Ex-USC Assistant Claims Whistleblowing Retaliation

According to the Times, the lawsuit said Courtright subsequently reported concerns that the graduate assistants might have violated NCAA rules by driving full-time assistant coaches while they recruited, and used a school courtesy car for personal reasons. That came after USC athletic director Lynn Swann sent a memo to athletic department employees in October 2017 asking them to report illegal or questionable activity in the aftermath of the FBI’s arrest of men’s basketball assistant coach Tony Bland in the college basketball corruption investigation.

The lawsuit said Courtright also reported that players warmed up before games without protective equipment or full-time coaches present to supervise them. That included an incident where two players collided and experienced concussions, according to the lawsuit, during warmups before USC’s game against Washington State in September 2017.

The complaints triggered retaliation against Courtright in the form of his computer and personal property being moved or stolen and obscene sticky notes being placed around his desk, according to the lawsuit, which states he was suddenly ostracized by other staffers. Coach Clay Helton told Courtright that Pendegast didn't want to retain him because "things weren't working out," and banned Courtright from campus and the football offices.