Posted on 09/13/2021 2:47:45 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
USC athletic director Mike Bohn announced Monday that Clay Helton is out as head coach of the Trojans.
Cornerbacks coach Donte Williams will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Bohn and Helton addressed the team and delivered the news during a regular Monday meeting.
“Clay is one of the finest human beings I have met in this industry, and he has been a tremendous role model and mentor to our young men,” Bohn said in a statement released by the USC Athletics department. “We appreciate his many years of service to our university and wish him nothing but the very best. Consistent with our values as an institution, he deserves the utmost respect from the Trojan Family during this transition.”
Helton took over as the permanent USC head coach in late-2015 after serving as interim for much of that season. He posted a 46-24 record and went 2-3 in bowl games (one win as an interim head coach). USC is coming off a blowout loss to Stanford, dropping its 2021 record to 1-1 and falling out of the national polls.
“Our university and its leadership are committed to winning national championships and restoring USC football to glory,” Bohn said in the statement. “I accept the enormous responsibility I have to our current and former players and the entire Trojan Family to live up to our incredible heritage.”
The firing comes just two games into the 2021 season, but this has been building. Helton helped the Trojans to a Rose Bowl win and a Pac-12 title in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, but USC went just 5-7 in 2018 and lost five games in 2019.
“As I committed to upon my arrival at USC, during the past two off-seasons we provided every resource necessary for our football program to compete for championships,” Bohn said in his message announcing the change. “The added resources carried significantly increased expectations for our team’s performance, and it is already evident that, despite the enhancements, those expectations would not be met without a change in leadership.”
Bohn said USC will begin a national search for its next permanent head coach.
Or we’ll find out how bad LSU is. I wouldn’t be surprised if LSU finishes last in the SEC West this year.
They might poach Lincoln Riley.
He has a tool for a quarterback and would bug out without giving it a thought.
Why would Riley leave Oklahoma?
Although I would consider trying to coax Bob Stoops out of retirement, he was to coach an XFL team before the league folded.
Definitely at the end of the season if he doesn't get things turned around. This Dawg is seriously concerned that Coach Lake is the wrong guy. Too many red flags.
“Or we’ll find out how bad LSU is. I wouldn’t be surprised if LSU finishes last in the SEC West this year”
True, but I’m wondering if Coach Ed “Mongo” Orgeron maybe played it vanilla against McNeese State last Sat. since HIS SON was the starting QB for McNeese? A couple more games will tell.
Why did Chris Petersen step down?
But that SEC West is a gauntlet this year. Mississippi State looks like they are turning the corner with The Pirate, and Ole Miss sure can put points on the board, and of course look at what Pittman is doing at Arkansas, and Auburn looks good too, even though they have yet to play a good team.
I think one of those teams is going to trip up Bama.
They should take a look at Lane Kiffin. He knows the area, and it shouldn’t take him long to break the program at Ole Miss.
This UW grad and longtime Husky fanatic isn't as patient as you, need to make a change now. Heck even if they blow-out Arkansas State this weekend.
I think that bridge has been burned.
USC.....Useless Spoiled Childs
“They should take a look at Lane Kiffin. He knows the area, and it shouldn’t take him long to break the program at Ole Miss”
He has been escorted off the LAX Tarmac already by USC Officials as USC Head Coach. That lingering memory by both parties should keep him out of L.A for good.
But we have to fire him two games into the season. How does the Florida State coach still have a job today? I know he wasn't on the field missing tackles but.... losing to Jacksonville State?!
After losing to a mediocre Kansas State, the half-arsed Stanford coach finally played one of America’s three best college quarterbacks. The result? Stanford stomped USC.
Coach O is on the hot seat too. Even after winning a national championship two seasons ago.
And Lane is sure to get a “warm welcome” in Knoxville on October 16.
My fear is they fire Coach O, then go get Mullen. I’m hearing rumblings that Mullen isn’t exactly happy with the UF fanbase.
The FSU AD is a dumpster fire, their problems go beyond coaching. Taggert is actually doing ok at FAU, he should get another nice coaching gig soon.
I bet “The U” is kicking themselves now for not hiring Cristobal for their coach.
Bob is the kind of guy you’d want to move in next door to you, but he’s past his coaching prime by about 10 years at least.
Let him have the TV gigs and enjoy life in retirement with Mrs. Stoops. He did quite well for himself in that way, she’s a big success in life in her own right. Give the guy some leeway and let him enjoy life.
Bob Stoops is also an argument in favor of hiring young, more or less unknown assistant coaches into head coaching jobs. Bob was young Elvis... 22 years ago.
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