With No Cody Kessler, Clay Helton Is Playing Musical Quarterback Chairs

No Comments September 23, 2016 USC Football By John Stellman

Cody Kessler is gone.

Coach Out?

Might Clay Helton be next?

Kessler passed form 10,339 yards during his three years directing the University of Southern California offense.

Cleveland was impressed.

3rd Rounder

The Browns selected the 6’1, 215-pound quarterback on the third round of the National Football League’s 2016 draft.

And apparently Helton can’t decide on his replacement.

Best Of The Best

Max Browne was the top quarterback in the nation when he was recruited by USC.

The Sammamish High School product is in his fourth season as a Trojan.

After red shirting as a freshman, Browne backed up Kessler for two years.

Tough Start

He finally won out over highly touted freshmen Sam Darnold and started in the season opener against No. 1 Alabama.

Against the Crimson Tide, Utah State and No. 7 Stanford, Browne completed 55 of 87 passes for 474 yards.

He also tossed for a pair of touchdowns and had two of his passes intercepted.

Undermanned

USC was trampled by the Tide, 52-6 and never threatened the Cardinal, scumming, 27-10.

Even a 45-6 rout of the Aggies wasn’t enough to save Browne’s job.

Shocked!

“It surprised me for sure,” Browne told The Southern California News Group. “I’d be lying otherwise.”

“It was not that Max played bad,” the coach said. “You look at the numbers and the efficiency.

But the ball wasn’t getting into the end zone,” Helton remarked.

Bottom line? This is USC. And the Trojans are off to a 1-2 start.

This is not a program that accepts mediocrity.

In The Headlines

The Trojans are high profile. Every fall they expect the national spotlight to shine on them.

Contending for national championships is not the exception. It’s the rule. The Rose Bowl is hardly an acceptable consolation prize.

And USC is off to their worst start since 2001.

Pete Carroll (1-4) beat San Jose State, 21-10 in the opener and then lost to Kansas State (10-6), Oregon (24-22), Stanford (21-16) and Washington (27-24).

“He (Browne) is not the reason we’re 1-2. He’s not the scapegoat here,”Helton explained.

Who’s To Blame?

Then who is?

Is the less experienced Darnold the answer?

“He has shown he can be an every down guy.

He’s shown elite arm strength and a uniqueness to run the ball,” the coach explained.

Natives Are Restless

Is the coach perhaps feeling the heat?

Are high powered donors losing their patience?

It has been rumored that some influential members of the Trojan inner circle weren’t particularly thrilled with Helton’s hire in the first place.

Was then-Athletic Director Pat Haden perhaps a bit hasty in signing Helton to five-year contract?

Blue Devil

Helton’s coaching career began at Duke in 1995. Upon enrolling, he became a graduate assistant.

He then joined his father, Kim on the staff at Houston.

He left when his father retired in 1999.

Helton joined Rip Scherer’s staff at Memphis in 2000. Tommy West replaced Scherer in 2001 and Helton remained at the University until 2009.

West Coast Bound

In 2010, the 44-year old Gainesville, Florida native joined the Trojans.

Five years later, on November 30, 2015, Helton was given the full time head coaching position.

“Choosing a coach is an inexact science. In Clay’s case, there is exactness. We have a man with unquestioned integrity.

He is a fantastic person and he is real.

No High Fives

Clay is a leader of young men. He is a terrific communicator.

He brings high character, stability, continuity, consistency, toughness and resiliency to our program,” the Athletic Director said.

It was not one of Haden’s more popular decisions.

Skeptics wondered, why the rush?

Snap Decision?

Filling one of the most prestigious collegiate coaching vacancies in the county was perhaps done a bit hastily.

It wasn’t as if there weren’t any high profile coaches available.

Eagles head coach Chip Kelly was out there. So was Florida State University’s Jimbo Fisher. Rutgers head man Greg Schiano was in the conversation. And so was Bengals offensive coordinator, Hue Jackson, a former Trojan (1997-2000).

No Conversations

None were interviewed.

Helton was handed the job on a silver platter.

“I am extremely humbled,” Helton said in a statement.

“I totally understand the high bar of excellence and expectations that come with the job,” the coach admitted. ” I welcome them with open arms, because as a coach, I expect them of myself.”

“He earned this opportunity,” Haden said. “He has been positive and upbeat handling adversity. He was built to be a head coach.”

Maybe.

But, at this institution, you’ve got to do better.

7-6 is not acceptable.

PERIOD!!!!

image: nflgridirongab.com

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John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...