Los Angeles ? Rick Majerus is back coaching college basketball.

He retired nearly a year ago for health reasons after 15 seasons at Utah, but he couldn’t stay away from his life’s passion. Wednesday, Majerus took over the program at Southern California although he won’t be on the bench this season.

Majerus signed a multiyear contract and will take over as head coach April 1. However, he’ll begin recruiting immediately, filling the assistant’s job vacated when Jim Saia was promoted to interim head coach after Henry Bibby’s firing.

When Majerus wasn’t on camera analyzing college games for ESPN, he was talking X’s and O’s with his legion of coaching buddies around the country.

So after USC fired Bibby last week, Majerus happily signed on to revive a program that has languished for years at a school known for its national championship football team. The Trojans also play second fiddle to crosstown rival UCLA’s tradition-rich basketball legacy.

“I’m so excited about the possibilities that are here,” Majerus said at a campus news conference where he interspersed basketball terms with food groups. “I love Southern California, and I won’t coach anywhere ever again, I don’t think.”

Saia stood at the back of the room Wednesday, but he will be running the Trojans this season.

“He’s going to let me coach the team,” Saia said. “He wants to stay out of the fray. He doesn’t want to come to games, he doesn’t want to come to practice. I’m sure he’ll watch us on TV and evaluate the freshmen and sophomores.”

Famous for a hearty appetite that led to heart-bypass surgery in 1989 and forced two other extended leaves from Utah, the 56-year-old Majerus has battled weight problems for years.

“My health is good, or I wouldn’t do this,” he said. “Both my doctors encouraged me to do it. I wouldn’t put anyone, least of all myself, in harm’s way.”

Majerus was quick to note he never has had a heart attack.

“I’ve had seven bypasses — one for every major food group, and I told people two for the barbecue division,” he said, drawing laughter.