5 reasons why USC should keep Clay Helton as head coach
By Ian O'Brien
3. Pete Carroll started 2-5 in his first season
This slide is sure to generate plenty of comments along the lines of “How dare you compare Clay Helton to Pete Carroll!” but hear me out. Obviously, Helton is not as great of a coach as Carroll was for USC and has been for the Seattle Seahawks. Carroll had his own struggles while taking over for USC in 2001 though. The Trojans were led by Carson Palmer, who was nowhere near the quarterback he became in his Heisman Trophy season.
They limped to a 1-4 start before their record turned into 2-5. USC was forced to take on beastly opponents such as Oregon, who finished No. 2 in the country that season. They also had to face a No. 19 Washington team. After a bowl game berth looked like a pipe dream, Carroll rallied his team to four consecutive wins before the Trojans lost the Las Vegas Bowl to Utah. This does not mean Helton can be as good as Carroll, but it does serve as an inspiration for him to not give up on his team.
It also proves that not even the best coaches can provide a quick fix for a recovering football program. No one expected this Trojans team to be national title or even Pac-12 title contenders right away. USC fans and pundits should lay off on the Helton getting fired talk until the season is over.