USC announces Clay Helton will return as head coach

USC ended a disappointing season with a loss to Notre Dame on Saturday night, and many have assumed firing head coach Clay Helton would be the school’s first order of business this offseason. That is not happening, however.

On Sunday, USC announced that Helton will remain the head coach of the Trojans going forward.

“Clay Helton is our head coach and he will continue to be our head coach.”

USC AD Lynn Swann explains his decision in a letter to the #TrojanFamily. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/wjr1VMv28w

— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) November 25, 2018

Helton went 5-4 as an interim head coach at USC in 2015. He then went 21-6 over the following two seasons, both with Sam Darnold at quarterback. This year’s 5-7 season is well below USC’s standards, and fans have been going out of their way to call for Helton to be fired.

We have already heard at least one top NFL head coach linked to the USC job, but it it will not be vacant in the immediate future.