Rick Pitino protege Steve Masiello compiled a winning record at Manhattan, leading the Jaspers to the NCAA Tournament.

Masiello was reportedly going to leave for greener pastures at South Florida to replace Stan Heath, who was fired earlier this month.

But now ESPN has reported that South Florida has rescinded a 5-year $6.2 million job offer, saying it believes Masiello falsified information on his resume - specifically that he graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2000 when in fact he did not.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

George O'Leary left Georgia Tech in 2001 for Notre Dame and quickly found himself issuing embarrassing mea culpas for resume padding, claiming he had completed course work for a degree he never obtained. The Fighting Irish forced O'Leary to resign.

O'Leary came out fine, spending a few seasons coaching defense at the Minnesota Vikings and then as head coach at Central Florida.

Masiello's case may be more complicated. Most Division I schools require coaches to have degrees - to set a good example for the kids.

Masiello, a native of White Plains, N.Y., served as Pitino's ball boy with the New York Knicks in the 1980s, played for him at Kentucky (1996-1997) and then spent another six years coaching alongside him at Louisville (2005-11).

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Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

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