After a bumpy three-year tenure at his alma mater, Lynn Swann officially resigned from his position as USC’s athletic director. The announcement was made in a letter sent out by university president Carol L. Folt.
In this letter, which was addressed to the “Trojan Community,” Folt said that Swann’s decision to resign is effective immediately. She also referred to him as “a leader on and off the field at USC for nearly five decades.”
Folt, who was hired as the new president in March, attributed the fact that she’s putting together a new leadership team at the university as one of the big reasons Swann decided to resign. However, the admissions scandal that has affected USC and other prominent schools did not factor into the decision whatsoever, according to Folt.
In the meantime, Folt’s special adviser, Dave Roberts, will serve as the interim athletic director. Roberts, who is also the vice-chair of the NCAA committee on infractions, served as the vice president for athletics compliance at USC from 2010 to 2016. A permanent replacement will be named at a later date.
Swann’s History
Swann was hired in 2016 to lead the Trojans athletic department, taking over for the great Pat Haden and set with carrying on USC’s legacy for excellence. While the Trojans were successful in multiple sports, winning five national championships in five different women’s and men’s sports, football has taken a step back. Last year, the football program was a disappointment, going 5-7 for its first losing season since 2000.
There were also personnel problems that occurred under Swann’s watch. Despite Folt’s claim that the admissions scandal was not factored into any decision, multiple coaches, as well as the senior associate athletic director Donna Heinel, were arrested for their roles in the scandal.
One coach and administrator have already admitted to taking bribes, later pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges. And earlier this year, former assistant basketball coach Tony Bland admitted to accepting cash payments in order to steer players to hiring certain financial advisers or business managers.
Swann, 67, graduated from USC in 1974, playing in two Rose Bowls and winning a national championship in 1972. He’d later go on to a nine-year Hall of Fame career in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After retiring, he had a long career as a broadcaster for ABC.
Impact On Football
With Swann’s resignation, the future of head football coach Clay Helton becomes cloudy. After becoming the permanent coach near the end of the 2015 season, before Swann was hired, Helton led the Trojans to a Rose Bowl victory and a loss in the Cotton Bowl.
But the rails came off last season, as USC fell to 5-7, missing out on a bowl game and leaving Helton’s future in doubt. So far in 2019, the Trojans are 2-0, fresh off a huge win against Stanford 45-20.
The Trojans will try their best to put this Swann news in the rearview mirror when they travel to Provo for a game against BYU. USC has played BYU twice in school history, the most recent time in 2004 with Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush leading their high-powered offense.
Now it will be true freshman Kedon Slovis commanding the offense. Slovis is the new starter after the season-ending injury of JT Daniels in Week 1. Slovis went 28-for-33 for 377 yards and three touchdowns last week against Stanford.
USC is a 4.5-point favorite at BYU. Kickoff is 1:30 local time on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
