USC’s rumored top Andy Enfield replacement has true March Madness pedigree

USC basketball needs a new head basketball coach after Andy Enfield left for SMU.

Enfield spent 11 years in Los Angeles, lifting the Trojans out of the Kevin O'Neill quagmire. He took the program to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight run in 2021. Objectively, he was one of the most successful coaches in program.

But here's the thing about Enfield's lateral move to SMU: It may have been about coaching seeing the writing on the wall as much as anything.

Enfield's much-anticipated 2023-24 season at USC was a total dud. His outstanding recruiting efforts never seemed to match up with the performance of the team on a week-in-week-out basis.

There was a growing sentiment in Los Angeles that Enfield had hit his ceiling and his time would be up soon enough as USC looked to take the next step as a program. Enfield's decision to depart simply sped up that process.

So it fits that USC is now being linked to Eric Musselman, the Arkansas head coach who Jon Rothstein labeled the Trojans "primary candidate" for the job.

Eric Musselman's March Madness pedigreee makes him the perfect fit for USC post-Andy Enfleid

Fans may remember Musselman as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings from 2006 to 2007. But he's come a long way since being fired after just two seasons in charge.

Musselman had to wait until 2015 to get his next shot as a head coach, this time in the college game leading Nevada. Before Musselman, the Wolf Pack had gone a decade without making the Big Dance. He took them there three times in four seasons, including a Sweet 16 run in 2018.

Arkansas called him up in 2019 to take over for Mike Anderson, who had won a bunch of games with the Razorbacks and made it to the NCAA Tournament three times in eight years but struggled to take the program to the next level.

Sound familiar?

Musselman had Arkansas poised for a bid in 2020 before the tournament was canceled. They made the Elite Eight in 2021 and 2022. A Sweet 16 run followed in 2023.

Even though the Razorbacks missed the tournament in 2024, Musselman has proven he can A) secure low seeds for his team and B) win games in March Madness consistently.

USC's best seed in the tournament under Enfield was No. 6 in 2021 (with future No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley in the lineup). Musselman's Razorbacks were a No. 3 seed in 2021 and No. 4 in 2021. He managed a No. 5 seed with the Wolf Pack in 2015.

Musselman's proven success in the tournament is exactly what USC needs to take the next step forward as a program.