USC athletic director search: world-class ADs who would clearly succeed

The USC athletic director search could be a long and winding road, a journey with a lot of twists and turns. It could be a very short journey in which USC President Carol Folt has her candidate in mind, immediately acts on that choice, and secures a deal. We will see how it all turns out. Until then, we are left to speculate and to consider various candidates for the job.

There are the rock-star candidates USC could call. That’s one tier of candidates in many high-profile college sports job searches. There are young athletic directors or assistant ADs who are ready to move up the ladder and get their first really big opportunity in the business. There are some outside-the-box candidates who could provide very strong and capable leadership. There are in-house candidates who would provide a clean, orderly and quick transition process without the need to explain USC’s mission and values to the incoming AD.

Consultant Tony Altimore, on Trojan Conquest Live — Sunday night at The Voice of College Football — laid out his USC AD big board.

Here are the world-class ADs with proven track records USC could pursue for the job:

Watch the full Trojan Conquest Live show and its extended discussion of the USC AD job:

DESIREE REED-FRANCOIS, MISSOURI ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

HEATHER LYKE, PITTSBURGH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

JENNIFER COHEN, WASHINGTON ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Jen Cohen hired Kalen DeBoer as Washington football coach, positioning the Huskies to become a Pac-12 contender in a short period of time.

PAT CHUN, WASHINGTON STATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

MENTIONED BY ANOTHER PANELIST ON THE SHOW: J BATT, GEORGIA TECH AD

TROJANS WIRE ADDED SUGGESTION: JOSH WHITMAN, ILLINOIS AD

FULL USC AD DISCUSSION

Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire