Who's The Next USC Coach? Fisher, Del Rio Rumored To Be Persons Of Interest

As the USC Trojans transition from a "we lost our head coach" phase into a "we need a new head coach" phase, all sorts of names are being thrown around. Yahoo's Tom Dienhart offers nine -- yes, nine -- possibilities.

With Pete Carroll reportedly close to becoming the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, USC will likely target Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, Oregon State coach Mike Riley and Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher as his replacement.

USC also may have interest in Boise State’s Chris Petersen. TCU’s Gary Patterson, Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, Temple’s Al Golden, ex-Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham.

The first three names mentioned are probably the most interesting. After his Titans stumbled to an 0-6 start in 2009, Fisher oversaw an extraordinary turnaround that resulted in an 8-8 finish. Del Rio's Jaguars, meanwhile, finished in the AFC South cellar but at least managed to poke themselves into the playoff discussion.

In his second stint at Oregon State, Riley led the Beavers to six bowl appearances, five of which they won. If USC were to tab Riley for the head coaching position, it would only add to the domino effect that has the college coaching situation at large in a state of flux.

As always, check out our USC blog, Conquest Chronicles, for more as the situation unfolds and more names are thrown around. And if you're a nervous Beavers fan, check out our Oregon State blog, Building the Dam.