So Rick Majerus backs out of a “dream job” with USC, leaving their athletic department looking like dopes. I mean this is worse than a drunk, quickie Vegas marriage where the next day one partner sobers up, takes a look at who is sleeping next to them and gets a divorce. I mean USC held a press conference introducing Majerus as head coach. That’s taking the guy home to meet the folks stage.

So that means the search is back to where it was and the names that were there before, are rehashed. So, yes, Pitt coach Jamie Dixon’s name is back in play. The thing is, USC wants to make the hire within the next 4 weeks because the senior associate AD who conducts the b-ball coach search leaves in mid-January for Syracuse. Daryl Gross will be the guy taking over from retiring AD Jake Crouthamel. Man, the people up in Syracuse have to be feeling good about this guy already.

I just don’t see Dixon leaving Pitt in mid-season for the job. I wasn’t convinced they could get him after the season, but definitely not mid-season from a top-10 team. It would crash the entire season. Maybe you get someone like Paul Westphal — a USC alum and coach at mid-major Pepperdine. Or you get the guy still looking for work, Tim Floyd.

Another factor is that the guy doing the search and hire will be coming to Syracuse and the Big East. Can you imagine how awkward his first time speaking to the Pitt AD would be. There might be issues.

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Chris Taft isn’t too worried about his numbers and the expectations.

Taft is aware of the chatter surrounding his game. He would like to live up to everyone’s lofty goals. He just thinks that it’s going to be hard to do in Pitt’s team concept offense.

“After the year I had last year everyone expects me to get 20 or 25 night in and night out,” Taft said following Pitt’s 73-42 victory against Coppin State Saturday night. “To be honest with you I would love to do that. I’m going to try and rebound so crazy that I can have 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds], but it’s going to be hard. We have more than one person who can score. You have me, Chevy [Troutman], Carl [Krauser], Antonio [Graves], Yuri [Demetris]. We try to balance it out.”

Under Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon, Pitt has only had one player average more than 18 points per game in a season. That was Ricardo Greer in 1999-2000, and he averaged 18.1 per game. Balance has been Pitt’s trademark.

It is true. Each year, we expect one player on Pitt’s team to have scoring numbers far above anyone else on the team, but the numbers always seem to be well balanced. Greer was the only one to score that much, because he was just about the only one who could score consistently on that team.

I like that while Taft would like to have better numbers (and is willing to admit it), he also knows the team’s style and is willing to play within it. Speaks well of his maturity and desire to win versus just getting numbers.

I don’t expect Graves to play against Richmond. I figure Pitt has to give him time to let the ankle heal. Especially since Big East play starts in 2 weeks or so. Depth is finally here for Pitt, so there isn’t going to be a huge gap with him out. It will be interesting to see how Ramon does starting for him again. Ramon got to start the first couple games when Graves first sprained the ankle and shot very well. His shot wasn’t as good in recent games off the bench.