Report: USC to Hire Washington AD Jennifer Cohen

This afternoon, there were reports that the University of Southern California would fill its open Athletic Director vacancy with Washington’s Jen Cohen. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was among the first to report the news alongside The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. Cohen replaces the departed Mike Bohn, who had a controversial tenure, to say the least.

Sources: USC is set to hire Washington’s Jennifer Cohen as the school’s new athletic director. Cohen has been the AD at Washington since 2016 and overseen the program reaching the College Football Playoff. She's a member of the CFP Committee.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 21, 2023

This news is on the heels of USC declaring a press conference earlier this morning about the position.

USC has a new AD… pic.twitter.com/bwRUHkpDvp

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) August 21, 2023

Ms. Cohen was hired after reports emerged that Florida State athletic director Michael Alford denied interest in the vacancy Sunday evening.

FSU AD/VP Michael Alford on USC speculation involving his name: “I am not now, nor have I been, a candidate for the position at USC. Nor do I have any interest in any role other than my current position at Florida State.’

More… pic.twitter.com/CZ6LXI8wWq

— Chris Nee (@CNee247) August 20, 2023

Cohen was the sitting AD at the University of Washington since 2016 and oversaw multiple coaching transitions in the football program. FOX analyst Chris Petersen retired, the hiring and ultimately firing of Jimmy Lake (for cause), and Kalen DeBoer was hired under her watch. Washington’s basketball program was competitive but wasn’t the greatest under her watch as well. She’s also a sitting member of the College Football Playoff Committee. Her crowning achievement during her Huskies tenure may have been being part of the school’s process to join the Big Ten. Interestingly, her new program will be at the same conference as her former one next season. Washington travels to the Coliseum to take on USC in early November so she doesn’t have to wait that long to renew acquaintances.

She is a SoCal native, graduating from San Diego State so she’s intimately aware of the pressures and expectations of the storied USC athletics programs. Cohen’s departure to SC, it remains to be seen what UW does to replace a very successful AD amidst a transitional and historical watershed moment. Cohen joins USC at a time when football is on the upswing with a great coach and a Heisman winner returning. It will be interesting to see how she molds the athletic department in her vision.