After USC football fired Clay Helton, the Trojans have a huge decision to make for their next head coach. Who will they look at?
Here we go again. USC has once again fired a head coach in the middle of the season…if you could call Week 2 the middle.
The Trojans sent Clay Helton packing after his team was blown at the Coliseum by Pac-12 rival Stanford.
The end of the line for Helton means a whole load of possibilities for USC and their next head coaching candidates.
USC head coach options to replace Clay Helton
10. James Franklin, Penn State head coach
USC fans have seen James Franklin up close. He coached Penn State in the Rose Bowl when Sam Darnold and company pulled off that memorable victory. He’s won the Big Ten and he’s consistently had the Nittany Lions ranked in the Top 25. Is he a home run option? No, but he’d be an upgrade on Helton with a more proven track record. He’s also been the subject of rumors before, so the possibility of him leaving Penn State exists.
9. Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach
Iowa State’s Matt Campbell has been a hot commodity on the coaching carousel before, but he’s resisted leaving Ames. He built up the Cyclones to be a Top 25 team and he’s challenged for the Big 12. He also appears to have hit the ceiling with them. USC would give him a step up to prove himself with more talent.
8. Bill O’Brien, Alabama offensive coordinator, former Penn State, Houston Texans head coach
Lane Kiffin was Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator, he got a head coaching job with Florida Atlantic. Steve Sarkisian was Saban’s OC, he got a head coaching gig at Texas. What will new OC Bill O’Brien get? O’Brien has head coaching experience in the NFL and college. It didn’t go great for him in the pros, but that’s the same story for Pete Carroll. Failure can be the greatest teacher, next to Saban of course.
7. P.J. Fleck, Minnesota head coach
PJ Fleck could row his boat to Southern California if he wanted to take the next step as a head coach in charge of a major program. He went from success at Western Michigan to Minnesota, where things haven’t been excellent, but he went 11-2 in 2019 and challenged Ohio State to start the 2021 season. He’s proven his ability to take programs and drive them forward. USC could use that kind of figure.
6. Luke Fickell, Cincinnati head coach
Of all the obvious choices, this is the most obvious. Luke Fickell was hired by USC athletic director Mike Bohn at Cincinnati. Their connection is clear. The question is whether he wants to ride it out with the Bearcats in the Big 12 or try his hand at a national program. Fickell cut his teeth with Jim Tressell at Ohio State. He’s seen what top programs look like. He’s also been impressive leading Cincinnati to two 11-win seasons and a conference title. He has finished each of the last three seasons with a ranked team.
5. Mario Cristobal, Oregon head coach
Of all the bold moves, this would be the boldest. Mario Cristobal has turned Oregon back into a Pac-12 power and just got a signature win by going into the Horseshoe and upsetting Ohio State. Taking Cristobal away from the Ducks would be a huge blow to a conference rival while also strengthening the Trojans with a coach who is a proven winner in the Pac-12. One need only watch Oregon’s wins over USC under Cristobal to see what he’s capable of achieving in big games.
4. Greg Schiano, Rutgers head coach
Greg Schiano is a former Coach of the Year from his time with Rutgers. The fact that he made Rutgers relevant at all is a huge feather in his cap. He’s now back as the head coach of that program after spending time as the Buccaneers head coach and Ohio State defensive coordinator. His track record as a coach is strong, though he doesn’t have a clean record based on his connection to Penn State’s child abuse scandal.
3. Tony Elliott, Clemson offensive coordinator
Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliot is due for a head coaching job. Everyone knows it. The question is what program he’ll take his shot with. Under Dabo Swinney, Elliott has led an uber-successful offense featuring some of the most talented players in the country. USC might be the only head coaching job out there that will give him access to that level of athlete as well. Elliott is from California. Even if he’s spent his entire career in the south, there could be appeal to heading west.
2. Chris Petersen, former Washington and Boise State head coach
USC made the mistake of not hiring Chris Petersen when they were replacing Lane Kiffin in 2013. He went on to build a Pac-12 juggernaut at Washington. He’s stepped away from the Huskies, but he would be a proven commodity to bring in if he were interested in getting back into coaching. The only concern would be the likely tear-down-and-rebuild he might undertake. USC fans may not have the patience for that.
1. Bob Stoops, former Oklahoma head coach
The very first call Mike Bohn should make is to Bob Stoops to gauge his interest in taking over the USC program. He is the biggest of all the big fish and landing him would be an incredible feat. Stoops is a national title winner. There aren’t many of those available out there. He would have the chance to take hold of another blue blood program and turn it into a perennial power. If he wants it, it should be his.
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