Clay Helton fired as USC head coach
USC has made what many would consider a long overdue change at the head coach position.
Trojans athletic director Mike Bohn said in a statement Monday that Clay Helton has been fired as head coach, effective immediately. Donte Williams was named interim head coach, with Bohn saying Williams “gives us a higher probability for success the remainder of the season.” Bohn added that there will be a “national search” for a new head coach over the next several months.
We are making a change in the leadership of our football program. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/xChL8xi0oG
— Mike Bohn (@USC_mikebohn) September 13, 2021
Helton’s firing is abrupt, but not exactly shocking. He has faced scrutiny for several seasons, and many fans have wanted him fired for several years. The last straw appears to have been Saturday’s home loss to rival Stanford, a game that the Trojans trailed by as many as 29 points in the fourth quarter. That was enough to prompt one of the school’s most legendary players to publicly turn on Helton.
Helton has been USC’s coach since 2015, initially on an interim basis before the tag was removed. He departs with a 45-24 record, having failed to win double-digit games since 2017 and exiting with only one bowl victory.
