USC football 2019 spring preview: Is this Clay Helton’s last stand?

Can Clay Helton get USC back to their winning ways in 2019 or is the head coach destined to lose his job?

After starting out the Clay Helton era strong, USC underachieved in 2018. The Trojans began the season ranked No. 15 but fell completely out of the Top 25 after a blowout loss to Texas on the road. Despite winning four of their next six, the team failed to finish strong down the stretch. They failed to make a bowl game and, despite much speculation, Helton returned. With the pressure that comes with coaching at USC, Helton is one of many coaches on the hot seat entering 2019.

• 2018 Record: 5-7
• Spring game date: April 6

Biggest spring storyline?

Major changes came on the coaching staff this offseason, but the biggest came on offense. USC’s passing game sputtered last year, ranking 83rd in the country in total offense. After the season offensive coördinator Tee Martin left to go to his alma mater Tennessee. The Trojans appeared to have one of the best offensive minds in college football coming to take his place in Kliff Kingsbury. Unfortunately, Kingsbury left after a month on the job to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

The program then hired Graham Harrell from North Texas for the position. Harrell had success with the Mean Green, commanding a unit that finished 20th in total offense last year. Hopes are high this spring with a young quarterback in J.T. Daniels and Harrell coming in.

The biggest reason for optimism?

Fans should be excited for what J.T. Daniels and this passing game are capable of in 2019. Daniels passed for 2,672 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year. While those numbers might not blow experts away, it shows Daniels is capable of leading the charge.

Along with Daniels, all of USC’s weapons in the passing game are back. Michael Pittman Jr. is one of the better receivers in the Pac-12 and was the team’s leading receiver last year. Despite some speculations, Pittman announced in November he would be back for his senior year. Pittman caught 41 passes for 758 yards and six touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown returns after a standout freshman season along with Tyler Vaughns. This group may not have the most flash of receiving corps in the country, but it gives Daniels a solid group for his sophomore season.

Biggest question mark/concern?

How does this team go about replacing Aca’Cedric Ware? USC’s running game was ranked 106th nationally, but Ware was one of the biggest weapons of this unit last season. He rushed for 825 yards on 125 carries with six touchdowns. The answer is likely Vavae Malepeai. As a redshirt sophomore, Malepeai led the team in rushing touchdowns with eight and was second in rushing with 501 yards. New running backs coach Mike Jinks comes over from Bowling Green and Texas Tech. In Lubbock he mentored future Raider DeAndre Washington and AAF star Justin Stockton. His arrival and Malepeai returning should give the Trojans running game an even better spark in 2019.

Biggest offseason addition/newcomer?

The team’s defensive line remains almost entirely intact coming into 2019. Connor Murphy, Christian Rector, Jay Tufele were all starters last year. The name people should get familiar with though is Drake Jackson. At 6’4″, Jackson has a frame that allows him to play as a defensive end or outside linebacker.

The Corona, CA native is rated the third-best defensive end in the country and tenth-best recruit in California. Several other Pac-12 schools including Arizona State, Oregon and Washington tried to lure him away from the state, but Jackson chose to stay home. He is already participating in practice as an early enrollee. While he might be fighting hard in the rotation, look for him to challenge Brandon Pili, Caleb Tremblay, and Jacob Lichtenstein for reps this spring and fall.

Biggest game to look forward to?

USC/Notre Dame is one of the best rivalries out there and this year’s game could be big for Helton and the Trojans. USC almost shocked the country the last weekend of the regular season as they took the Fighting Irish to the brink of losing their playoff spot.

Malepeai capped off an eight-play drive with a touchdown and the Trojans added a field goal at the start of the second quarter to grab a 10-0 lead. However, as he had done all season, Ian Book rose to the challenge. Book led the Irish to 24 unanswered points to take a 24-10 advantage. Daniels would throw a late touchdown pass, but it was too late. A win in this game would have not only saved this team’s season last year but also give them huge momentum heading into 2019. The result of this year’s game could likely decide if the Trojans are progressing and, more importantly, if Helton is the guy moving forward.