The tenure of Steve Sarkisian as USC’s head coach was a short one.
The Trojans announced Monday afternoon that Sarkisian has been fired as the school’s football coach.
“After careful consideration of what is in the best interest of the university and our student-athletes, I have made the decision to terminate Steve Sarkisian, effective immediately,” USC athletic director Pat Haden said in a statement.
“I want to thank Clay Helton for stepping into the interim head coach role, and I want to add how proud I am of our coaching staff and players and the way they are responding to this difficult situation.
“Through all of this we remain concerned for Steve and hope that it will give him the opportunity to focus on his personal well being.”
Haden’s hand was essentially forced by the non-stop leaks of information ever since the AD sent the coach home Sunday for reporting to work in poor health (not being sober). After that happened, an avalanche of reports emerged about Sark’s drinking problems, which came to the forefront when he embarrassed himself at a team event before the season started.
Sarkisian went 9-4 last year and was 3-2 this season as head coach of the Trojans. Given his alcohol problems, we hope he is able to get his life and health in order, as he clearly was unfit to run a major college football program.
