Trojans want inquiry

PHOENIX – The Pacific-10 Conference is launching an investigation into the rental of a $757,237 home by the family of former Southern California football star Reggie Bush – an arrangement that could result in the Trojans’ forfeiture of last season’s 12 victories and Pac-10 championship if found to be a violation of NCAA rules.

Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen confirmed Monday that the league would conduct the inquiry, at USC’s request, into the family’s rental of the house from a man that Yahoo.com reported had tried to steer Bush to a San Diego agent and hoped, himself, to handle marketing for the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner.

The league is the only one with its own enforcement program, mirroring the NCAA’s. Hansen wouldn’t offer a time frame but said the Pac-10 typically moves more quickly than the NCAA.

At issue is whether the family’s occupation of the home while Bush was playing for USC last season constituted an impermissible extra benefit. If deemed a violation, the Pac-10 and/or NCAA could rule that Bush was technically ineligible and the Trojans are subject to penalties for using him.

“One of the available penalties would be forfeiture of games,” said Hansen, in Phoenix for Bowl Championship Series meetings. “But I want to caution that’s a long way from where we are now. I think all of us have seen that so often there are allegations made and then, when you get to the heart of the matter, there’s nothing there.”