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There’s early speculation about who’s going to replace Kevin O’Neill at USC.

Andy Katz, who does a great job at ESPN, threw some names out there and one of them is Washington’s Lorenzo Romar. Before anyone works themselves up into a lather, Katz is just speculating at this point. He’s not saying USC has interest in Romar or Romar has interest in the Trojans.

Katz writes: “I don’t see USC hiring an assistant. But what could play well is if Haden goes for a coach who wants to leave before he gets fired and wouldn’t mind a change of venue and a fresh four-to-five-year contract. This is the Herb Sendek and/or Oliver Purnell-type play.

“That’s why names to file away for later could include Washington’s Lorenzo Romar, Texas’ Rick Barnes and Villanova’s Jay Wright. I know there will be detractors dismissing all of these candidates. But you can guarantee this job will draw plenty of interest, at the very least to play their current school against USC and work for a raise.”

Again Katz is throwing out a bunch of scenarios, many of which will never happen. The most interesting part of his piece is his observations about the Trojans.

You have to wonder if the USC opening is a good job for an established, high-profile coach. The Trojans will always be a football school while the men’s basketball program draws little to no interest in Los Angeles. Attendance at Galen Center is low and the program plays second fiddle in the city to UCLA.

Certainly it would be lateral move for Romar, who is a native of Compton, Calif. Recently he was linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves job and years ago declined overtures from UCLA. He’s always professed his love and devotion to Washington where he played for two years and coached the past 11 seasons. He’s described his position as “my dream job.”

Romar has a contract that expires after the 2019-20 season.