Raveling, USC Will Continue Talking Today : Iowa Basketball Coach Says It’s Too Early to Call Media

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa’s George Raveling on Wednesday was weighing an offer to become basketball coach at USC after withdrawing from consideration for the coaching job at the University of Houston.

Raveling has talked to USC officials about the job and said he would fly to Los Angeles today for more discussions.

A source said USC had offered the coaching job to Raveling, who has been at Iowa for three years. Stan Morrison resigned the Trojan job two weeks ago to become associate athletic director at the school.

Raveling told WHO Radio in Des Moines late Wednesday that although he was interested in the USC job and was going to meet with school officials, he wasn’t ready to accept the job just yet.

“At this point, I feel there’s some extremely relevant conversations that need to take place between myself and their athletic director and president,” Raveling said. “Once that conversation takes place, then I would think I would be in a position to say yes or no.”

Raveling had a speaking engagement in Des Moines Wednesday night that he had agreed to several months ago and said he still planned to keep it. He said he would return to Iowa City and fly to California this morning.

There were reports that USC officials were planning a news conference today to announce their new coach, although a USC spokesman said nothing was scheduled. Raveling said he had not been told about a news conference.

“So if there is one set up, they’re probably overly optimistic they’re going to get a commitment out of me,” he said.

George Wine, Iowa’s sports information director, issued a statement at mid-afternoon Wednesday saying Raveling had withdrawn his name from consideration for the Houston job, which was opened up by the retirement of veteran Coach Guy Lewis.

Wine said Raveling had been offered the Houston job but turned it down.

In Houston, however, the school’s athletic director, Tom Ford, said Raveling was a “highly qualified candidate” but was never officially offered the job.

If he takes the USC job, Raveling would be in more familiar territory than he would have been at Houston. Raveling coached in the Pacific 10 Conference for 11 years when he was at Washington State.

“I think the USC athletic program speaks for itself,” Raveling said. “It has reaped with success in all sports. It stands on its own two feet whether Raveling coaches the team or not.

“It’s a great job, but Iowa’s a great job too.”

This is the second time in recent years that USC officials have tried to hire Iowa’s basketball coach. USC offered Lute Olson the job in 1979, but he agreed to stay at Iowa after getting an extended contract and receiving assurances that a new arena would be built.

Carver-Hawkeye Arena opened in January 1983. Olson left two months later to become coach at Arizona and Raveling was hired away from Washington State shortly thereafter.

Raveling has guided Iowa to records of 13-15, 21-11 and 20-12. The Hawkeyes played in the NCAA tournament in each of the past two years, but lost in the first round. They were tied for seventh in the Big Ten Conference in 1984 and were fifth in each of the last two years.

Morrison had been the coach at USC for seven years. The Trojans were 11-17 last season.

Raveling has had an up-and-down tenure as Iowa’s coach. The losing record his first year was a disappointment because the Hawkeyes had been picked by many to win the Big Ten title and were coming off a 21-10 season and their fifth straight NCAA appearance.

Raveling has turned things around the past two years and this year’s success was surprising because his team relied heavily on freshmen and sophomores. However, he has been criticized in some quarters for wearing warmup outfits during games instead of a sport coat and tie.

Late this season, Raveling was irked by a Seattle newspaper article that implied some Iowans didn’t like him because he’s black. Raveling said the story could hurt his recruiting.