USC head coach Steve Sarkisian has apologized for his behavior at Saturday night's Salute to Troy event, where according to sources he was intoxicated, used foul language and insulted other programs.
Sarkisian appeared to be drunk and was slurring his words, a team source told ESPN's Shelley Smith.
"Our whole team is embarrassed," said the source, who added that athletic director Pat Haden had to intervene and was seen berating Sarkisian backstage afterward.
The source said Sarkisian disparaged USC opponents, saying "they all suck" about a number of Pac-12 schools, and used inappropriate language while introducing his team to alumni and donors, as seen in video provided to ESPN by the team source.
"Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again."Steve Sarkisian
"I sincerely apologize to my players and staff and to our fans for my behavior and my inappropriate language at our kickoff event Saturday night," Sarkisian said in a statement released via the school's sports blog Sunday morning. "I have a responsibility to all of them and I let them down. Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again."
The Salute to Troy event is an annual rally to kick off the season and is attended by alumni and donors.
"I met with coach Sarkisian and I expressed my disappointment in the way he represented himself and the university at our Salute to Troy event," Haden said in the same released statement. "While the details of our conversation will remain between us, I am confident he heard my message loud and clear."
Sarkisian, a former USC assistant coach, is in his second year as the school's head coach after going 9-4 last season. USC is No. 10 in the preseason coaches' poll and was picked to win the conference in last month's preseason media poll.
ESPN's Shelley Smith contributed to this report.