FOOTBALL

Texas Does What USC Refuses To Do

Texas is doing what USC refuses to do: Pay off the coach.

The Longhorns are spending $24 million to buy out Tom Herman and his coaching staff.

But Texas is not alone: Auburn paid Gus Malzahn $15 million. South Carolina paid Will Muschamp $13 million. Arizona paid Kevin Sumlin $8 million.

USC? Crickets.

It is determined to keep Clay Helton and not pay him off.

Now I think it’s a joke that Texas would spend $24 million to hire a guy (Steve Sarkisian) who never won more than nine games at Washington or USC.

But at least Texas is spending money and doing something.

USC just wants to fool the fans into thinking things will magically get better.

60 thoughts on “Texas Does What USC Refuses To Do”

  1. It is not Clay’s buyout $$$.

    Folt and the BOT love Clay. Because he really isn’t a football coach. They don’t want USC to be a football school, as Budda notes.

    Clay won’t get fired until athletic dept revenue and donations drop even more than they have.

    #TheRealityOfThisSucks

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    1. USC Athletic endowment has the money, the boosters have presented the money. But the BoT is having their cage match… And football is considered to be close to one side of the cage match, tending to the more old school USC types, and helping them. There are BoT folks who would actually like SC to have to cut some teams, open up some seats to who they want attending.

      USC economically is losing big time with Clay, and USC just decided to forgo the money of a bowl game. The more USC and the P12 are shut out of big payoff bowls and playoffs, and the more viewership sinks to the bottom of the ocean, the more money is lost.

      And Stanford isn’t harmed by shelling out to win, ND isn’t, UM isn’t, Duke hoops, NC hoops, etc. etc. A winning, wholesome seeming athletic program helps sell the school, brings in more applicants who even if they are turned down (perversely) helps academic rankings…

      This is politics, not economics.

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    2. Right on, bro. The way for action is by hitting them in the pocket book. Time to vote with your $ and feet.
      #BoycottTrojanGamesandGear

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  2. Can you even imagine USC paying off Gomer, say 20 million and then paying $4 million to buyout say Fickell and then giving him $5 – 6 million a year salary since Cincinnati isn’t exactly LA when it comes to cost of living and paying his assistants top dollar as well ?

    Add it up, that’s probably a 40 million cost, you really think USC, with all the lawsuits and settlements they currently have is going to spend that kind of coin, and Folt will not go to the wealthy boosters to get this money.

    USC football is still………………
    D E A D

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    1. Thank you Budda, Scott never focuses on the real issue with firing Helton. The debt is real, the drought is real, COVID is still here. Instead of calling out Folt, start name dropping donors who have yet to step up, Scott. Of course that would also mean we have someone on the back burner ready to take over…… we obviously don’t.

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      1. The boosters would step up, Folt doesn’t want to be beholden to any booster, plus she and the BOT don’t care if USC football sucks.

        Liked by 6 people

  3. Folt thinks the football program isn’t important. Haha. I wouldn’t give a dime to my academic division, nor my daughter’s, with Clay Helton still head coach. She has made the biggest mistake of her career. I know so many people who won’t give our alma mater a dime. I’m so angry right now. She obviously does not understand the tradition and the fundamental values of our USC.

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    1. JL,
      I give directly to Colorado student(s) choosing to attend USC.
      I don’t get the CO 529 tax deduction, but I don’t think a smart student wishing to improve his/her lot in life should be punished by a group of privileged, wealthy, mostly white BOT members.

      We’re still a family, Joan. Folt and the BOT can’t take that away from us. Ever!
      The family will be alive and well when the BOT has long left us..

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  5. Texas fires a coach that has a won loss coaching record of 54-22 and a bowl record of 5-0 while USC continues to stick with a coach in a weaker conference that has a record of 45-23 and a bowl record of 2 – 3… goes to show what is acceptable at USC compared to Texas

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    3. They fired Herman because Oklahoma has won 6 consecutive Big12 Titles and has been to 4 CFB Playoffs during Herman’s time at Texas. Sark may not get them to the top but they are going crazy having to bow to the Sooners. Herman was 1-4 against the Sooners.

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      5. MG, sounds like our boy Lin Wood has gone completely mental, now accusing Mike Pence of treason and predicting he’ll get the death penalty. I thought you told me this guy was the best.
        We’ve been riding this this Trump wagon for quite a while now but at some point do we jump off or is there no such thing as too crazy for you and me?

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  7. Scott always hits the nail on the head. USC has plenty of money for lawsuits and Clay. They do not want to spend it because its a power issue. Imagine, a hotshot head coach would run the school. Folt is too insecure for that to happen.

    Everybody wanted outside administrators and look what occurred. They do not realize that football is the glue that holds alumni and current students together. A former USC alumnus (except Swann) knows that football is key.

    You could abolish all the other sports programs as long as football is #1 in the nation. Those other sports provide zero revenue. Men’s basketball very little compared to football.

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      1. Then let the guy be Governor or Mayor. I’ve never sent money to a political candidate, but I would in this case.

        BTW, I live in Colorado and don’t care about LA/CA governance.

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  8. Hey I’m tired of the excuses from SC. They have plenty of money to get this football program right. Maybe they need to can the roaming gnome first. What a clusterfuck! Fuc her and the BOT$. Get it done already. Tired of these damn rotten fish heads stinking up the program. Enough already. Alumni , bang your monkey as Rome would say on the radio. Get it done!

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  9. Everyone on this blog that really cares about USC and its football, academic and leadership traditions needs to write President Folt a nice email. Not nasty. She doesn’t understand what football is to USC and what positive benefits it brings to the university. She has no idea as she has never been associated with a school like USC. USC is a very unique place. We just received some incredible commitments from great athletes. Support them by explaining to President Folt what she must do to promote their leadership and greatness on and off the field. EMAIL her at president@usc.edu. Explain to her what she is obviously missing. We need a new head coach so badly. Our voices need to be heard! But no one listens to anger or mean words ( even tho I am angry). Happy New Year to All.

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    1. Joan, if only you were right that she would be willing to make a change if she understood what USC is.

      My perception is that she has an agenda, shared by the BOT, and that football is not part of that agenda.

      I have written to both her and Bohn in the past, and I suspect many others have as well. I’ll do it again, and hope against hope that you are right about her.

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    2. Mean words with anger or not. Folt needs to wake the fuc up period and can Helton. No anger towards you Joan. I like your witty intelligent posts! You are an alumni that gets it I respect your opinion. But I’m one Angry USC fan (for 40 years now) and I’m not going to take it anymore!
      Fight on!

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  10. We talk about coaches, people want a boyfriend. They don’t even mention say, the Ohio State OC Kevin Wilson that just demolished Clemson on the ground. Wilson is often disheveled and has a gut and is a football guy. Uh oh, no way we could hire that guy huh?

    Joe Rudolph at Wisconsin, who puts a great offense on the field with less. There’s Jeff Brohm HC at Purdue, Elliott- the OC at Clemson. NFL – Greg Roman was salivating for the Stanford spot where he coached and is doing great as an OC but again, doesn’t have the USC image… ,

    But most of all, SC should throw the bag of $ at Josh McDaniels who makes $4 million in New England and whose HC isn’t moving… Josh is really gunshy about jumping into a bad NFL situation and his stock going down, so SC, which has often been the place to make NFL resumes for coaches, gets at least 5 years out of a youngish guy before he makes the NFL jump. He runs the right offense, has the rings…

    (I wanted SC to pick up Kyle Shanahan years ago, when he was up and coming, but that ship sailed.) Brady should be on that list too, but SC would rather he get out of reach as a HC than to take a chance but is fine with Helton.

    That’s just the top of my head.

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      1. They’ve been saying it for years. It’s been fools gold. NE will do what’s good for NE and not him. He signed a contract or agreement 5 years ago with the Colts then thought better of it, didn’t want to get caught in a dysfunctional situation. I think that happened a few times. Otoh, he’s not getting the jobs he want bc he’s in BB’s shadow, no HC experience. People are talking about Nick Caley (TE and Fullback coach- reflecting NE’s focus on power football, blocking) as BB’s favorite youngster, probably will wind up a HC before McDaniels at this rate- they say he’s the next OC for BB if Josh McDaniels leaves. But who knows?

        If you dig there’s a lot of good candidates, which should begin with someone who’s bright, about discipline as a culture, and ideally should be a person that gets blocking and running– that’s the heart of football. Pass coordinators are pretty common now, a DC is less brilliance and more energy and a staff that knows technique for positions. (A DC that has an offense that can stay run and score has a much easier job because he can take risks.)

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    2. I mentioned McDaniel OC from NE to my brothers. After they lost to Ohio St and UCLA a few years back. They thought I was crazy. “Why would he leave the pros to go to college” they both told me. I think he would be a great fit at SC as head coach. Well I guess I’m not the only crazy one. Thanks Global Consultant for posting that👍.

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      1. NFL coaches head to college jobs all the time, but I get the old fear of when USC suffered through the 90s as THE stop for big ego coaches (head, coordinator, position) between NFL gigs,- waiting room, stepping stone, landing place.

        #1 The money in major CFB now rivals or exceeds: last time I saw an NFL coach makes on average just shy of $6 mil, assistants 400k;. If a top CFB 15 program is the equivalent, there’s definitely more money in college than the average NFL gig.

        #2 NFL teams often have far easier buy out terms. And the freedom, power and relative security if you build a program.

        #3 You’re much more respected for winning. A big time CFB coach is a god among mortals- most CFB successful coaches could grab a seat in the Governor’s mansion or US Senate for the asking. Players know their future is largely in the coaches hands. An NFL coach is doing a lot of ass kissing to everybody and eating a lot of sht. A coordinator in CFB is much bigger deal too.

        #4, The biggest thing: it’s much easier to win in a top college program like USC and compete for the championship, a 800+ winning percentage, a Rose Bowl and playing for, even winning NC are highly probable at the top 5 programs. NFL coaches are almost all hovering between .400-.600, hoping the fans don’t inevitably turn on em. Nick Saban don’t want that smoke when he can be CFB King.

        #5 Stepping stone and a new start that’s just not available in the NFL.

        Liked by 2 people

    3. Global –Remember why Kevin Wilson was fired as Head Coach of Indiana? It WASN’T because the program wasn’t getting better. It was because “he pushed the players in practice” and he routinely “encouraged players to return early from injuries.” The guy is a smash mouth football coach. Believe me, it wouldn’t be the disheveled hair that kept him from getting hired. It would be Carol and Mike’s fear that a player would report to the Times that Kevin never gave him a hug….like Clay did…..
      #….AndHeMadeSomebodyCryAtAMeeting…
      #[…AndWhatCouldBeLessWokeThanThat]?

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    4. Great list of (out of the box) candidates, GC.
      Great work..

      I dropped Brohm from my list. Like Herman, Frost, et al, I think Brohm will turn out to be a flash in the pan who could win in the AAC but was “marginal” in the Power 5. The coach at Indiana who rallied his team this year will also fade. So will PJ Fleck–another AAC hotshot who has had one good year at Minnesota (and some good years in the MAC).

      Last year I looked at the best DC’s in CFB and proposed a short list of potential candidates. I think Pete Carroll was a tough-as-nails–defensive minded coach first, and then filled things out with smart Offensive coaches.

      Anyway, great list of potential HC’s.

      In my mind, if 2021 is not a 10-2 season, then move on.
      I don’t think 9-3 is improvement, but I’m willing to consider.

      Nice to have you around.

      Liked by 2 people

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  11. Here’s the thing with Bohn,- he wants to be “Coach Bohn”, and keep his figurehead? Get a real OC!!! There is a good enough DC and staff, get an OC and let hugs be the front guy. As it is Bohn has been clear that he’s told Helton to keep clear of the OC and DC, and they’ve put Donte Williams as the new Head of Recruiting.

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      2. They made him Associate HC which I think is their nod to say he’s the Recruiting Coordinator functionally. They’re dropping damn near a million dollars on him and he’s not a coordinator. If he’s smart he’ll stick to that for a long time and SC will keep him through changes and his big opportunity will open with power schools, maybe USC, a la CEO before the fiasco with Pat Haden.

        Liked by 2 people

  12. You know what’s crazy about sports in general now a days, besides the political nonsense we can all do without. Is that people get paid millions of dollars to fail and do nothing. As long as they are getting paid that’s that’s all that matters to them. Many of them are oblivious of the great opportunity they have or what it takes to run a program or drive a franchise to be successful.
    Let’s take USC for example. For 10 years now Haden, Nikias, Helton, Swan, and now Folt as the University President fail to see the big picture of what makes USC tick/go and that’s the football program. They all fail to see that Southern California is a very special place to live and a very unique area to recruit. If they can all just see the big picture, everything will fall into place. Winning fixes everything as long as they are doing it the right way and do some due diligence to get it done. Failure is not an option approach to everything!

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    1. Lets look at the people you named

      Haden thought most of his teammates at USC were idiots and wanted USC to be Notre Dame, pissed millions away on a moronic reno if the Coli and he took it in the ass from the NCAA and probably liked it.

      Nikias is a Greek who couldn’t care less about football, and he was President when how many scandals hit USC, and he’s still being paid ?

      Swann was just the typical lazy hire at USC like Gomer was. He’s an ex USC athlete, black, sat on boards as a figurehead, played golf all day and had ZERO experience as an AD, what could go wrong ?

      Gomer was nothing more than a gofer for Kiffin, he got the coffee and donuts, said nothing, did what he was told, a perfect yes man, and look what he’s parlayed that into.

      And people wonder why USC football is D E A D ?

      The BOT is more concerned with LGBTQ, BLM etc than they are USC football and you can throw Folt in with them.

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      1. Thanks for the break down Buddha. I didn’t feel like going down memory lane. Just wanted to mention the clueless lames with the names that are fucin up the football program!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I agree and it was systemic racism when she fired the black incompetent(Swann) and allowed the white incompetent to stay(Helton). She had the same problem at UNC. They fired her. I did send an email to a member of the search committee raising this question after she was hired. Helton is being retained partially because he is of the right ethnic persuasion and his “Glory to God” attitude. I also sent her an email and emails to the newspapers raising this question. This systemic process is a part of all of us and to face it, is necessary . Nothing to be ashamed of, but it should be a part of our self reflexivness. I raised this question in an email to her and others. To repeat: to fire the incompetent black(Swann) and not the incompetent white(Helton) is egregious. And, it should be rectified now.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. The fix is already in. If Gomer goes, they have his replacement in the wings: Donte Williams, who was just promoted to “associate head coach.”* This was IMO a preemptive strike to keep Urban Meyer (or any other high end coach) out, i.e. Gomer is let go, the university announces Williams as the new head coach without the “interim” title and certainly with no national search for a coach.

    Folt certainly has to understand that the football program is what funds all the other sports and keeps the alumni engaged. But allowing the football program to languish in mediocrity with no end in sight is going to eventually cause some percentage of the fans to say “if they don’t give a shit, why should I?”

    * Williams’ salary is reportedly $900K/year. I wonder how coordinators who are making half again that much feel about this guy being (apparently) leap frogged over them? That said, Williams would probably be a modest upgrade, but a modest upgrade isn’t what is needed here.

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  14. Sarkesian was always a great OC and play caller. He’s never convinced me that he is a great HC. Maybe that’s changed. We’ll see. They say that SC just doesn’t want to pay the money. First of all, SC can afford the money. Secondly, SC is paying the money. CH is making a lot of money. I think that their game plan is to hire a mediocre coach, pay him a lot of money so that they can use the excuse that they can’t afford to pay that much money to move on, which gives them what they want…..a mediocre program.

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  15. The undeniable fact has been confirmed yet once again that our beloved football program has been relegated to a head coaching job training site for all the loser assistants where they get rehabbed and/or learn through trials and errors while getting paid tens of millions of bucks and living like kings on beachfront properties. And unfortunately, the utter joke isn’t over yet as we’ve still got one thoroughly enjoying the unbelievable luck at this very moment.

    FIRE GOMER NOW AND FIGHT ON!!!

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  16. since the drunk is going to texas let the recent custom continue and saban can take our current head coach, if he passes, bonehead is this clear enough for you.

    Liked by 1 person

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  17. I see a sober, humble, realistic Sark.
    Redemption–always powerful.

    Saban has mentored a bunch of former HC washouts and most are improving. Quit the hating on Sark. He was a good QB at BYU, a good recruiter at USC, UW, and USC again.

    He’s proven to be able to take 4-5 star talent and coach ’em up. He WAS smart to go to a school that will surround him with that talent.

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  18. I think Folt realizes how douchey and dumb all the southern cal football fans are. Hopefully she does everyone a favor and burns that dump down.

    Why do we need a overrated, crappy college in the middle of south central LA? None of the gangsters or bums that live in the neighborhood have any use for a college.

    I say we just drop off a bunch of antifa soldiers and let them burn it down.

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  19. They fired Herman because Oklahoma has won 6 consecutive Big12 Titles and has been to 4 CFB Playoffs during Herman’s time at Texas. Sark may not get them to the top but they are going crazy having to bow to the Sooners. Herman was 1-4 against the Sooners.

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  20. Some say it is Caruso, some say Folt, some say Bohn. Names do not matter. It is all involved in poor leadership . That we know. A letter was sent to Zumberg , one ex-president, and he did respond by saying he disagreed that the head coach should be fired. A month later he fired him.point: we must teach them how to think and think for them . How: just tell them to do it!

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