A USC Trojan Dilemma: What To Do With Todd McNair?

Now that the dust is beginning to settle regarding the NCAA's body slam on the USC Trojans and information is beginning to filter out, some nagging questions remain to be answered.

Despite the relative disadvantages USC had in terms of access to primary accuser Lloyd Lake, especially in light of the significance this testimony played in their punishment of the Trojans, there is still evidence that running backs coach, Todd McNair, had knowledge of the improper gifts that Reggie Bush was receiving.

If so, McNair is certainly the leading man in the "USC lack of institutional control" saga.

I say "if so" because Lake has been very inconsistent regarding McNair's culpability and the NCAA has done its best to "connect the dots" in favor of making an example of the Trojans.

According to the NCAA, phone calls to Lake from McNair's phone, which McNair explained, but apparently not very effectively, were the main thrust of the infraction committee's assertion that McNair, and therefore USC, knew that Bush was receiving benefits but did nothing about it.

Of course, McNair denies that he knew anything about the violations committed by Bush.

What everyone does know is that Reggie Bush did indeed receive benefits while at USC.

But that, of course, is not why the NCAA came down so hard on the Trojans.

Todd McNair is the linchpin upon which all of the NCAA's findings that USC "lacked institutional control" rests upon.

No McNair...no case.

So what does USC do with Todd McNair?

How can the Trojans continue to employ a coach, that if you believe the NCAA, turned his eyes from perhaps the greatest sin a college program can allow?

Okay, so do the Trojans fire McNair?

If they do, they may as well admit that they did indeed have knowledge of the violation and chose not to do anything about it.

Oh, and by the way USC, say goodbye to that NCAA appeal you have just filed.

However, on the other hand, by retaining McNair, are the Trojans thumbing their nose at the NCAA?

Perhaps, and this may be the more important question, will the NCAA interpret the retention of McNair by USC that way?

In other words, should USC cut ties to McNair in order to reduce their visibility for the next four years, the length of their probation?

One thing Todd McNair has going for him is that he is a great coach and an even better recruiter.

McNair is loved by his players and has been as responsible in the Pete Carroll era as anyone but Carroll himself for bringing in great talent for the Trojans.

Losing McNair means losing an important part of the coaching staff.

So important that Todd McNair was one of only two coaches who didn't leave with former coach Pete Carroll to be retained by Lane Kiffin.

In a vexing week for the Trojans, perhaps the most perplexing question is what, if anything, to do with a great coach who denies his role in the accusations of a former felon, which Lloyd Lake is.

Like USC didn't have enough on their plate already...