Turhan resigns as USC coach

[montyruan]

Sorry to see Turhan leave, he was def making the USC program better.

Rumors out of PSU is that assistant coach Dennis Hohenshelt wanted to leave after this year, and he knows how up and comming USC is (swept PSU) could see him leaving to run USC!

[Mac]

I don't think so. They should look at an SC guy first. And if I were Mike Garrett I'd only want a proven coach who knows how to recruit from So. Cal. And be able to grab a couple of tall good players from So. America and Puerto Rico, or Finland seems to be a good place to find players these days. A top club coach with a reputation and knows how to get the good rich kids in there is needed. You've got to be able to work the alumni and get them to pitch in to endow some scholarships and to build a war chest. That takes connections and personal appeal.

Imagine what SC would have done if Blake Tippit had been healthy his last two years. That one player would have made them a much better team. They lacked fire power and it cost them wins. Turhan was snake bit. Very little talent there when he started. A very expensive school to go to and only 4.5 schollies to divvy up. And your best player who started on the U.S. Junior National team was injured and couldn't contribute, to make it worse. Most people would agree that he improved the team. Unfortunately there's no patience in sports to get good.

[AAVolley]

Dennis Howho?!? Anyone who doesn't think Bill Ferguson will take over is out of their mind.... The interview process will be a mere formality...

[prouddad]

Some thoughts:
1) Is Mike Garrett involved at all in the selection process or has he delegated men's vb to one of his assistant AD's?
2) Could Ferguson recruit having limited scholarships?
3) His great team at SCVC was put together, and really coached all along by Ker.
4) How many alums at SC even care about vb? You can't have it all and they have plenty going on over there.
5) Just some random thoughts--still the University of Spoiled Children to me.

[northbeach]

mac said:

You've got to be able to work the alumni and get them to pitch in to endow some scholarships and to build a war chest. That takes connections and personal appeal.

I don't think that will work...you can't offer more than 4.5 scholarships unless you make the academic scholarships available to all students. Of course, if you recruit some outstanding VB scholars, then they can compete with the rest of the student body.

It is certainly difficult for the private schools to compete with the state schools given the tuitiion difference. One possible advantage that private schools may have is their ability to offer increased resources for tutoring, etc.

[volleyjunkie]

Fingerbuster: close call on the ferguson line of success, but the fergusons that coached royal are Bob and Travis, not Tom and Bill. It is funny, there are a lot of people that make that mistake though.

[fingrbustr]

My bad--you're right, junkie. Hope you're not a Royal alum, but their program is sinking in the Marmonte...you guys used to OWN that league!

[volleyjunkie]

thanks, but not really. Royal was somewhat our rival. I come from the desert.

[volleyjunkie]

about Turhan: He is the man! Ask everyone that has had any sort of contact with him and they will tell you what a special person he really is. He did make USC men's volley better than what he was dealt with. He set up his successor for greatness in the future. Only having one senior and one junior on the court the whole season, just shows that SC will be a tough team to be reckonned with. The fact that he did leave for his family just truly shows that he knows what his priorities are.

[fingrbustr]

Ah, I see. A Quartz Hill guy? I had a friend from there BID...awesome dude. Txfr'd to Pepp after Pierce. The name Brandon Higa ring a bell?

Nice post too on Turhan. He is a really nice guy. Somewhat rare to find w/ accomplished players/coaches in this obscure. Definitely didn't act like a big fish in a little pond. Nothing but best wishes for that guy. I hope his Revolution club team starts to make some noise too...about time somebody tried to tap that market, save those kids a drive.

[bigfan]

prouddad said:

Some thoughts:
Is Mike Garrett involved at all in the selection process or has he delegated men's vb to one of his assistant AD's?

I am sure he signs off on coaching hires.

Could Ferguson recruit having limited scholarships?

Expensive school; but so are are Pepperdine and Stanford. The new Galen center may help a bit in recruiting.

How many alums at SC even care about vb? You can't have it all and they have plenty going on over there.

USC is on an unbelievable roll this decade with multiple national championships in football, women's volleyball and men's and women's water-polo. They have nationally ranked women's tennis, soccer and basketball teams also. So yes, the volleyball team is hurting from a lack of exposure.

--still the University of Spoiled Children to me.

Kind of a lame cop-out to me.

[bigfan]

northbeach said:

It is certainly difficult for the private schools to compete with the state schools given the tuitiion difference. One possible advantage that private schools may have is their ability to offer increased resources for tutoring, etc.

I wonder how Pepperdine is able to make it work? Similiar school tuition wise.

[bigfan]

fingrbustr said:

Nice post too on Turhan. He is a really nice guy. Somewhat rare to find w/ accomplished players/coaches in this obscure.

You can say that again.

[fingrbustr]

It works b/c Marv is a legend (plus a decent guy). And the program has incredible stability. Add'l, if I'm paying, I'd rather spend my 4+ years in Malibu vs. the ghetto

[bigfan]

Volleyball coach resigns
Turhan Douglas, USC men's volleyball head coach since 2002, said he would like to spend more time with his family.
Maximillian Del Rey

Turhan Douglas, head coach of the USC men's volleyball team, resigned Monday after seven seasons with the Trojans.

Douglas decided to resign before the start of the season, he said, but only told a few close friends of his intentions. He wanted to spend more time with his family, particularly with his children, he said. Douglas lives with his wife, Cheryl, and their four children, who are home-schooled.

"Sometime last year I realized I didn't know my kids very well, and it seemed I was getting busier and busier and traffic was getting worse and worse," Douglas said. "I got a little weary of the grind."

Another reason Douglas decided to resign, he said, was because of his current financial flexibility.

"I've been pretty smart with investing and other jobs and that's going really well, and I'm in a position where I can spend time with my family and invest. I'm taking the chance of a lifetime," he said.

Douglas first joined USC in 2000 as an assistant coach and was promoted to head coach after Pat Powers resigned in April 2002.

Douglas holds a 30-89 record in his four seasons as head coach, and USC went 11-18 this season. The Trojans finished ninth in the 12-team Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, their highest finish since 2001.

Despite the losing record, the Trojans seemed to turn the corner this season, defeating UCLA for the first time since 2000 and upsetting powerhouses Pepperdine and Penn State. The Trojans return six of seven starters next season and will again have a top recruiting class.

"That's the one thing that makes it hard. I know how great we'll be this year. … It took some time, but that's the natural progression when you're starting from scratch. My last two years of recruiting have been terrific, and this incoming class is as good, if not better," Douglas said. "If I had to be known for anything, it would be that I left the program in better shape than I got it."

The Trojans will search immediately for a replacement, the team said in a press release.