FOOTBALL

Don’t Let One Game Determine A Coaching Search

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This happened at halftime of the USC-Oregon game in 2015 and I actually was pretty annoyed during/after the conversation.

“Whittingham didn’t make any halftime adjustments against us,” was one comment I still remember.

This was actually a mindset. And a reason to hire Clay Helton.

I remember saying, “It’s OK for Helton to get blown out by Oregon (The Ducks led 31-14 at halftime) but not for Whittingham to lose to USC?”

72 thoughts on “Don’t Let One Game Determine A Coaching Search”

  1. Kyle Whittingham can coach rings around Clay Helton. Utah gets nowhere near the recruiting talent that USC does. This type of intellectual dishonesty at Heritage Hall continues to exist. He’s 62 now, but Whittingham would’ve been a far superior hire to Helton in 2015.

    Liked by 6 people

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  2. Cam Smith’s 3 interceptions was the difference maker that game. As if the Village Idiot had anything to do with that.

    And if it came down to Clay vs. Whittingham (who is a very good coach but not at the level that we all were assuming who would be hired ), then the USC search was all wrong.

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    1. 67 I think Whittingham is superior to Aranda or Fickell and clearly superior to Campbell but he will not come to USC. Aranda and Fickell may be great hires but they do not have the proven resume of Whittingham.

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      1. Plow Horse, agree totally that Whittingham is a very good coach (though Oregon has had his number for the most part in the last 10 years.) But now he is 62, and USC should be hiring a person who can be here for the next decade.

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      2. Plow Horse,

        Hi, with all due respect what major games has Whittingham won that stands out over Aranda? Sincerely, I can’t think of any, say like the Rose Bowl, playoff, etc. He is 62 years old. That might be another factor for him not to be hired. Thank you.

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      3. Campbell… Not the level of Head Coach
        USC needs.
        I really never heard of this guy.
        Sounds like another Clay Helton.
        SC has got to go Bigger!
        Iowa State? Really?
        Gotta Think Big, and They will come!

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  4. Clay Helton was a coaching caricature. Father was a coach. Knew all the coach-speak and coaching cliches. Actually LOOKED like a coach with that dumb Nike swoosh ballcap and his Uyghur slave labor-made Nike USC gear. Clay was an empty suit, so to speak. But all these “educated academics” bought it hook, line, and sinker. Suckers!

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    2. Clay Helton might as well have been playing a part in the “Friday Night Lights” TV show. The guy’s an actor with no real coaching ability. USC leadership your reputation FAR exceeds your ability!

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  5. Ain’t it the way of the world right now? Judged and juried on a single instance… the measure of a man isn’t based on the preponderance of evidence, it’s now based on a fuckin whim. Someday soon there won’t be a soul on earth who chooses to do anything in tbe public eye for fear of having their lives torn to shreds because they took two gumballs instead of one.

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      2. Expression # 4 From Clay’s Laminated Expression Sheet:
        “Message to myself: If I call for a timeout and tell offense we’re gonna go on 4th and 2 and then they go back on field and get called for a delay of game cuz I’m changing the play 3 times from the sidelines, I have to make Big Mabelline Eyes and Sad Open Mouth for the fans!”

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    2. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

      From Trojan Daily Blog…

      Press Conference Coming on Monday

      I have been able to confirm with two different sources that the USC athletic department is going to be having a press conference on Monday, December 29th at the Coliseum.
      I have also been told that Fickell has no interest in the USC job and did not want to leave the Ohio area. Arranda was not ready to leave Baylor because of the support he has been given by the administration. Two people told me the job was Matt Campbell’s and third person thought is was going to be Dan Quinn’s althought he hedged and said since the conference was coming this Monday, then they must have decided on Campbell.
      If I get any further updates, I will put them here.

      John Weld

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      5. P. S.
        If grabbing a coach who’s one game over .500 this year is the decision Bohn thinks is gonna “make Trojans very happy!” —he’s got another think coming…
        #FarFromTheWorstChoicePossible…ButDoesn’tMakeMe”VeryHappy!”

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  9. We should go for the very best coach.. The Baylor coach or Fickell or the OC or DC from Alabama, Georgia, OK, Ohio State. My vote is still for Urban Meyer, but our Patron Saint Folt would have a hard time with it.
    The lifeblood of USC is a winning, elite football program. USC needs to think BIG! Don’t even consider a second level Head Coach. Maybe go to the NFL and raid their staffs. Once USC gets back on track and returns to an elite program, the fans will show up, the Alumni and ex football players will be happy, and the PAC12 will become relevant.

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    1. They should think Big. Judging by the recent hires of the Folt and Bohn, they do not. Similarly, Folt does not think Big as she is either unaware that SC is an elite football program [still hasn’t done her due diligence on EVERYTHING USC] or doesn’t care about it. Bohn, for his part, was/is more concerned about moving up the prestige ladder and keeping his current job rather than keeping his moral fibre [assuming he had one to begin with]. If Bohn was a good judge of character, he would’ve seen through through both Folt’s and Helton’s acts – so he either can’t judge character or was too ambitious to care that it was costing him a piece of his soul. Either way, he is not deserving of being an AD. While everyone has to play the political game to some extent, the top priority of any AD where football is the main revenue driver is to make sure that the golden goose doesn’t get killed. On this count, he is failing miserably. Once apathy sets in, it’s pretty hard to reverse as those alums/donors/fans have found other interests and activities to occupy their time and hearts.

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      1. Exactly!! It’s been a absolute nightmare for my teammates and me!
        Coach McKay and Coach Marv Goux would be very disappointed in the current state of Trojan Football. What an embarrassment !! The Alumni, Students, Fans, and Ex-Football Players deserve better. Based on past performance, I would be very surprised if the AD and Administration hits a “Home Run” on the next Head Coach hire.

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Back then, Whittingham put his head on the pillow thinking he’d be wearing cardinal & gold the next morning.

    While Haden may not have played baseball, Pat threw Kyle Whittingham a horrible Clay-covered curve that morning.

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      1. I’m sorry about Sark’s alcohol illness, but Haden should have known before hiring. I read the Washington fans knew and in Seattle it was well known. What type of due diligence was done before the Haden hired him?

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  11. Us commenting on coaching searches is dumber than the reporters writing about said searches. This stuff is actually dumber than talking about recruits and recruiting. No one knows shit and you’re talking out of your ass and wasting your time articulated on some dude you know nothing about and how he’s perfect and going to take the USC job.

    I guess there’s a chance Minister Bohn or his flunky Brandon reads these boards and use what’s said here to make a more informed decision.

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      1. It hearts my heart when I see someone with a 1k word post on why Coach X is the true messiah. It’s just fan-fiction and somebody just wasted ~20-30 minutes of their life writing something no one will ever read and will disappear in a day or so.

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      2. Two hilarious comments MG!!

        Even though the times is a rag and all reporters are ignaranter than us, RyanKartje did a goos story on MB. It’s nice to hear that people in the athletic department believe that he is a professional and such a refreshing change from our previous 3 AD’s.

        I met him and came away wondering if he really had what it takes (really, really wondering), but Sosna does, and Mike trusts him.

        I am convinced that Carol tied his hands over the past two years over the buyout and he had no choice but to keep Gomer.

        If Aranda and Fickell are dedicated to staying (seems like Dave would want to come home, but his loyalty may win out), then Campbell will be great. Anyone competent can get us to the annual top 10/top 5 in short order.

        Let’s get on with it.

        Liked by 3 people

      1. I, and I’m sure most who post, do not believe we are prescient. We are, however, disappointed USC fans who need an outlet and this has been a good source with those who agree and those who do not. It’s fine, we get to let someone else besides our poor spouses and friends hear our disgust. I don’t look at it as a waste of time. For me, it’s entertaining and therapeutic and often educational.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. My guess is he’s returned to the Mid-West [Chicago/South Bend/Lake Michigan].
      I’m convinced that he was part of a ND sleeper cell established to destroy SC football.
      After being lured into their broadcast booth, they proceeded to brainwash him and molded him into the perfect weapon to destroy SC from within [a Trojan horse, you might say]. Once an AD, the rest is history.
      Looks like Matthew 7 15 dealt with this scenario – Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

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  13. Bohn came here to create stability within the athletic department.
    He has failed terribly up to this point in time.

    Something positive needs to happen, and that positive is:

    Sign Andy Enfield to a contract extension now!! The guy has done a great job. Quit playing games Mike Bohn get the new contract done now before it is too late in the season. Other coaches are watching how you treat your personnel. Andy, deserves a raise, and a 5 year extension. Mr. Bohn you have let the football program hit rock bottom. The basketball program is at it’s highest level ever what in the world are you waiting for.

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  14. Scott must have been speaking with Steve Lopes. That F——ing Idiot is responsible for every major problem plaguing the athletic department. haden/swann we’re so incompetent and lazy that they let him become the de facto AD and lead usc to its current state of ruin.

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  16. 3 o’clock in the morning on a Saturday, and I am awakened by a carload of young girls laughing and taking loudly on the street by their running car, waking up my entire building. As a downtown city boy I have faced rude, unruly crowds many-a-time, and so I pull out one of my best lines: “What is wrong with you people– it’s 3 o’clock in the morning- you’re waking everybody up– the cops will be here in 5-minutes.

    ‘”The cops will be here in 5-minutes” is the closer, gets them everytime. Of course, the reality is the cops would probably be here in 5-days if I actually called them.

    What does this have to do with sports?– Well, now I will be too tired to go to the game of the year with BYU trying to put another “60” on SC.

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    1. I’ve been there, John. I used to go w/o sleep. I went after an eye operation (after the doctor told me not to). You can still make it, John.
      #PlayInjured

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  17. Four hilarious comments MG!!

    Even though the times is a rag and all reporters are ignaranter than us, RyanKartje did a goos story on MB. It’s nice to hear that people in the athletic department believe that he is a professional and such a refreshing change from our previous 3 AD’s.

    I met him and came away wondering if he really had what it takes (really, really wondering), but Sosna does, and Mike trusts him.

    I am convinced that Carol tied his hands over the past two years over the buyout and he had no choice but to keep Gomer.

    If Aranda and Fickell are dedicated to staying (seems like Dave would want to come home, but his loyalty may win out), then Campbell will be great. Anyone competent can get us to the annual top 10/top 5 in short order.

    Let’s get on with it.

    Liked by 3 people

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  18. Nice to see the posters finally going light with the “like” button. Who needs anybody’s endorsement or affirmation that they like our silly sports’ ideas?– We write for ourselves, so if we like our stuff and nobody else does, well hang them then.

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  19. Thanks Enfield. 6-0.

    Beat SDSU by 15, their only previous loss was to #18 BYU, 66-60. Isiah Mobley with 18 points and 12 boards. Scottie, are you planning on talking about basketball any time this season?

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  20. I have noticed now that there are a bunch of articles where Matt Campbell’s reputation is being burnished by writers with contacts at USC. Scott is one of those guys.

    Looks like Campbell is the next coach and they are trying to make people feel good about him. I hear all the excuses for his mediocre track record. They dont hold water.

    My main concern is that Campbell falls into the Clay Helton excuse of the day club. He recently said that winning a Big 12 championship was not his goal – what??? Great coaches know that winning is the ONLY goal. Sure, you can have lots of other principles for your team that help you to achieve that goal, but the win-loss record tells how effective you are at the end of the day.

    I guess what we need to see is whether Campbell brings in a top notch coaching staff, or ends up with a ragtag group of misfits. A top OC would really make me feel better about him as a HC.

    But overall, I think we have hired our next mediocre coach. Way better than Clay, maybe the best in the Pac-12, but still not the guy who can lead USC to national titles on a consistent basis.

    Bohn and Sosna have failed on all three counts 1) didnt get rid of Helton soon enough 2) had no plan for transition and allowed the team culture to erode under TO and GH 3) hired the wrong head coach. Bohn-headed moves.

    Blame Folt/Caruso. Cant someone get rid of Caruso and Folt, before they destroy the University?

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      1. 67 –Campbell will not beat Oregon, Notre Dame, Utah…. or even UCLA.
        If this is the ONLY deal Bohn can close he’s even worse than I thought….
        #AndThat’sPrettyFrickingBad….

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Michael, it is tough to like Campbell over ND…but I like Campbell over the Chipper. I know that is not much (well, it is inconsequential at this point, given how bad both programs are).

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    2. gametv — Campbell is PERFECT for Caruso/Folt. He even talks like them.
      [Caruso/Folt hire to please themselves for the moment…. not for the long range good of the University]….
      #AsToYourQuestion:CanWeGetRidOfThemBeforeTheyDestroyUSC?
      #Answer:No

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  21. Bohn should be held accountable for not getting Aranda to move. Aranda’s family wants to return to LA and he failed to get him. When Aranda wins a national title, just remember it could have been USC.

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    1. Obviously Folt/Bohn didn’t like the fact Aranda believes in winning. They believe in the concept of crazy talk. Campbell speaks that language fluently.

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      1. Well stated!!
        USC has been “missing the train” on many fronts these past years.
        From Scandal to Scandal.
        Exorbitant salaries with zero results!!

        Liked by 1 person

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