USC football: 5 outside the box replacements for Clay Helton

USC head coach candidates: 5 outside-the-box replacements for Clay Helton

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 11: Head coach of the USC Trojans Clay Helton, cheers on his team during warm up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 11, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

4. USC head coach candidates: Troy Calhoun, Air Force head coach

Calhoun is so far outside the box for USC that he’s in another solar system. Now, into his 15th season there, he might be perfectly comfortable staying at Air Force and they are probably content to keep him. He has navigated ups and downs during his tenure (2-10 in 2013, back-to-back 5-7s in 2017 and 2018), and the Falcons rebounded to an easily overlooked 11-2 mark in 2019. A 103-72 record is pretty good, and Calhoun is possibly headed toward a ninth season with eight or more wins (2-0 thus far).

Related Story. 10 realistic replacement for Clay Helton at USC. light

Air Force of course operates an option offense, and they naturally are routinely among the best rushing teams in the country. But to pigeonhole Calhoun that way is short-sighted. He spent four seasons as an NFL assistant, three (2003-2005) with the Denver Broncos and one (2006) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Houston Texans before landing the head coaching job at Air Force. He was also offensive coordinator at Ohio (1997-2000) and Wake Forest (2001-2002).

Calhoun would not be bringing the option with him to USC, or any other job he might consider leaving Air Force for (if there are any such jobs). If one coach after another at the top of the Trojans’ list turns them down, Calhoun can’t be ruled out.

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