To be clear, USC did make a run at CDC. Liucci probably heard that from the USC side and ran with it, trying to make it a story. Problem is, Liucci doesn't understand critical differences between ATM and Texas at core levels. He's got an asymmetrical information gap working against him and there is no way in hell he will ever be able to see it or understand it. His insecurity and bias would never allow for that kind of learning.
He heard "we're targeting Del Conte" from one of the USC losers and immediately assumed that, and needed to see that, USC would sweep CDC off of his feet. Why? 1) He watched it happen at ATM, "so why wouldn't it also happen at Texas?" and 2) He knows somewhere deep down that Del Conte is damned good at what he does, so it benefitted his outlook to believe that he'd leave.
Texas isn't ATM, Billdo. Texas isn't a little dicked little brother constantly getting sand kicked in its face by the rest of the world on every level. USC is a fucking mess. Texas can always match the money side of it. Texas is the premier athletic department in the country and still, Del Conte gets to be responsible for helping it transition into a better place and has his legacy stamped all over it. Del Conte doesn't need to go somewhere else to be fulfilled in his ambitions. You dumb, insecure motherfucker.