is a priority.

A name making its way around Heritage Hall this week, as Majerus became the leading candidate, has been that of former UNLV coach Bill Bayno, who was fired four years ago after NCAA probation, was also a recruiter for John Calipari at Massachusetts, won a CBA title in Yakima, Wash., and is a scout for the Portland Trail Blazers. Indiana assistant Kerry Rupp, a former assistant at Utah, is also thought to be in the mix to join his former boss at USC.

Current USC assistant director of basketball operations Clay McKnight, whose father, Gary, coaches high school powerhouse Santa Ana Mater Dei, is thought to be a strong candidate to stick at USC.

Meanwhile, across town at UCLA, second-year Bruin Coach Ben Howland lauded his soon-to-be rival.

“It’s a great hire,” Howland said. “Rick is a proven coach. He’s obviously one of the top coaches in the country. The coaching in the conference is already very good, but anytime a coach like Rick comes in, it’s definitely going to make the league even more competitive.

“It will definitely make us a better road swing.”

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Shackleford said he has not decided yet if he will apply for a medical redshirt with his injured left knee.... Senior forward Jeff McMillan, who broke his left hand at La Salle on Nov. 30, had the cast removed and hopes to play in Hawaii next week.

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Times staff writer Jason Reid contributed to this report.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

The Majerus File

* Born -- Feb. 17, 1948, in Sheboygan, Wis.

* College -- Marquette ’70.

* Early coaching career -- While still in college, he got his start as an assistant coach at a local junior high. Was an assistant at Marquette for six years under Al McGuire -- including the 1976-77 national championship season -- and for six years under Hank Raymonds.

* At Marquette -- Succeeding Raymonds in 1983-84, he coached the Warriors to a 56-35 record in three seasons, with three NIT appearances.

* At Ball State -- After a year spent as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks, he returned to college to post a 43-17 record in two seasons with the Cardinals. His 1988-89 team was 29-3 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

* At Utah -- Missed 24 games of his first season (1989-90) because of heart surgery, then led the Utes to WAC championships in eight of the next 10 seasons, including eight NCAA tournament appearances. His 1997-98 team was 30-4 and was runner-up to Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. After taking a leave of absence in 2000-01, he returned to coach Utah to 46 victories and two more NCAA berths. Twenty games into the 2003-04 season, he stepped down, citing health reasons, with a 323-95 record in 15 seasons at the school.

* Career record -- 422-147 in 20 seasons, with 10 conference championships and 11 appearances in the NCAA tournament and four in the NIT.