Utah, AD Mark Harlan agree to contract extension amid USC rumors

One of USC‘s top targets for the vacant athletics director position might just be off the table after Utah athletics director Mark Harlan agreed to a contract extension.

Stadium’s Brett McMurphy reported the extension, which will run through June 30, 2028. Harlan was named the 2022 Athletics Director of the Year by NACDA.

While it’s not inconceivable USC could still lure Harlan away, there’s probably less incentive for him to leave Utah at this point.

USC’s athletics director position came open when Mike Bohn abruptly resigned in May. Bohn had been with the program for about four years, arriving at USC in 2019.

But in the wake of his resignation, troubling reports have emerged about his tenure, both at USC and previously at Cincinnati.

USC had launched an investigation into Bohn’s management of the athletics department following “internal criticism.”

According to Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times, four current and former employees voiced concerns about Bohn, sharing those concerns with a law firm that reviewed the “operation, culture and strategy” of the athletics department.

University president Carol Folt also chimed in.

“Over the last four years, the USC athletics department has transformed into a national powerhouse,” Folt wrote in an e-mail. “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.”

In addition to the troubling reports out of USC, similar reports out of Cincinnati emerged following Bohn’s recent resignation.

The USC athletics director had previously worked at Cincinnati from 2014-19, during which time 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 USC athletics director position remains open, with the Trojans still vetting potential candidates.