Pat Haden says Steve Sarkisian was only one offered USC coaching job

Newly hired USC football Coach Steve Sarkisian was the only one offered the job after a rewiew that started with about 20 candidates, Athletic Director Pat Haden said Tuesday.

“In Steve we get a coach who really knows USC, its culture, its traditions,” Haden said in formally introducing Sarkisian at a news conference.

“I believe [Sarkisian] is uniquely positioned to have the smoothest, fastest and cleanest transition for our program,” Haden said.

Haden also said Sarkisian, a former USC assistant who was coach at Washington the last five seasons, “is a proven evaluator of high school football talent” with strong relationships with high school coaches.

Sarkisian, 39, replaced interim coach Ed Orgeron, who was among the final five candidates for the job, Haden said.

Orgeron guided USC to a 6-2 record after replacing the fired Lane Kiffin. Sarkisian said the deal with USC was was finalized Monday afternoon.

Orgeron, 52, is “one of the greatest Trojans of them all,” Haden said. “Our USC family will be forever grateful [to him].

“As you can imagine, Ed was disappointed at not being named head coach,” Haden said. “Ed wants to be a head coach. He chose to leave. I respect that and I told him I will help him any way I can reach that dream.”

Haden acknowledged that Orgeron was a popular figure at USC, but that “my job is to make the best decision for USC. I am convinced I’ve done that.”

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