Nothing Ever Simple in Majerus’ World

It was the closing zinger in Mike Garrett’s candid comments about USC’s search for a basketball coach, and one the Trojan athletic director might have regretted Saturday on learning Rick Majerus had apparently resigned.

While speaking with two reporters before Majerus had accepted his “dream job” Tuesday, Garrett took a playful jab at rival Notre Dame for its botched handling of a football-coaching search, saying USC “won’t do things like Notre Dame. We always have a plan.”

The Trojans prepared to dust off their backup plan because Majerus stunned them in backing out of the job. At least for now.

This could soon be forgotten because Majerus is, well, Majerus.

Garrett and Daryl Gross, a senior associate athletic director and point man on the search, wanted the emotional big guy badly enough to fire Henry Bibby four games into the season for the chance to pursue Majerus unchallenged. Majerus and the Trojans could still move forward together if they meet as scheduled Monday.

It wouldn’t be the first time Majerus has repeatedly changed his mind after making major life decisions, several of his friends said, and Majerus remained in the Southland on Saturday after word emerged he had turned away from USC and would return to an analyst role with ESPN.

USC appeared to leave the door ajar for reconciliation, figuring that salvaging things would be better than the alternative.

“We had planned on meeting on Monday regarding basketball issues,” Gross said. “That’s still the plan.”

But USC’s grand plan was flawed from its inception because nothing is as simple as it seems with Majerus, who might have committed coaching career suicide with this move. As good as Majerus is with Xs and O’s, others are capable of teaching how to set a screen.

This is about stability. That’s something the Trojans want in their basketball program, and that’s what Majerus promised to deliver Wednesday at Heritage Hall while being embraced from the outset more than any other college coach has been around these parts in a long time.

Majerus has always kept it real, never trying to pass himself off as one of the game’s grand, buttoned-down coaches. He’s an affable, rotund man who loves basketball, food and good conversation (usually about basketball and food), and anyone who has hung out at an all-night diner with Majerus knows he’s not tidy.

However, this time he’s made an unacceptable mess.

Garrett and Gross got the high-profile coach they envisioned could elevate the basketball program into the football neighborhood, and a salesman to help pack the new Galen Center during the 2006-07 season.

They also got a lot more than they realized in the form of a 56-year-old kid, whose high-maintenance act stirred frustration among his superiors at Marquette, Ball State and Utah despite Majerus’ .742 career winning percentage.

Majerus is a great coach, and he’s second to none at working big-money boosters eager to contribute or reporters seeking to enliven their reports with glib quotes and one-liners.

Then there’s the other side of Majerus. The one that infuriates his friends, who scratch their heads in confusion as they watch him become tied up in knots emotionally, taking too much input from people on decisions too big and personal to conduct open forums.

That, at least in part, is what led to Majerus’ apparently bolting from a job he had wanted for a decade. People close to Majerus said he expressed reservations about the job Tuesday after agreeing to a five-year, $5-million contract.

While USC prepared for a Wednesday news conference to announce its big hire, Majerus worked the phones late Tuesday, receiving conflicting advice about taking the job for reasons concerning his health and the raised expectations at USC.

“He was very stressed out Tuesday night,” said Jim Edwards, who has known Majerus since 1997. “He sounded almost frightened.”

But Majerus phoned one of his oldest friends Wednesday, assuring him that everything was OK. They talked again Saturday morning and planned to have lunch before Majerus began recruiting ... and then Majerus bolted.

But why now? Why not at least give it a chance?

Or at least a week.

Some said Majerus was upset because Gross had not told him he would be leaving to become the Syracuse athletic director. Not so. A friend who spoke with Majerus on Tuesday said Majerus knew about Gross’ new job.

His health? Majerus, who left Utah in January after having suffered severe chest pains, and USC officials said he had medical clearance to return to coaching.

“He had just been handed a dream job of a lifetime ... and then he’s telling me he was angst-ridden and stressed,” said Edwards. “It doesn’t make sense, but I’m really not surprised.”

And maybe USC shouldn’t be either.