Report: Mike Bohn resigns as USC athletic director after staffers 'raised concerns' about conduct

Bohn had been USC AD since 2019

Mike Bohn unexpectedly resigned as USC athletic director on Friday.

In a statement announcing the resignation, USC president Carol 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."

To conduct the review Folt mentioned, USC retained Gina Maisto Smith, a Philadelphia-based attorney from Cozen O’Connor earlier this year, according to the LA Times. 

"Four current and former USC employees said that staffers inside the athletics department had raised concerns to the law firm about Bohn," per the Times.  

And now the veteran athletic administrator is no longer at USC. 

In his own statement released to the LA Times, Bohn said:

“After more than 40 years of college athletics leadership, it is the right time to step away from my position as Director of Athletics at the University of Southern California. I have dedicated my life to serving student-athletes and advancing the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics. I will always be proud of leading the program out of the most tumultuous times in the history of the profession and at USC with a restored reputation and national milestone accomplishments. I led the process to join the Big 10 Conference, hired marquee Head Coaches, produced the highest graduation rate in school history and won numerous national and conference championships. As a former student-athlete myself, my purpose and identity are rooted in supporting young people as they pursue their athletic, academic, and personal goals. I have been fortunate to have had so many wonderful opportunities and met so many terrific people, and I depart wishing the very best to all with whom I worked and served. In moving on, it is important now that I focus on being present with my treasured family, addressing ongoing health challenges, and reflecting on how I can be impactful in the future.”

This is a developing story. Check back at SI All Trojans for updates.