REGGIE BUSH INQUIRY REPORT PROBE COULD LEAD TO USC SANCTIONS.

Byline: BILLY WITZ AND MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writers

A link between the family of Reggie Bush and a man seeking to promote the former USC star's professional career could result in sanctions against the school, a source familiar with NCAA compliance issues said late Sunday.

For more than year the parents of Bush, expected to be the first pick in next weekend's NFL draft, had lived in a plush San Diego-area home that property records show belong to a man who allegedly tried to play a role in steering Bush toward a sports agent and who also hoped to handle his professional marketing, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports.

The Pacific-10 Conference said Sunday it would begin an investigation into whether the reported arrangement would violate NCAA rules prohibiting athletes or their families from getting extra benefits.

``If, and it's a big if, USC knew or should have known about this, then anything is possible,'' the source said. ``If any of the coaches or staff members knew about it and didn't do anything about it, or conducted an investigation that was faulty, that would be egregious, a potentially major violation.''

Among the sanctions the NCAA could impose would be forfeiting victories from last season, a ban on bowl games and TV appearances, or a reduction of scholarships.

The Bush family spent the 2005 season living in a Spring Valley home owned by Michael Michaels, a businessman who had sought to handle the star tailback's professional marketing, Yahoo reported Sunday.

``Rather than jumping to conclusions, we need to determine the facts before commenting on this report,'' University of Southern California athletic director Mike Garrett said in a statement.

Neighbors told Yahoo that Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, his stepfather, LaMar Griffin, and brother Jovan Griffin - who could be seen walking on the Memorial Coliseum field after every home games wearing Bush jerseys with their family relation stitched on the back - moved into the home shortly after it was purchased by Michaels for $757,500 in March of 2005.

The Web site reported the family moved out of the house Friday after questions over its ownership arose.

``I have absolutely nothing to say,'' Denise Griffin told Yahoo when asked about the property.

Michaels reportedly attempted to steer Bush toward signing with San Diego agent David Caravantes. Instead, Bush hired Joel Segal, a former associate of Caravantes at World Wide Entertainment and Sports.

The Pac-10 will conduct an investigation and report its findings to the NCAA, which would impose any sanctions. The investigation could be hindered because Bush, since he no longer is an eligible athlete, isn't required to cooperate.

``It means that if Reggie didn't want to talk, he wouldn't have to talk,'' according to the source familiar with compliance matters. ``It makes it harder. It's easier when you have a student who wants to stay eligible.

Among the questions the investigation is likely to ask, if there is evidence that the alleged arrangement violated NCAA rules, is whether Michaels was a representative of USC's athletic interest. If USC was eventually forced to forfeit any games from last season, it would not have to return its share of receipts of the Rose Bowl payout. While schools can be forced to return revenues from the NCAA basketball tournament, the NCAA isn't the sanctioning body for bowl games.

``We don't know anything right now,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said.

- Scott Wolf contributed