FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Critical Questions To Remember For Football

Do I need to do Mike Bohn’s job for him?

Let me just say this: If he thinks Clay Helton did a remarkable job beating bad teams in November, here is the question he should ask himself.

  • Will Helton return USC to national prominence and compete against the elite programs in the nation?
  • Will Helton energize the fan base that is so vital to USC football?
  • If Helton left USC, who would hire him? Would an elite program want him? Would a competent program want him?

I asked last night Helton probably is selling this season to Bohn. It’s probably “USC is the best four-loss team in the nation.”

77 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Critical Questions To Remember For Football”

  1. If Gomer stays USC football is dead and I would hope no one attends a game, no one buys any merchandise, no one donates any money and no one watches the games on TV if he is retained

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    1. Bandwagon fans will stay away and that’s fine with the rest of us. Those kids sacrifice too much and work too hard not to support their efforts. Just don’t try to come back when things turn around and claim you’re a Trojan fan. You’re not. You’re a front runner, nothing more. I know people try to argue this simple FACT. They’re in denial.

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      1. You are full of crap lets stop with I’m better then you fan nonsense. The program hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since it went to 4 teams. Its been 10 years since Pete left. We all been wallowing in mediocrity and misery. We are all fans that care. Enough of this ban wagon crap. Sticking with staus quo is not working nor will it ever. 4 years we all seen enough of the clueless one.

        Liked by 7 people

      3. Hey Tampax Trojan, I’ve been a fan since 1967, if you accept mediocrity then so be it. If you accept a shitty coach and a shitty product, so be it, it looks like the recruits aren’t accepting it.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. “….when things turn around …” What’s your prediction on that happening for the better? Consider what an above average head coach who was a head coach before USC hired him would have done with this talent the past 5 years as well as recruit solid linemen. Helton is incompetent and USC is allowing him tio ‘learn on the job’ but somehow those who have seen fa r too much of this jackass are the nones who need ‘…when things turn around.’

        Alert – things will never turn around as long as this clown is the USC head coach.

        Liked by 3 people

      11. Never claimed I was going to “accept it”, nor do I expect others to. You can call for his head all you want. I’m OK with that. But to say you aren’t going to support our boys, with everything THEY put into it, unless the administration makes the changes you want is the very definition of a bandwagon fan.

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    1. I read that article great piece. He broke it down perfectly. At least we are not Rutgers right now not hiring the only coach that brought you any part of success in the history of your football program Greg Schiano. You can’t close the deal because of pompus arrogance. It’s crazy in sports how people get paid millions of dollars only to make stupid decisions that affect and make things worse for everyone else invloved. USC and Rutgers are prime examples of this.

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  3. Its the 20 million dollar question. A 11.8 million dollar buyout for Helton. Then a 8-10 million dollar salary for a new coach. I dont think Meyer is ready to return this year. You have a young team who is starting to execute the air raid offense. You have a president who banks her future on bringing integrity back to the USC administration. This is a transitional and adjustment year for Folt & Bohn and a business decision.

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    1. I think the Urban Meyer/Zach Smith story likely needs a lil more clarity before UM could return to COLLEGE FB. The NFL is a little less selective.
      Hell, you can be a convicted dog-fighter or woman beater (Kareem Hunt) and be brought back into the fold–no problem.

      Clarity for the UM situation likely will not happen. Weak people prefer to just avoid the discussion.

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      1. Okay, karma…
        But I hope that doesn’t stop us from pontificating…
        #Where’sTheFunInThat?
        #Besides–We’reGivingTrueUSCInsidersAChanceToSmile

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  4. Hey cloud so empty seats in a empty colosseum is the right businesses decision? Losing season ticket holders and donations to the football ball program is the right businesses decision? Integrity my ass that’s just an excuse to justify for not firing al lousy coach who is 13-11 in his last 2 seasons. How does mediocrity bring integrity to the USC football program. Clay gets another year because he’s such a nice guy. Are you fucin kidding me? Watch a total fan revolt and Folt starting off to a rocky tenure. If she always Clay to stay. She won’t last 2 years at USC period!

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      3. Michael:
        LSHHCMH!
        (laughed so hard, had to change my huggies)

        Snarky. Sooo snarky.

        Sorry for the slow reply, had to hit 3 7-11’s until I could find my size.

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    2. Blogs,
      The integrity issue that Folt seems to drone on about is not one of the Football program !
      Folt needs to jerk her head out of the stratified, pompous academic air she breathes.
      How long did the OB/GYN irregularities last, years. How long was the drug using Doctor at it at Keck? How long were the admission fraud going on ?

      Non of which seemed to come to light under Nikias, was this dumb ass to wrapped in how magnificent he was or not to be bothered, OR did he know and cover it up, these irregularities went on for several years AND NO ONE IN THE ADMINISTRATION KNEW ANYTHING !!! That’s hard to believe. Now the latest about deaths of students, where is Caruso’ awareness to this issue, he seems to be running the University now ? No answers from any of them as to the causes or future checks and balances to prevent future occurrences…

      Restoring integrity at USC begins with this administration, not the Damn football program. Can you hear me Carol ???

      Restoring the football program to excellence will be a lot easier than correcting the malaise, arrogance and malfeasance of the current administration.
      $320 million dollars on the Coliseum….For What?

      Liked by 3 people

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  6. I was looking at some photos of Helton and Bohn after the UCLA game. Helton was trying his best to do a Lynn Swann huggy bear with Bohn but Bohn was having none of it. He looked like he was stand-offish. That is what a good AD should be. Not another crony or another member of the “family”. So far I like Bohn for just this one reason. He knows he can’t be friends with all his coaches (although he can be friendly). He isn’t eager to climb a swimming pool high dive board with the football players and fraternize with them like Helton did. In the military you don’t fraternize with the troops; same with football or teaching or in the work place. My guess is that Helton wants to be even his own children’s best friend and chum and not their parent. It is war on the football field and Helton wants to be the players chum not their commander who wins. The players know it is war on the field; just look at all the injuries when each PAC-12 team plays Goliath USC and wants to knock the crap out of them. What does Helton do about this? He tries to teach them to “be nice” and not commit penalties. That won’t work.

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  7. Screw all this crap about who, when and why…. there’s much more important crud that really matters, like this….

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      1. I’m sure they’d love for us to get rid of Traveler, as well. I’m in agreement with them about 75% of the time. But sometimes, they’re a bit much.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Seal fur coats? fuck no!
      Dog fighting? fuck no!
      Greyhounds or horses racing? fuck no!
      Ivory baubles? fuck no!

      A pampered bull dog who leads a life richer than about 7 Billion humans on this Earth? Come on, (PETA) Man!

      Ralphie (CU mascot) leads a pampered life, far better than the free-range Bison who are raised to make bison steak and bison burgers. Come on, (PETA), Man!

      I suspect Traveler (one L) enjoys a pampered existence.

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      2. General Robert E. Lee’s trusty steed, Traveller, carried the arogant General throughout the entirety of the Civil War.

        Some bonehead mentioned a few years ago that USC should rename Traveler, thinking that our steed was an homage to General Lee’s horse.
        Duh.

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  8. Folt and Bohn are (boy, you’d have to be so careful if you were SAYING rather than typing the two words before the parenthesis sign —wouldn’t want to run them together) under a lot of pressure. If they don’t get Meyer [who brings automatic confidence to every player on USC’s football team], they’ll be hiring a coach who will no doubt start his career off getting the shit kicked outta him by Alabama. An injury or two later, he’ll probably lose to Oregon. From THEIR perspective it almost makes sense to upgrade Helton’s staff and let HIM take the heat for the Alabama loss [believe me, he’ll know exactly how to spin it —he’s got lots of practice] and let the next coach start HIS season off with a division 2 opponent.

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    1. Wise counsel is always looking several moves ahead.

      If UM is not ready to sign a contract for 2020, with the shitstorm that follows for all of us, then let’s get going on plan B.

      Clay hires the splashy DC who at least upgrades the D, Jinks runs the team after Gentleman Clay is fired at 3-3 in October, and we go for the Home Run hire. I see two “up and coming” DC’s in Morgan Scalley and
      the Jim Leonhard. I’m no longer so interested in Alex Grinch, who has not done much for the Sooners.

      That said, if UM or Dave Aranda are not going to sign the contract, then I hope we open 5-1 with a defense upgraded to match our top 10 offense.
      At 9-3 or 10-2 and no trip to Vegas for the pac 12 champ game, then what?

      Liked by 2 people

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      1. Great analysis, Bourbon. The ‘Scary Part’ is hidden in your last sentence interrogatory….
        #Cuz10-2MeansContractExtensionTimeHasRolledAroundAgain….

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Slovis COULD do that, gt ….but Helton may not LET him [J. T. may return to being “the love of his life” in spring]…
        #…”Ah,spring” –Pat Boone

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  10. Until the athletic directors in the PAC 12 start hiring competitive football coaches, then Clay Helton will always win 8 games a season. Arizona is trying to come up with $10 million dollars to buyout Kevin Sumlin’s contract, and Mike Leach is rumored to the Arkansas job . So it just takes two key hires at those Universities for USC to drop another notch on the quality of a head coach. Mike Bohn better think long and hard about the decision he makes, because it could very well affect his own future

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  12. I can’t believe that I am hearing the latest rumors again that the president and AD are content with Helton and leaning to bringing him back next year. This is insane to me! Fool me once, twice, how many times? Are you kidding me? They can’t be this foolish. Stop the insanity! No, NO, NO. Please get rid of Helton. I can’t take another year of his promises and failures.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. According to anyone with a brain and the ability to comprehend the meaning of bandwagon (fair weather) fan, he is. So are you.

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      2. Oh wait! Nowhere did he cry like a little bitch and say he wasn’t going to any games next year if CH was still the coach. So, NO, according to me he is NOT a bandwagon fan. Quit making shit up, Dumbass.

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  13. Here’s an email I just sent Bohn; Mike; I’ve got the “coaching issue” really bugging me. I read a report from CBS news this AM that SC administration (you and the Folt team) are going to retain Clay Helton. This has enormous fan and alumni downside if this crashes next year as you probably can project.

    I’ve thought about this alot and as a former Hospital administrator I’m familiar with how to construct performance appraisal outcome parameters, so here are some that I think I would assess for Coach Helton in deciding his appraisal;

    Rankings in CFP and AP/Coaches poll; be in the top 10.
    Win the Pac12 South and the Pac 12 championship.
    Play in a New years day 6 bowl game.
    Rank in the top 10 nationally for recruiting
    Rank in the top 15 percentile for player satisfaction among football coaches.
    Rank in top 15 percentile in fan and alumni satisfaction.
    Rank in top 15 nationally in offensive and defensive team statistics

    These seem important objective parameters to assess that are rooted in the job and would be relevant to any “blue blood” football program. If you assess these for this year (at least those that i can figure out) it doesn’t look especially positive;

    Current rankings are outside the top 20.
    Probability is finish 2nd in Pac12 south.
    Projections now are to play in Alamo Bowl or Holiday bowl (does not meet criterion)
    Outside top 50 in recruiting
    Unknown but would project Helton to exceed this.
    Unknown the actual stat but would project Helton does not meet this.
    Ranks outside top 15 nationally in these parameters (especially defense).

    Therefore I would think that this assessment would qualify as a DOES NOT MEET most criterion and would (as an employee working in a US corporate enterprise) would not be retained (eg., separated).

    Liked by 2 people

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      2. Helton cannot manage the egos of 5 star talent. He has no backbone as a coach. He has so much talent, and has been mediocre with it. Nice guys finish last, especially in football.

        Come on man. Pete Carrol had just gotten to SC then. Helton, Kiffin, and Sark have had good to great recruiting classes, and done very little with them.

        Pete Carroll had a little bit of a fall off from national titles After 2005, and he still went to rose bowl’s and destroyed teams in those bowl. Clay won on Darnold’s brilliance that year.

        Do your really think that Clay Helton will ever have SC competing for a National Championship?

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Joel Klatt was on PMS on Monday and when asked if he knew Bohn replied he knew him as a former CO quarterback. He then stated, calmly but bluntly, that Bohn has picked football coaches at CO who were a bust (Hawkins in particular – petersen was the brains @ Boise St.) . He siad he didn’t see Bohn as having the skill to make a good decision.

    After the station break both Petros and Matt Smith were stunned at Klatt’s frankness.

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  15. As a retiree……every morning I get up with anticipation and log in to check if our idiot is gone…….every morning I take my heartburn medicine to calm my stomach when I realize another $10,000 has been paid to this loser to muck our program up.
    If Bohn keeps this joker as far as I’am concerned he goes into the sweepstakes of winning the Swann dunce award for worst AD in the history of USC. Of course no one could out do the original. Swann was very unique. I never saw him walk and chew gum at the same time.

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    1. Hey Fred F. , Im glad that you brought that up. I do the same thing every morning. The only difference is that I’m on disability right now. Haven’t ate a meal since the 17th. Thanks for the likes from all you fellow Trojan fans ! Getting me through my time of misery with Helton being USCs head coach still while still waiting for my Colon surgery on this up coming Friday morning. No Turkey for me on Thanksgiving oh well. Glad I’m still alive to post with you guys. God bless all of you. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

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  16. Guarino a kiss ass? Priceless for once, Budapest ……lol lol lmao… Does he ever say anything of value? Maybe, if he’s the court jester, who used to work for Joker…..lol lol lmao….

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      3. Rich Michael, the same dude who tried to sell us on JT Daniels and Clay Helton for far far too long….

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