Arizona Reportedly Picks Floyd Over Capel

Staff and Wire Reports

TUCSON, Arizona -- Southern California coach Tim Floyd reportedly has been offered the coaching job at Arizona.

He would replace Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who retired for health reasons before the start of last season.

The Los Angeles Times says the offer was made Wednesday and Floyd is believed to have had 24 hours to respond. The newspaper on Thursday cited a person familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

If true, the reports discount the previous assumptions that OU Coach Jeff Capel was the leading prospect for the position, as the East Valley Tribune in Phenoix, Arizona.

Phoenix radio station KTAR on Wednesday cited multiple sources as saying Floyd would get the job.

Floyd has led the Trojans to the NCAA tournament three straight times, and this year he coached them to the Pac-10 tournament title. The 55-year-old Floyd has a 85-50 record in his four seasons at USC. He also coached in college at Iowa State, New Orleans and Idaho. Floyd coached two NBA teams -- Chicago (1999-02) and New Orleans (2004).

Russ Pennell was interim coach for Arizona this season, leading the Wildcats to a 21-14 record and the program's 25th consecutive NCAA appearance.

Messages left for Livengood on his cell phone by The Associated Press were not returned.

Arizona sports information director Tom Duddleston said Thursday no news conference or announcement had been scheduled.

USC athletic director Mike Garrett said Arizona had been granted permission to speak with Floyd.

"If people don't want to be here they can go somewhere else," Garrett told the Times. "And if Tim has decided that, I thought he was a great coach and we've just got to find another coach."

Garrett was unavailable for comment Thursday, USC sports information director Tom Tessalone said. Tessalone had no comment on the Floyd report.

It would be unusual for a coach to switch from one school to another in the same conference.

Former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery is at California, but was with the NBA's Golden State Warriors between those two college jobs.