Southern California has named interim head coach Clay Helton their permanent head coach.

While Helton isn't a direct Carroll disciple, I am extremely upset with this decision. I thought SC could get the biggest name out there and I don't get why they are so scared to go outside of the school to find a coach. Pete Carroll is gone and isn't coming back, get over it SC. I hate SC don't get me wrong, but college football is better when SC is good. I don't understand this decision at all. It's a safe decision to me in a time where SC doesn't need another safe coach.

Hard to understand this hire.

Have they not improved by leaps and bounds since he took over?

I don't understand this. I heard they had a meeting with Chip Kelly before doing this but why stop at Chip?

Clay Helton has done a great job. He has been rehired by multiple USC head coaches, which shows how well he is respected in the program. I would assume that USC reached out to some people to gauge interest before making this decision.

I don't understand this. I heard they had a meeting with Chip Kelly before doing this but why stop at Chip?

 

Now this would have been a home run hire. I am anticipating Chip Kelly to be getting a high profile college job a la Nick Saban after his bad NFL stint.

Now this would have been a home run hire. I am anticipating Chip Kelly to be getting a high profile college job a la Nick Saban after his bad NFL stint.

 

USC came out believing that he really wants to stay in the league. I could see him taking the Titans job then

Have they not improved by leaps and bounds since he took over?

I don't really think so. They were playing more towards the potential they had at the beginning of the season, but they aren't playing significantly better now than they were under Sark IMO. My frustration is that USC just seems content to keep making these safe hires and it continues to fail for them time after time. I just want USC to be relevant again in the playoff picture and I don't think this coach can get them there. I may be wrong, we'll have to find out. But what I do know is USC could get any guy they want outside of the obvious guys that are already at their destination school, and to simply just hire the interim coach without even giving this decision the due diligence it deserves is mind boggling to me.

Now this would have been a home run hire. I am anticipating Chip Kelly to be getting a high profile college job a la Nick Saban after his bad NFL stint.

USC, imo, is about as high profile as it gets.

I don't really think so. They were playing more towards the potential they had at the beginning of the season, but they aren't playing significantly better now than they were under Sark IMO. My frustration is that USC just seems content to keep making these safe hires and it continues to fail for them time after time. I just want USC to be relevant again in the playoff picture and I don't think this coach can get them there. I may be wrong, we'll have to find out. But what I do know is USC could get any guy they want outside of the obvious guys that are already at their destination school, and to simply just hire the interim coach without even giving this decision the due diligence it deserves is mind boggling to me.

 

Have they not improved by leaps and bounds since he took over?

 

I can see where USC felt pressure to hire the interim coach based upon what Orgeron did in his final few games as interim coach and then going in a different direction.

USC, imo, is about as high profile as it gets.

 

Yes I agree USC is on par with high profile college football as Notre Dame, Alabama and Texas. Not saying they are the best teams but when you think of high profile places those four schools come to mind.

I can see where USC felt pressure to hire the interim coach based upon what Orgeron did in his final few games as interim coach and then going in a different direction.

That is the only logical reason I can think of to hire him back, especially this early. They didn't even give time to look at anyone else. I mean this is Southern California we're talking about here, not some mediocre program. That coaching job is one of the best jobs in sports and to not even take the time to interview people to find the best candidate I feel is an insult to the program. I am by no means a USC fan, in fact, quite the opposite, but if I was a fan of USC I would be furious right now. It's not the fact that they hired Clay Helton, its that fact that they apparently didn't even inquire about anyone else.

Pat Haden should be immediately fired IMO. USC is better than this. Third disaster of a hire in a row for USC.

 

Not saying it won't work out, but I don't think USC can afford to take a risk like this. Get on the phone with Chip Kelly, Gary Patterson, Art Briles, Jimbo Fisher, David Shaw, Mike Gundy, Mark Dantonio and don't take no for an answer. Make sure you come out with someone of the highest caliber.

Pat Haden should be immediately fired IMO. USC is better than this. Third disaster of a hire in a row for USC.

 

Not saying it won't work out, but I don't think USC can afford to take a risk like this. Get on the phone with Chip Kelly, Gary Patterson, Art Briles, Jimbo Fisher, David Shaw, Mike Gundy, Mark Dantonio and don't take no for an answer. Make sure you come out with someone of the highest caliber.

 

All of the guys you mentioned were assistant coaches before they were head coaches. Kelly, Patterson, Fisher, Shaw and Gundy were assistant coaches at the school they took over before they became the head coach. This will play out just fine for USC and Coach Helton.