The head coach skidded off the rails publicly in August, apologized during a cringe-worthy news conference two days later, was forced to take a leave of absence Sunday and then, barely 24 hours after that, was abruptly terminated.
For a proud program so well established that its traditions and its past are housed in a place called Heritage Hall, USC football has become alarmingly unstable.
Monday would have been a great time to bring some steadiness to the situation, preferably from the top. But the school’s athletic administration remained mostly silent, again failing to meet expectations.
Pat Haden botched the firing of Steve Sarkisian almost as much as – we all know today – he botched Sarkisian’s hiring.