Clay Helton has landed a new head coaching job in college football

After USC finally let him go earlier this season, Clay Helton has landed a new head coaching job.

After years of never being too far from the hot seat, Clay Helton was finally fired by USC two games into this season. Now, according to multiple reporters including Matt Zenitz of On3 and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, Helton is expected to be hired as the new coach at Georgia Southern. Feldman reports the deal could be done in the next 24-48 hours.

Georgia Southern created their job opening when they fired Chad Lunsford after a 1-3 start this season. In his three full seasons (2018-2020) the Eagles went 25-14 (10-3 in 2018) with two wins in three bowl appearances.

The timing of firing Lunsford was weird, given that solid three-year run and with losses to Arkansas and Louisiana hardly major black marks. But it allowed for a jump start on finding his replacement, if that was the direction things were headed anyway.

Yahoo’s Pete Thamel reported, once a deal is agreed to, Helton is expected to start his new job immediately in terms of observing practice, recruiting and assembling his coaching staff.

The Eagles are now 2-6 on the season, with a three-game losing streak heading into Saturday against Coastal Carolina. Interim head coach Kevin Whitley will stay in that post the rest of the season.

Clay Helton naturally raises Georgia Southern’s profile

Helton’s 46-24 record with one Pac-12 title, a Rose Bowl win and three Pac-12 South titles, was not good enough by USC’s lofty standards. But for Georgia Southern, in its eighth season playing at the FBS level and apparently ready to make significant commitments to football in line what has happened elsewhere in the Sun Belt, he looks like a great fit.

Helton joins Billy Napier, Jamey Chadwell, Terry Bowden and Butch Jones as head coaches with solid resumes in the conference, though Napier and Chadwell are strong candidates to make the jump to a Power 5 school.

Helton’s hiring is surely good news for USC too. He had two full years left on his contract when he was fired, with a buyout of over $10 million. Assuming there was offset language when (or if) Helton got a new coaching job, USC is off the hook for a little bit of that money.

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