Pete Thamel: USC expected to target top athletic directors to replace Mike Bohn

USC is currently without an athletic director, with Mike Bohn resigning on Friday. While there is a ton of uncertainty around the decision, we know one thing — the Trojans will head into the summer without a leader in the athletic department. And with a pending conference move coming in 2024, an important decision is coming.

Undoubtably one of the best athletic director jobs in the country, it always was not that way out West. ESPN’s Pete Thamel says things have changed for USC since Bohn took over. He believes former ADs Pat Haden and Lynn Swann made some bad hires throughout the program, leaving the Trojans in a bad spot. Bohn was able to steer the ship back in the right direction.

“What’s changed for a job like USC since the last time in opened,” Thamel began when appearing on The Paul Finebaum Show on Monday. “They’ve certainly had a flurry of hires there that backfired pretty spectacularly when you go back to Pat Haden and then Lynn Swann.”

Now, things are different for USC. They will be leaving the Pac-12 next year in favor of the Big Ten, a conference Thamel called a member of the “Power Two.” As college football continues to involve, the Big Ten and SEC are expected to be the standard.

Landing a job at one of those 32 universities will become crucial. Especially one like USC who is expected to be a leader moving forward.

“This time, USC is on the other side of the boat. They are amongst the best jobs in the Power Two. I think when you really look at USC candidates, you can look at the best of the Pac-12, the ACC, and the Big 12. They should have the financial wherewithal and gravitas to lure some top names.

Two specific names were then thrown out by Thamel. One came from a rival Pac-12 program, while USC could also look to the state of Texas. Either way, a high-level name should be making their way to Los Angeles in the near future.

“Jen Cohen at Washington, Mack Rhoades at Baylor,” Thamel said. “Could it be one of the top ADs up and down the ACC? But there will be no lack of people clamoring for the job at USC. It is much more stable than when Mike Bohn inherited it. But there is still a lot of work to do.”