USC is coming off a season similar to what Notre Dame went through in 2016. A disastrous regular season resulted in a tumultuous offseason. Irish head coach Brian Kelly turned his down season into a positive, and Notre Dame went 22-4 the next two seasons.
This year we’ll find out if Clay Helton can do the same thing. After overhauling his staff, Helton will look to lead the Trojans into a bounce back season after the 5-7 season last fall that included losses to Notre Dame, UCLA and Stanford.
I chatted with TrojanSports.com publisher Ryan Young about USC heading into the 2019 season.
Head Coach: Clay Helton, 32-17 (5th year)
2018 Results: 5-7
All-Time Series: Notre Dame leads 48-37-5
Last Meeting: Notre Dame 24, USC 17 (Nov. 24, 2018; Los Angeles)
Returning Starters: 9 (5 offense, 4 defense)
BGI: How hot is the seat for Clay Helton right now, and what must he do this season to keep his job?
Young: “If you're asking the fans, the seat couldn't be any hotter. To be fair, though, there is a segment of the fan base that has never been on board with Helton as they felt he was a hire of convenience rather than the kind of big-name, established head coach most blue-blood programs would have pursued under similar circumstances.
“While his first two seasons were successful, those fans attribute it (fairly or not) to Sam Darnold covering up the flaws in the program that came to the surface last fall during that 5-7 finish.
