Floyd resigns as Southern Cal coach

Floyd resigns as Southern Cal coach
The Clarion-Ledger

Hattiesburg native Tim Floyd resigned today as basketball coach at Southern California, a month after being accused of giving $1,000 to a man who helped steer star player O.J. Mayo to USC.

Floyd submitted a one paragraph letter of resignation to USC athletic director Mike Garrett, which read:

“As of 1 p.m. today, I am resigning as head basketball coach at the University of Souithern California. I deeply appreciate the opportunity afforded me by the university, as well as the chance to know and work with some of the finest young men in college athletics. Unfortunately, I no longer feel I can offer the level of enthusiasm to my duties that is deserved by the university, my coaching staff, my players, their families, and the supporters of Southern Cal. I always promised my self and my family that if I ever felt I could no longer give my full enthusiasm to a job, that I should leave it to others who could. I intend to contact my coaching staff and my players in coming days and weeks to tell them how much each of them means to me. I wish the best to USC and to my successor.”

Floyd, the son of the late Southern Miss basketball coach Lee Floyd, a Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer, has been a successful coach at Idaho, New Orleans and Iowa State, as well as USC on the college level, compiling a 327-181 record in 16 seasons. He also coached in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Hornets, where his teams struggled, winning 90 games and losing 231 over five seasons.

Over the past four seasons, Floyd restored the USC program to prominence, making the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons, including the Sweet 16 last year. He reportedly turned down offers to coach at Arizona and Memphis following the 2008-09 season.

On May 12, Yahoosports.com reported that one-time Mayo confidant Louis Johnson said Floyd had made a cash payment to Rodney Guillory, a “runner” for sports agent Bill Duffy, who steered Mayo to the Bill Duffy Sports Agency after Mayo left USC.

Such a payment would be a major violation of NCAA rules.

USC’s football and basketball programs have been under NCAA investigation for three years, the football program for issues involving current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner for USC.

Neither Floyd, nor USC officials, have had any comment on the Mayo matter.