USC's Helton Fires Four Assistants

[Isaiah]

LOS ANGELES (AP) Southern California coach Clay Helton fired four of the Trojans' assistant coaches Sunday, including defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.

Helton made the moves six days after the interim tag was removed from his title, and one day after the Trojans (8-5) lost 41-22 to Stanford in the Pac-12 championship game.


Helton also fired defensive backs coach Keith Heyward, defensive line coach Chris Wilson and offensive line coach Bob Connelly.


Wilcox and Heyward were among several assistants who left Washington for USC along with Steve Sarkisian after the 2013 season. Helton was the Trojans' offensive coordinator until Sarkisian was fired in October, and he led USC to a 5-3 finish.


USC accepted a berth in the Holiday Bowl on Sunday. The Trojans will face Wisconsin on Dec. 30 in San Diego.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

[BigdaddyQH]

Those firings make sense. In 3 of USC's 5 losses, their opponents scored 41 points. Oregon scored 48. Only Washington scored less and won. They scored 17 points, which was the number of drinks Sark had after the loss. No HC on a good team keeps a defensive staff that gives up 41 or more points in 4 losses during a season.

[Isaiah]

Those firings make sense. In 3 of USC's 5 losses, their opponents scored 41 points. Oregon scored 48. Only Washington scored less and won. They scored 17 points, which was the number of drinks Sark had after the loss. No HC on a good team keeps a defensive staff that gives up 41 or more points in 4 losses during a season.

Yes it is a positive move. Helton rids himself of four incompetent coaches, two of whom were Sarkisian left overs from Washington.

Cleaning house, sending a message to the other coaches that the bar has been raised and enabling himself to hire coaches of his choosing. A decisive act that cut a wide swath for the good of the program. Excellent.

[Ralphie Halves]

Totally smart. Helton was right there in the thick of things, he knew who the problems were, and who he would not be able to work with going forward. These moves don't surprise me one bit.