FOOTBALL

Clay Helton Is Finally Fired!

He got two games even though it wasn’t a make-or-break season?

Donte Williams is No. 2 even after his secondary got shredded on Saturday night?

Bohn and his lackey, Brandon Sosna, were huddling all morning. That’s one reason I had not posted much today.

They obviosly want Luck Fickell but I doubt he leaves Cinciinati at this point of the season. Some other names were watching: James Franklin, Bob Stoops, Matt Campbell, Chris Petersen and Bob Stoops.

Here is Mike Bohn’s statement:

Image
Image

I’m sure that statement has been sitting on Bohn’s desk for nearly two years. I will have more today.

746 thoughts on “Clay Helton Is Finally Fired!”

    1. pudly76 has been placed in Patton Mental Hospital in San Bernardino, Ca…he’s on suicide watch.

      Word is that when they brought pudly76 into the hospital with restraints he was crying uncontrollably…poor bastard is going to miss his daddy Clay

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Michael & 67- I was 6 days off. I correctly said during the summer that Dante was going to be the interim coach. I’m hoping that Bobby Stoops becomes the next coach. Apathy is truly gone and hope is possible.Great day!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    1. Early reports are that Clueless Clay threatened to go Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction on USC and boil Traveler but he got as far as staring at Traveler with his mouth agape and lower lip quivering.

      Like

      Reply

      3. As much as I wish it were true, they’ve been running these hit pieces against him for nearly two months now (one might ponder the possible rationale for) – personally think it’s all garbage in vain hope to foment a story…similar stories circled around Pete and Jimmy Johnson…Urban is more like them than Saban or Spurrier…USC had their chance and the head shed botched it…that ship has sailed…

        Liked by 4 people

      5. Hey wait, weren’t the bozos 17 point favs vs Stanford? BFD.

        #Is it true Helton is going to Disneyland this upcoming weekend? Just asking for a friend.

        Like

      6. It looked to me as if SC started as a possible 10-point favorite, but the line quickly dropped to 8 1/2.

        Like

  13. USC better hire Chris Petersen a.s.a.p. so that they have a chance against the Irish and Bruins.

    Graham Harrell has called his last plays for USC, scrapping the air raid is next on the list.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  16. Finally, a big step forward. A year or two late, but finally we have moved on.

    This year might be rough in terms of team performance, but fans should stop bitching and support the team. Not saying I wont question what happens from here, but Donte was the right pick. He is not going to be the permanent coach, he doesnt have the experience for that, but he is the perfect guy to be in charge in the transition. He is great with players, he is authentic and he deserves our support.

    Dont expect a big turnaround. Harrell will probably remain in place and Donte will need to work within the parameters of the air raid that Harrell has created. There are alot of problems with Harrell’s offense. All Donte can do right away is to get the offensive players motivated and contributing at their highest level.

    Liked by 8 people

    Reply

    1. I don’t envy Donte. Can you imagine how happy Harrell is now that he’s been basically told he’s out after this season? [Probably same for Orlando].

      Liked by 4 people

      Reply

      1. Harrell thought his shit didnt stink, but it did. I think TO at least helped to fix the culture and will probably improve the defense through the year.

        So who is it going to be? Fickell has to be the first call, or maybe they have been talking for a long time. Campbell. I dont think Fleck is what we need.

        I would be up for Brent Venables, a coach who is a brilliant tactician on the defense can create a great foundation for a program and hire a great OC. Plus, if the first OC doesnt work, he can hire a different one. Maybe Venables mentors Donte as the DC. The more I think about it, the more I like that idea. I dont know what Aranda has done at Baylor, but I also like him as a truly brilliant football mind.

        I dont want a mediocre HC with alot of experience, like James Franklin. Need someone who is the future of coaching, not the past.

        Liked by 3 people

  18. About. Dam. Time.

    The rest of the staff should get their resumes ready, it will be house cleaning time at the end of the season (except for Donte – they will make him a recruiting coordinator and put him in a supervisory role over the secondary – meaning he won’t be coaching there either).

    Still hoping Urban Meyer sours on Jacksonville in 1 season and wants to jump back down to the college level. We should jump at the chance… since Bohn blew it when he had it.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

  19. Let’s see if they actually do the national search that they’re promising. The last time they did this, all they did was remove the “interim” from Helton’s title and voila, new head coach.

    Suppose Williams wins the next ten games plus a New Years Day Six bowl game. How do they not make him the permanent head coach? It gets a little more dicey if he goes 6-4 with a mid-level bowl appearance, and he almost certainly will not be the pick if he’s below .500. He’d get a “courtesy” interview, but that’s it.

    If Bohn is serious about winning national championships, SC is going to have to open up the checkbook and try to get a Bob Stoops or an Urban Meyer or even a Chris Peterson. No more of this promoting-from-within or trying to hire on the cheap.

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

    2. No coach can come in and turn this program around quickly. There are too many issues on the offense and even the defense, as we saw against Stanford. Stanford was a better team than people think, that QB is really good. But SC was exposed.

      No way the team runs the table. Set reasonable expectations for a little improvement and then a new head coach and a good offseason and improved recruiting.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  20. Stoops or Petersen, One is offensive minded and the other one is defensive minded, either one is better than what we’ve had the last three years. The air raid has to go along Harrell as soon as possible.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

  22. USC still has to do more to win me back. I’m not going to mindlessly fawn over Williams or whatever dude they end up hiring. Fuck your press conferences and hype videos. Still gonna have to show me something on the field.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

      1. wouldn’t need a lot of fuel to take care of what is left in his wake (but would solve the problem of those who employed him still being in place)…

        Liked by 2 people

      3. Another article by an apologist slithering under the fence to the other side…gets some things about right…but definitely attempting to continue the delusional “adult in the room” “nice guy” “was successful just not to USC standards” excuses…new coach suggestions from you? I’m not on-board with the suggested names (Urban would have been ideal, but that ship has sailed, and all the “he’s not liking the NFL…there’s dissension in the locker room already” stories are just media garbage – he will be Jimmy Johnson or Pete, not Nick Saban or Spurrier)…of those available, I’d probably go with Del Rio or as one person suggested the Kansas State coach…someone also mentioned Kurt Warner as an OC/QBC hire and that is an intriguing thought…wouldn’t be as effective, but far more entertaining would be Philip Rivers! Would love to see him on a resurrected USC juggernaut staff woofing at opponents…but he aint leaving down home and suspect his wife would Basic Instinct him if he tried…

        https://www.yahoo.com/sports/us-cs-firing-of-clay-helton-makes-a-statement-we-want-a-national-title-232736975.html

        Liked by 2 people

  24. Fantastic news!

    I wish there was a clawback provision in Clay’s contract so we could recoup some of the money spent!

    Forgot to give my update on attending game Saturday night.
    Experience other than game was good considering still living in COVID world.
    Parking was a breeze, Trojan check no issues and e ticket was easy.

    Happy to say I saw clueless’ last game as so called coach.

    Thanks Bohn.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    1. yes – see my comment below – this should just be a mini-celebration – the real work is still ahead, and the people responsible for sailing the ship into the rocks are still at the helm…initial happiness, but lots of skepticism that this won’t end up in a woke hire debacle…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  28. I bet Gomer already has multiple job offers. Although, he can probably make more money doing Ted Talks on how to fuck up a storied college football program and make millions doing it.

    I don’t feel bad for Gomer, he’s a thief.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  29. The Trojan girls are going to have to start tackling in practice, the pillow fight days are over.

    With all the injuries they’re going to sustain in practice some players (not the polynesian ones) might have to play both on offense and defense.

    They’ll be better for it though, they need to be toughened up.

    Like

    Reply

  30. Mike Bohn—thank you for finally taking a leadership role, and importantly making the decision that had to be made. Most AD’S would have waited until after the season so I applaud you making this move now. Your a TROJAN NOW…..THE NEXT STEP IS FINDING THE RIGHT GUY TO LEAD OUR FOOTBALL TEAM. You were more than fair to Clay let’s get this program going again there is nothing like Trojan football.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  31. USC finally shows it cares about its athletes by firing/removing this cancer on the football team. I’ve never called a liar a gentlman or nice guy,and that is 100% hellton 24×7…all he has done is lie.
    Even tollner/hackett/larry smith did not lie to the fans or athletes…that is all hellton did,promising constantly ,he would never skip practices again,like Bowl games…SC would return to be a major power changing soft practices to real SC practices,etc…

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    1. Imagine Mr. Leftwich, during an out of control, major fire, you fire the ranking Fire Capt. and than launch a nationwide search for his replacement as the fire rages.

      Many Clownster’s want Clown U to be known as the Stanford of the west.

      The Stanford FB team went to Kansas and came home tarred and feathered. Did Stanford kneejerk fire Coach Shaw? NO! Shaw made some adjustments and traveled south to bitch slap the bozos up and down the crumbling mausoleum field.

      The glory days of SUCC FB are over. Has been since since Little Petey ditched the mess known as SUCC FB. SEC FB competition is the coin of the realm now. The NIL mandate further increases competition for the highly ranked FB recruit. Helton could not perform on the field, that’s the ranked players contribution. The “Sweet Science” has a basic axiom: “A good big man will always beat a good small man.” Quite simply, Stanford’s receiver’s were bigger and stronger than SUCC’s inferior CB’s and Safety’s. Why the #6 Clownster CB was on the field still baffles me.

      Let’s be fair to Helton, Mr Leftwich. Nikias, following his resignation as bozo President, the man most criminally responsible for the decline of Clown U Athletic Excellence was gifted a lifetime appointment to the SUCC BoT and granted academic tenure. Clown U has earned its sobriquet.

      Respect is earned, not purchased, except at SUCC, the So. California Trump fun zone.

      Can’t wait to see who the Boner appoints as the next HFBC.

      Like

      Reply

      1. I only reply so as not to appear as one who agrees with your diatribe. SC has needed to fire him for years, not 1 game…COACH SHAW immediately took action …hellton just gets worse and worse. SC has a board that hires self righteous/immoral people like themselves, they now own the stadium ,they wasted who knows how much money on ruining…they can’t pay for it with 40-50,000 people attending if they are lucky, so in self interest they told the losers they hired to fire him a consummate loser…finally. Now they need to fire those losers who could have acted 2 yrs ago after losing season.
        Glad your bruins have finally risen out of the bottom, maybe the glory yrs will return. ucla has had some great years in past decades,with great coaches.

        Like

  32. USC should see if Kurt Warner, who coached that girl Slovis in high school, is interested in a job as offensive coordinator, try it out for the remainder of the year to see how he likes it.

    Can’t be any worse than Graham Harrell and he might be able to fix what’s wrong with Slovis.

    Fuck it, why not?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Don’t blame Slovis. He came in as a great high school player, has received no skill coaching at USC, and continuously gets beat up while being told to “make something happen” to save the game.

      It’s the same for the whole team.

      Liked by 5 people

      Reply

    2. he may be a good q/b coach…sc needs a ‘REAL’ head coach…they are available…will they hire the BEST…probably not, but at least they got rid of the cancer.

      Like

      Reply

  34. I would let Graham Harrell go also at this time. He will not support Donte because he thought he should be next in line for the job.

    We can easily find an interim offensive coordinator to begin the move from this crappy air raid which is the other half of the problem. Perhaps, Carson Palmer or Rodney Peete would step in to get the new offense in place. We cannot expect miracles this season, but it is important to get away from this air raid offense ASAP

    Don’t be surprised if Lane Kiffin at least gets an interview if USC waits until January to make move which is unlikely.

    My guess it is either Luke Fickell, Chris Peterson, Bob Stoops, or Jack Del Rio, and don’t be surprised if they have not already talked with the leading candidates except Fickell who is under contract. I don’t think USC will wait until December so Peterson, and Stoops are the leading candidates with Del Rio a hard to ignore candidate who might leave before the end of the NFL season is over.

    We need a tough guy this time not an all ice cream and cookie type of coach. Someone who will fight for the players, and return to a team that physically dominate its opponents.

    Be patient Trojans—-I am confident we will be back sooner than later now.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  37. This is the right move. This program was not going in the right direction. It hasn’t been for a number of years. I said earlier that they weren’t going to finish better than 3rd in the Pac-12 South. I’m still not convinced that this running game is that good. They gained 185 yards last night but 84 of them came with 9 minutes left after Stanford had gone up 42-13 and were simply playing prevent defense and just taking away deep passes. Up until they went down 42-13 and Stanford eased up on their defense, SC only had 101 yards rushing. CH has been saying that he wanted to establish a running game for a number of years.He wasn’t able to do it. I think that’s why he went to the air raid.  The last 9 minutes is also where they gained 71 of their passing yards. Stanford was giving them those short passes. Up until Stanford went up 42-13 Slovis was 19-32 for 152 yards and a pick six. Stanfords game plan was to stop the passing game and they did. They really did a good job on the running game too. SC gained 408 yard against Stanford total offense but prior to the last 9 minutes when Stanford eased up on defense, they only had 253.  I’m still not sure how good this Stanford team is. I think that their QB is going to be great. He’ll be a first round draft choice eventually. But they are not the typical Stanford team that bullies you with their run game. They gained 36 yards rushing against K-State and 141 rushing against USC but 87 came on one play. You take away that 87 yard run and Stanford has gained 90 total yards rushing in 2 games. That’s not a typical Stanford team.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  38. I’m sure others are thinking it too…great that step 1 finally completed (3+ years late), but until step 2 (hire right coach – oh, he was available last January, not now, so we’re back to USC has never hit a home run in football coaching hires, merely got lucky with McKay and Carroll) happens, celebrations are premature…this has all the smell already of a woke hire coming up…and even if not, these same clowns are going to make the decision? Botched is even money or better…

    But, step 1 is enormous, so mini-celebrations in order…

    So of those available (have already heard a group of names none of which are overly awe-inspiring…but I think that’s the point of this – if there is truly to be a rebirth, a true commitment to the program, then it should be a “spare no expense” and “give every demand” decision that can attract the kind of coaches that in the past – except for last January you f’ing buffoons! – weren’t available to USC).

    This must be Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh (successful or not, at the time it was considered Earth-shattering…in fact, I’d take him now) level…

    Last point: anyone who has ever been overawed by credentials and told “they know better than you”: these buffoons took nearly 4 years to do what a common man earning money at labor knew should be done.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  39. Contrary to all the bad comments I hear about Mike Bohn, I think that he is a good AD…..head and shoulders above Haden and Swann. I don’t know who he is going to hire but I don’t think he will pull a Pat Haden and hire another mediocre coach. Personally, I’d rule out Bob Stoops. He’s 61 years old. Franklin, Campbell and Petersen are great coaches as is Luke Fickell, if you can get them. I’d take a serious look at the coach from Coastal Carolina. I would also take a look at the coach from Kansas. He was at Wisconsin Whitewater for 8 years. His record was 109-6 at that school. He won the NCAA division III national championship 6 times and finished 2nd once. From there he went to Buffalo and he was in the process of rebuilding that program. In the last 3 years he was 25-10. Another guy that I might look at is the HC at Kansas State. He was at North Dakota State for 5 years and he was 69-6. But in that time he won 4 FSC national champions and finished 2nd one year.
    Sometimes these small college coaches turn out to be outstanding though you must be careful. You don’t want to do what Texas did and spend a ton of money on another 7 win Sark. He’ll be gone in 3-4 years. Brian Kelly(from ND) coached 13 years at Grand Valley State and he was 188-35-2. He won 2 NCAA division II national championships and finished 2nd once. I really think this was the right thing to do. Fire him early, let the world know that there is a great job open at SC for whoever wants it and then do what Pat Haden never did…..your homework….and find the right guy. I think Mike Bohn will get the best guy available.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. I told you last night on your post….”I care….I’m a member of the Me generation….the universe revolves around me…..so just bow down and worship PEON…..just call me Julius Caesar Parcelman for short.

        Liked by 1 person

  41. Big shout out to Wolf for not charging $ for this blog.
    F***ing WeRSC or whatever they call themselves charges to just read comments.

    Total BS
    Today is biggest SC newsday since Pete quit.
    They are plain clueless and out of touch with fanbase.

    I am done with them forever!!!

    FTFO Mr Wolf.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. we are sc is still free for most articles, but also has another aspect to it one pays for to read certain articles,etc…others are also like that, like 24×7 or at least it used to be.

      Like

      Reply

      1. If he was so wrong all this time why’d USC dump Helton after only 2 games into a season? The news is the news. It’s not like he’s just been making shit up to fit a narrative. The facts on the ground dictate the narrative. All the paysiters and beat writers are rookies who gladly trade access for being a USC propagandists

        Like

  45. HOPEFULLY, the end of a bitter decade PLUS for Trojan football fans.

    I usually reserve the bourbon for Saturday night, but today’s news is worthy of a little nipper of Bardstown (the discovery series–10,12,14 yr).

    Fight on!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  47. Luke Fickel is no doubt USC’s No. 1 choice. He is tied in to Urban Meyer, and Coach Bohn. However, I am not sure USC is willing to wait until after a bowl game in late December or early January 2022 to get a new coach on board.

    Chris Peterson- choice No.2 but will the country boy want to come to the big city especially with a child that has a major disability.

    Bob Stoops- has a strong resume, and might be available immediately or at least help out on recruiting. Bob, is a strong defensive mind and has won a national championship as a head coach. The question is he past his prime, and really motivated to turn a program around at this point.

    Franklin at Penn State will be in the top five. Solid coach might be the dark horse.

    No on Jack Del Rio —Trojan ties will not be a factor in this decision process this time now that Bohn is the AD. I thik USC will want a proven college head coach who has at least taken his team to the National Championship game. If Trojan ties are the key qualifications then why not hire Ronnie Lott so I don’t see a former Trojan becoming a head coach at this particular time.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Stoops is in the Saban of Bama league…a real head coach who can get ‘real asst coaches’ and coach them up even more to bring sc back; he has a command presence.
      Jack del Rio is currently coaching , but also would know ‘real asst coaches’.
      Head coaches are like a ‘ceo’ or baseball managers…they mostly delegate to asst coaches but do some hands on coaching if needed.

      Like

      Reply

  48. “Donte Williams is No. 2 even after his secondary got shredded on Saturday night?”

    If it had been Harrell, Snyder, or Orlando, you would have criticized the anemic performances of the groups they coach.

    Like

    Reply

  49. It was definitely one of the better days to be a Trojan yesterday to hear about the departure of the most enduring and pesky head coach to remove in our football history.

    The good news is just about every candidate for the next head coach for our team would be a HUGE upgrade to our program. In fact, I’m feeling like a happy kid right now imagining the rosy future for us.

    It’s been long years in waiting for this, my fellow Trojans!

    FIGHT ON!!!

    Like

    Reply

  50. This is crazy there are more posts on this one thread than there was when Scott disappeared for a while. Close to as many as the last blowout bowl game when there was a post after every dropped pass.
    My stance on the next coach is to shut up and let the chips fall where they will. One thing is for sure, the next guy needs his crew. No guarantees on the contract for anyone with less than a championship for the next coach. No has been NFL failures. Someone with a future. Okay I’ll shut up.
    Winners of the week US

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to So Cal Cancel reply