Pat Chun (+100) Favored to Be Next USC AD; Urban Meyer Has Second-Best Odds at +280

• Sportsbooks have established Pat Chun as the even-money favorite to be the next USC athletic director
• Lynn Swann stepped down from the position earlier this week
• Chun is currently athletic director at Washington State

On the surface, there might not seem to be a rational reason why Pat Chun should be such a strong favorite to become the next athletic director at USC.

He never played sports at USC. In fact, he’s never had anything to do with the school.

Yet the consensus is that Chun is going to be USC’s guy.

Sportsbooks list Chun, currently athletic director at Pac-12 rival Washington State, as the even-money favorite to be given the position.

Who Will Be The Next Full-Time Athletic Director at USC?

*Odds taken on 09/12/19.

Former USC star Lynn Swann stepped down from the position earlier this week.

Swann Song

Though he was a legend as a Trojans player, Swann was Trojan horse-bleep as an AD.

He lasted just three seasons on the job.

USC president Carol Folt on the timing of Swann’s resignation:

“You try to get things going in the fall,” Folt told the Times. "He felt that this was the professional thing to do, was resign and allow me to build my team. That really is the gist of it."

— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) September 9, 2019

When Carol Felt was named the school’s new president in March, it became apparent her goal was to clean house and bring her own people in to fill major positions at the school.

Swann’s only decision of significance was to retain football coach Clay Helton after a dreadful 5-7 season.

Time For USC To Kick Out Old School

It’s evident the old approach isn’t working for USC.

Hiring an athletic director based on name recognition and success on the field of play with the school didn’t work with Swann and it didn’t work with his predecessor, former USC and NFL quarterback Pat Haden.

USC athletics in the Lynn Swann era (he took over in July 1, 2016):

1 win in a bowl game by the football team

1 March Madness appearance by the men's basketball team

3 athletic department employees arrested by the FBI

— Max Meyer (@TheMaxMeyer) September 9, 2019

Other than being recognizable figures who drew attention to the school, the duo brought little to the table in terms of organizational and fundraising acumen. On the football field, the once-mighty Trojans were no longer a dominant force.

USC has lost 19 games over the past four seasons and are well down the list in the National Championship Odds.

Urban Legend

A name that keeps cropping up with USC is that of former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer. He was rumored as the next USC football coach early last season. Could he be a legit candidate to be the new AD?

https://twitter.com/DakotaFuqua1997/status/1171163458634756097?s=20

It makes more sense that Meyer might end up being the USC football coach once the new AD is in place.

Why Chun Makes Sense For USC

Chun fits nicely into the Meyer narrative. He spent 15 years within the athletic department at Ohio State.

He’s also everything that Swann wasn’t – an experienced AD who’s worked with major programs, and is an adept fund raiser and administrator.

.@joelklatt suggests that USC might go after #WSU Athletic Director, @pat_chun… pic.twitter.com/rz1pritP6t

— modok greet (@trvorXX) September 11, 2019

Also, Chun has no ties to Washington State. He joined the Cougars in January from Florida Atlantic, where he was the athletic director since 2012.

Chun checks off all the boxes, and he’s already gained some familiarity with the Pac-12.

Pick: Pat Chun (+100).