Report: USC launched investigation into Mike Bohn, workplace environment prior to resignation

More details have come to light about USC athletic director Mike Bohn’s resignation on Friday. There has been “internal criticism of his management of the athletics department,” the Los Angeles Times’ Ryan Kartje reported.

Kartje — who initially broke the news of Bohn’s resignation, effective immediately — said four current and former employees voiced concerns about him. They shared those concerns with a law firm that reviewed the “operation, culture and strategy” of the athletics department, as USC president Carol Folt said in an email about Bohn’s resignation.

“Over the last four years, the USC athletics department has transformed into a national powerhouse,” Folt wrote. “In our singular pursuit of excellence, I am committed to ensuring we have the right leadership in place to achieve our goals. As part of that commitment and as we prepare to move to the Big Ten, we conducted a thorough review of the athletics department, including its operations, culture, and strategy. Having built a strong foundation over the last few years, now is the time for new direction grounded in our values and in expertise needed to fulfill our aspirational vision for Trojan athletics.”

The Times also reported people raised concerns about Bohn while he was at Cincinnati, where he served as athletic director from 2014-19. Robb Williams, a former athletic trainer at UC, said he saw Bohn “make unwanted physical contact with women on several occasions, including touching their shoulders or backs in a way that made them visibly uncomfortable,” according to The Times.

The timing of Bohn’s resignation raised some eyebrows, especially considering USC is more than a year away from making the major move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. He was also absent from the Big Ten meetings this week in Rosemont, Illinois, The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach said on The Paul Finebaum Show Friday.

In a statement released Friday, Bohn mentioned “ongoing health challenges” as a factor in his decision.

Mike Bohn made some major moves while at USC

Bohn spent a little more than three years as the athletic director at USC, and in addition to the Big Ten move, he also made a major splash by bringing in former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley to take over the football program. He saw immediate success with the Trojans, turning Caleb Williams into a Heisman Trophy winner and getting the program in the conversation for the College Football Playoff before a Pac-12 Championship loss to Utah.

On the basketball side, USC recently landed a commitment from Bronny James — the son of LeBron James and one of the highest-profile recruits in the nation. James is a four-star recruit, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, but On3 rates him as a five-star, which is higher than other services.

USC is also a big player in the NIL space with three operating NIL Collectives. A fourth, BLVD LLC, stopped day-to-day operations in February after it became the first step toward becoming a major player in the landscape.

House of Victory is one of the biggest USC-focused collectives and merged with the 3400 Club earlier this month. It has struck a deal with Boogie Ellis and recently announced a partnership with Baker Tilly.