I really like the out-of-nowhere hiring of Kevin O’Neill at USC. AD Mike Garrett got everything that he wanted – a guy with NBA experience (head coach of the Raptors, assistant with the Knicks, Pistons, and Pacers), someone who has been a high level DI head coach (Tennessee, Northwestern, Arizona), and a coach who is squeaky clean. O’Neill has the reputation of being cantankerous, and tough on his players, but this may be just what the doctor ordered for the Trojans. As an X’s and O’s guy, he is one of the best around. I heard him speak at a clinic when he was at Tennessee, and still use some of his stuff today. Good luck to Coach O’Neill and the Trojans!

Sources are telling me that Carroll College (WI) Head Coach Dave Schultz is going to resign today. He has been at the DIII school for 7 seasons, going 109-64 in that span. Apparently he will become the Boy’s Basketball Coach at Waukesha West HS – a position that he held before taking over at Carroll in 2003. He was 153-55 at Waukesha West in 9 seasons, and was honored as the state state Coach of the Year in 1994-95. I’ll keep you updated when this becomes official.

Vermont Coach Mike Lonergan interviewed at Holy Cross on Saturday. AD Dick Regan is going to talk with a few more candidates, but this process won’t drag out. I’m hearing that Regan wants to make a move by the end of the week.

There is some great debate / banter going on in the comments section of our West Florida blog (http://www.hoopdirt.com/blog/a925a3d9/west-florida-applicant…). We are in the process of creating a message board forum to have a better, more accessible place for these dialogs. Once that is up and running, I’ll let you know.