USC names Clay Helton as permanent football coach

There wasn’t much time to celebrate for Clay Helton when USC’s interim head coach was named the permanent head coach Monday.

In a statement posted minutes later on the Trojans’ Web site, Athletic Director Pat Haden revealed the school had done an extensive search, but found Helton to be best-suited for the job “after observing Clay in action the past seven weeks”.

USC got ahead of the coaching carousel when they fired Steve Sarkisian, and now they have a new permanent head coach.

USC offensive tackle Zach Banner, linebacker Su’a Cravens, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, defensive tackle Antwaun Woods and Smith-Schuster were first-team selections to the All-Pac-12 team. “I welcome them with open arms, because as a coach, I expect them of myself”. He has led the team to the point where folks are actually saluting Troy as USC heads into Saturday’s Pacific-12 Championship Game against Stanford. He was not hired because many current and former players voiced their support for him.

“I’m totally humbled, and I’m proud of the job that we’ve done as an entire team”, Helton said in a hastily called news conference amid his preparations for Saturday’s title game. Helton may not be the head coach that USC fans want, but he’s the head coach this USC football program needs. “I understand I’m not a flashy name”.

Praise USC for finally making a smart move this time, even if some aren’t happy with it. Oklahoma appears to be in good shape because it doesn’t have to play in a conference title game, and the victor of the Big Ten championship between Iowa and Michigan State would figure to be a lock. It’s safe to say, though, that no matter what, expectations for how things will fare next season will be through the roof.

Henry’s performance against the Tigers was notable for several single-game, season and career reasons. His 3 interceptions against Utah were the most in a game by a Trojan since 1991.

After a season of ups and downs and wild endings, Pac-12 football is right back to where it all began.

Head coach Clay Helton looks on from the sidelines during the third quarter of the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on November 21, 2015 in Eugene, Oregon. “He’s done a really good job of that all year, whether he’s had the ball or he hasn’t had the ball”.

Starting center Khaliel Rodgers missed practice with the high ankle sprain he suffered against UCLA, so Nico Falah took first-team reps. It was at this point in the season that people wrote off the Trojans for the Pac-12 and the College Football Playoff. Didn’t have many victories this season but won a moral victory to close the season. Despite his success, however, Goff is only fourth in the country in passing yardage – behind Bowling Green’s Matt Johnson (4,465), Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes (4,283) and Washington State’s Luke Falk (4,266). “We believe he’ll win back the national championship”. Like UCLA, injuries derailed the season. Each victor since its inception in 2011 – Chip Kelly, David Shaw and Mark Helfrich – was an internal hire. McCaffrey’s per-game average of 252.9 leads the nation by more than 50 yards a game.

The USC ground game has featured a committee of running backs over the course of the season and has been anchored by leading rushers Ronald Jones II, who surpassed Charles White to become the leading freshman rusher in USC history, along with and junior Justin Davis.