Clay Helton already picked up his biggest win of the year for USC

Southern California Trojans head coach Clay Helton speaks with the media during the Pac-12 football Media Day at the W Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Southern California Trojans head coach Clay Helton speaks with the media during the Pac-12 football Media Day at the W Hollywood. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The season hasn’t even started yet but USC football coach Clay Helton has already secured a big win.

USC football coach Clay Helton has been on the hot seat since the moment he was hired to lead the Trojans. That hasn’t changed entering this season after going 5-1 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but he’s entering the 2021 season with some momentum on his side.

Helton announced on Tuesday evening that every member of the USC football team is fully vaccinated.

This is a testament to great leadership and comes before a university-wide mandate requiring the vaccine, which Ohio State and LSU have made public earlier this week. Expect more universities to do the same now that the Pfizer vaccine has been granted FDA approval.

While Helton’s been questioned for a litany of things during his tenure as the USC football coach and fans have dreamed of Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, James Franklin or any other prominent name to lead the Trojans, this is a big win for him.

USC football team fully vaccinated

While being fully vaccinated doesn’t guarantee no one will test positive, it does greatly put USC football in the best possible position against infection. You’d rather be protected against COVID than not and risk having players held out of a game and forfeiting because of something that was entirely in your control.

Imagine the outcry if USC didn’t have enough players to play UCLA, Arizona State or Utah this fall and they had to forget. Fans and media alike would be calling for Helton’s head. Now, Helton and the USC football team have taken the steps in order to prevent a situation like that from happening.

This is the type of solidarity and “same page mentality” that is a good sign ahead of a big season for Helton and the Trojans.

dark. Next. 2021 Pac-12 football season preview

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