USC coach Steve Sarkisian placed indefinite leave; Clay Helton named interim coach

As if the USC football season couldn’t get any longer than it had after the 17-12 upset loss to Washington the other night, Athletics Director Pat Haden announced that Sark was taking an “indefinite leave of absence”.

Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News tweeted “sources tell me Sarkisian is expected to seek treatment“. “I’ve got to always do what’s right for our team and our school”, added Haden.

Haden wasn’t specific about the reasons for Sarkisian’s absence, only saying that “it was very clear to me” that the second-year USC coach was unwell.

Reports also indicated that coaches believed Sarkisian was intoxicated during USC’s 42-14 victory at Arizona State on September 26. “BREAKING: Players noticed Steve Sarkisian not sober at special teams meeting this morning #USC”, tweeted Inside USC Sunday.

Sarkisian has admitted to having a tough time dealing with a public divorce during the offseason, but denied having a problem with substance abuse.

Head coach Mark Dantonio is probably not too pleased to hear about his colleague, Steve Sarkisian, having issues, but he is probably glad to have another shot at landing the five-star linebacker from Ann Arbor, Mich. “When you’re in games and you’re trying to find balance and you’re trying to make it all work, we’re calling the stuff that we think is best for our team”. The Trojans are 12-6 in Sarkisian’s one and a half seasons, and he previously went 34-29 in five seasons as head coach at Washington.

Said Haden: “I met with Coach Sarkisian and I expressed my disappointment in the way he represented himself and the university at our Salute to Troy event”.

ESPN.com say, “Sarkisian was not in attendance at the Trojans’ practice on Sunday afternoon”.

The time to bleeping fight on, baby-as Sarkisian famously put it weeks ago at a booster event-is now just a race to save his soul.

Is the Steve Sarkisian era at USC already over after 18 games? USC travels to Notre Dame this weekend.

Sarkisian held a news conference and said the incident was the result of him mixing alcohol – “not much” – with medication he did not specify. Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will take over on an interim basis. There is no doubt that after two bumbled head coaching hires, Pat Haden and USC will look to snag only the best coach available and finally move away from the failed Pete Carroll coaching tree in trying to emulate their success under the former USC coach. He was, of course, also the head coach at the University of Houston where his son played quarterback.

“I thought the end of regulation, there were a couple times (officials) were winding the clock and the clock wasn’t running”, Helfrich said. Following that incident, Sarkisian assured that he “would not drink for the remainder of the season”.