Southern Cal Coaching Search: Two New Names Linked to the Trojans (3-0 in Pac-12 Under Coach “O”)

Let's quickly check in with the ongoing "coaching search" for the school across town because the hire will have major implications the recruiting prospects of Jim Mora's UCLA programs.

Couple of new names have emerged in connection to Southern Cal. Former Chicago Bears' HC Lovie Smith has been linked to the Trojans' HCing job:

His agent/son denied last month that he was in conversations with USC, but another report has linked Lovie Smith with one of the top college programs.

Jason LaCanfora cited a league source telling him that the former Bears head coach already had interviewed with the Los Angeles school for the vacancy created by the firing of Lane Kiffin last month by athletic director Pat Haden.

But Lovie Smith is saying not so fast:

Smith told Jay Glazer of FOX Sports that he was taken aback by the report that he interviewed for the USC job. Smith told Glazer that he absolutely did not interview with USC and has zero interest in the job.

Meanwhile, there is another name that is popping up lot in rumor-mill wrt to Southern Cal:

Would be a clever hire RT @T_Kaufmann: @RapSheet Who's the front runner for USC job? A lot of rumors surrounding Tim DeRuyter at Fresno St.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 3, 2013

Despite all these rumors - the Trojans are now 3-0 in the Pac-12 with ("interim") HC - Coach O. We think it is time to remove that "interim" label.

But don't LOL UCLA fans - because imagine if Mora and the Bruins doesn't get it done against Coach ZERO. OK, we don't want to think about it.

GO BRUINS.