Is the New Brass At USC Crazy?

Papa4737

Papa4737

Active Member
There is talk amongst the USC Alumni that the new USC President, and AD, like current HC Clay Helton and may keep him on. I as this: Are they crazy? Don't get me wrong. Helton is a nice guy and has given 10 years of his life to USC. Unfortunately he does not have what it takes to get USC back to "Elite" status. We can talk about the team, which demonstrated that they can score a lot of points at times. The Freshman QB Slovis did a great job. The four WR's also did very good. The problem was that USC did not have any kind of ground attack at all. Both the defense and special teams were very poor.

So much for the team. Now for the intangibles. Recruiting is a total disaster. The worst that I, or any other alum I know, can recall. The lack of contact during practices led to unnecessary injuries because the players were not used to the physical part of the game. Attendance was way down. Next season will be worse unless something is done. There is a real possibility that USC loses 10,000 season ticket holders. If the alumni do not like the program, the donations dry up and that hurts ALL of the teams that compete for USC, men and women.

USC needs a new Head Coach. They need someone that is a proven winner and can immediately draw recruits. They need someone who can instill a winning spirit. They need someone who can start out of the gates running, and not wait until the second half of the season to get things going. Failure to get such a person will kill the program, and if USC fails to become a legitimate contender, the Pac 12 goes down with them.
 
There is always the risk they get the wrong person or it doesn't go as planned.

I don't know what will happen. I just know it seems like people have been wanting to find the next USC coach the day he got the job.

Might guess they give him next year to see how the more mature team does. It's a guess from afar I don't follow the ins and outs of the program.

Next year's opener is Alabama (again). Will consistency with the staff lead to a closer game, or will a total makeover result in a better game 1 outcome?
 
The 2021 schedule looks pretty easy, by SC standards. Even a IAA in there and the road/home slate looks doable. That would be a good schedule for a new staff to break in if they don't axe him Sunday/Monday.
 
Papa4737 said:
There is talk amongst the USC Alumni that the new USC President, and AD, like current HC Clay Helton and may keep him on. I as this: Are they crazy? Don't get me wrong. Helton is a nice guy and has given 10 years of his life to USC. Unfortunately he does not have what it takes to get USC back to "Elite" status. We can talk about the team, which demonstrated that they can score a lot of points at times. The Freshman QB Slovis did a great job. The four WR's also did very good. The problem was that USC did not have any kind of ground attack at all. Both the defense and special teams were very poor.

So much for the team. Now for the intangibles. Recruiting is a total disaster. The worst that I, or any other alum I know, can recall. The lack of contact during practices led to unnecessary injuries because the players were not used to the physical part of the game. Attendance was way down. Next season will be worse unless something is done. There is a real possibility that USC loses 10,000 season ticket holders. If the alumni do not like the program, the donations dry up and that hurts ALL of the teams that compete for USC, men and women.

USC needs a new Head Coach. They need someone that is a proven winner and can immediately draw recruits. They need someone who can instill a winning spirit. They need someone who can start out of the gates running, and not wait until the second half of the season to get things going. Failure to get such a person will kill the program, and if USC fails to become a legitimate contender, the Pac 12 goes down with them.
Click to expand...
On recruiting, it’s criminal what’s been leaving and what they have right down the street.....Mater Dei and on and on
 
Good summary, Papa 4737.

I'd say any objective assessment would say Helton did a good job on the fiekl this year and should be retained. I was impressed by the way that team fought and played. They were in the game in the fourth quarter almost every year and still fighting. And they are tough. Only team tough enough to stand up to Utah this year.And did it with more injuries at important positions than any team and with endless speculation about who would replace him at the end of the year

But you are right about recruiting. It's unfathomable. USC should always be taking their pick, just like they always have.

But I think there is another reason why Helton will be removed sooner or later--he is just not the guy USC alums see as being the guy.

I didn't go to USC--I'm a Stanford guy--but I'm a big admirer of USC and have been ever since I moved to California. I know a lot of USC guys from beach volleyball and have attended a number of University social events, fundraisers, cocktail parties in Newport, etc, and attended a lot of games.

The wealth, and power, and the beautiful women of every age is stunning the first few times you see it. I'm still impressed. This is not a Cal Berkeley where they petend to be humble and one of the masses. USC is accomplished and doesn't try to hide it.

There is a reason rich people will pay a million bucks just to get their kids in the door. I've always admired USC and still do.

All colleges have alums who love their school more than anything and all of them have an image of what the school deserves and will not accept anything less.

Helton does not fit the USC image.
 
TahoeLegend said:
Good summary, Papa 4737.

I'd say any objective assessment would say Helton did a good job on the fiekl this year and should be retained. I was impressed by the way that team fought and played. They were in the game in the fourth quarter almost every year and still fighting. And they are tough. Only team tough enough to stand up to Utah this year.And did it with more injuries at important positions than any team and with endless speculation about who would replace him at the end of the year

But you are right about recruiting. It's unfathomable. USC should always be taking their pick, just like they always have.

But I think there is another reason why Helton will be removed sooner or later--he is just not the guy USC alums see as being the guy.

I didn't go to USC--I'm a Stanford guy--but I'm a big admirer of USC and have been ever since I moved to California. I know a lot of USC guys from beach volleyball and have attended a number of University social events, fundraisers, cocktail parties in Newport, etc, and attended a lot of games.

The wealth, and power, and the beautiful women of every age is stunning the first few times you see it. I'm still impressed. This is not a Cal Berkeley where they petend to be humble and one of the masses. USC is accomplished and doesn't try to hide it.

There is a reason rich people will pay a million bucks just to get their kids in the door. I've always admired USC and still do.

All colleges have alums who love their school more than anything and all of them have an image of what the school deserves and will not accept anything less.

Helton does not fit the USC image.
Click to expand...
Great take
 
Great stuff @Papa4737 and @TahoeLegend

As stated above, I can never remember recruiting being like that at USC... my goodness. It doesn't matter if he has had a respectable year, that is inexcusable.
 
Helton made it tough on them to fire him. USC overachieved this year. Will that hurt USC longterm? probably. No one can seem to stop Slovis to Pittman & Co. despite the lack of run game. It appears no PAC team is capable of playing zone coverage to do it.

If you have the slam dunk coaching hire opportunity then do it but if you are just replacing Helton with another ho-hum coach then you put yourself at risk. On paper, next year's USC will have expectations and if you are the new AD in town, fire a coach who just overachieved, and replace him and then underachieve when it isn't a name like Urban (who would get a free pass year one) then suddenly you are scrutinized. Maybe not that much, given Helton's lack of support but it is risky for the AD nonetheless.

Football is better when USC is good and I can cheer against them.
 
The problem is with recruiting, which is a total shambles now, and with the Alumni, who spend millions on the school. USC currently ranks 71st overall in recruiting and that is totally unacceptable. If the alumni do not like the head coach, he is gone. If USC retains him, and they open up the 2020 season with a loss (which is almost a certainty since they play Alabama in Dallas) then USC goes through another season like they just finished. It will be the same question. When do we get rid of Helton? USC also plays games at Oregon, Utah, and Stanford, and ends the 2020 season against Notre Dame, a team that Helton has lost 3 straight to.
 
I think Urban is somewhat toxic to a lot of schools

meaning this isn’t the SEC , football isn’t life or death
 
USC is maybe the most important team to its conference in college football , PAC 12 has to have them be a national power again . Zero chance that happens with Clay Helton coaching em
 
braves said:
USC is maybe the most important team to its conference in college football , PAC 12 has to have them be a national power again . Zero chance that happens with Clay Helton coaching em
Click to expand...

Remember when KJ said Helton was the best coach in the country and everyone was a moron for not realizing it? He was talking about him in the likes of Saban and Meyer, when in reality we all knew he was more like Taggart and Mullins (just picked 2 random coaches).
 
jedi ninja said:
Remember when KJ said Helton was the best coach in the country and everyone was a moron for not realizing it? He was talking about him in the likes of Saban and Meyer, when in reality we all knew he was more like Taggart and Mullins (just picked 2 random coaches).
Click to expand...

I vaguely remember that haha
 
Papa4737 said:
The problem is with recruiting, which is a total shambles now, and with the Alumni, who spend millions on the school. USC currently ranks 71st overall in recruiting and that is totally unacceptable. If the alumni do not like the head coach, he is gone. If USC retains him, and they open up the 2020 season with a loss (which is almost a certainty since they play Alabama in Dallas) then USC goes through another season like they just finished. It will be the same question. When do we get rid of Helton? USC also plays games at Oregon, Utah, and Stanford, and ends the 2020 season against Notre Dame, a team that Helton has lost 3 straight to.
Click to expand...
You said a ton to say your 1st sentence. It’s unreal what is leaving now....
Elias Ricks to LSU, Thibofeaux to Oregon and on and on.
And this is IN the Backyard ffs
 
twinkie13 said:
You said a ton to say your 1st sentence. It’s unreal what is leaving now....
Elias Ricks to LSU, Thibofeaux to Oregon and on and on.
And this is IN the Backyard ffs
Click to expand...

We had a good offseason post about this.

The top west coast kids are leaving the region altogether. It's not just a SC/cali problem.
 
AliShaheed said:
We had a good offseason post about this.

The top west coast kids are leaving the region altogether. It's not just a SC/cali problem.
Click to expand...
Many kids are doing this, you are correct. Sometimes a kid just wants a different experience for college. When you figure out the mind of an 18 year old please clue me in!
 
"Hello Twitter world......." If there was ever a brain needed for CTE evaluation, that's the one.
 
Two Utes said:
Many kids are doing this, you are correct. Sometimes a kid just wants a different experience for college. When you figure out the mind of an 18 year old please clue me in!
Click to expand...

I assume they just going wherever they getting the most strippers and cash. Is the usc alum slipping on bribes since the Carroll days? They should know what it takes.
 
AliShaheed said:
We had a good offseason post about this.

The top west coast kids are leaving the region altogether. It's not just a SC/cali problem.
Click to expand...
I think I recall that. Cristobal is out recruiting the conference pretty easily I think we agreed as well
 
Funny that noone has mentioned the name Ed Ogeron--not as a potential new USC coach, but because he has always been viewed as a buffoon who cannot coach a major football program. He has been smart enough to surround himself with good assistants and now has a national title contender. Helton has done nothing to deserve to get fired. The name "USC" is good enough to recruit. I have no dog in the fight but out of a sense of fairness, Helton should be given at least another year.
 
Sports Illustrated is reporting that Helton is gone. They waited until they knew who was going to represent the South in the Pac 12 Champonship game. Now that USC knows it will be playing in either the Alamo, or Holiday Bowl, USC is ready to make their move. So says Sports Illustrated.
 
Funny, I could see Chip Kelly at USC at some point. All that talent in his offensive scheme could be incredible.
 
Kelly is a very poor recruiter and has no idea what a defense is. This is exactly what USC has now. First things first for USC. They need a person who can recruit. They basically will sacrifice a year unless they can come up with someone who can start to bring in 4 and 5 Star players to USC immediately.
 
Helton signed through 2023 and word is a nearly 15M (maybe higher) to buy him out. this decision would be as much financial as it is about football.

besides, the last few hires before him were kiffiin and sark, were those guys any better than him?

how come no big names want to coach football at this school? pete carroll was the 4th or 5th choice when he was hired.
 
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