They did that when Urban joined OSU. NCAA let him come in and build his staff and recruit while the old coach (forget if it was Tressel or an interim) coached out the season.
Clay Helton is toast. New AD coming in next week. How can USC currently be 65th in recruiting with one of the most fertile recruiting bases in the country? And with UCLA floundering. What the Hell?
Penn St Franklin, Oklahoma's Stoops and Baylor's Ruhle are the three the LA times article suggests. And with a new AD coming at USC within the next week, things could happen fast.
Urban Meyer isn't going anywhere except maybe as AD at OSU when Smith retires... That is his goal. he is also fabulous, and a natural on Fox's gameday in his breakdown of the games, and describing the many facets of football.