Will Jack Del Rio Be the Next USC Head Coach?

There are conflicting stories coming out of Los Angeles that Jack Del Rio, the former USC linebacker and current Jacksonville Jaguar head coach, has been offered the head coaching position at his alma mater to replace Pete Carroll, who has accepted the head coaching position with the Seattle Seahawks.

According to Los Angeles Daily News USC beat writer Scott Wolf, a contract was sent to Del Rio last night for his review.

Del Rio, interviewed by a local station in Jacksonville, denied the report saying that he was scheduled to meet with Jaguar owner Wayne Weaver to discuss his future with the team and that he intended to coach the Jaguars in 2010.

Rumors have Weaver intending to fire Del Rio, and if this is so, the Jaguars would be on the hook to pay Del Rio roughly $15 million in wages owed on his current contract.

However, if Del Rio were to resign his job in Jacksonville, the Jaguars would not owe him anything.

It would appear that the nuances of Del Rio's Jacksonville contract are playing a big part in both Del Rio's denials of a USC offer and also in how Wayne Weaver is approaching the scheduled meeting with him.

If the rumors of the $15 million owed on Del Rio's contract are true and Weaver has made a decision to let his coach go, look for a settlement arrangement to be hammered out before any announcements are made by either USC or Del Rio in regard to his future as head coach for the Trojans.

If Jack Del Rio is indeed named head coach of USC, it will satisfy several requirements for the Trojans.

In Del Rio, USC will get a young, energetic coach who has several years coaching experience in the NFL.

Also, as a former Trojan, Jack Del Rio will have ties to the university that even Pete Carroll couldn't claim, which will endear him to alumni.

And you can expect that Del Rio will be able to bring along several members of his current Jacksonville staff, including former Trojans like Kennedy Pola.

But most importantly, Jack Del Rio would bring the credibility that is needed to attract not only this year's current recruiting class, which is fragmenting even as I type, but also prep recruits in the future.

Matt Barkley, the true freshman starting quarterback, went on record yesterday as saying he hoped the next coach would run a pro set offense and Del Rio most certainly will do that as well.

It would appear that Jack Del Rio to USC as their head coach is a match made in heaven.

The next move, if rumors are correct, is up to coach Del Rio.

Trojan Nation waits and watches with open arms, just waiting to embrace you.