(OT) Coaching Carousel, Premature Edition: USC - Does Clay Helton survive?
We all know the glory that is James Franklin's in game coaching, but Clay Helton is making Franklin look... oh, wait, Helton beat Franklin. HAAA!!! Okay, let me start over...
USC currently has no school President, employs Lynn Swan as AD (no previous experience managing anything, let alone an AD as big as USC's), and looks every bit the part of their 4-4 record. They've been blown out by Texas and Stanford, and just got beat (at home) by Herm Edwards. HERM Fucking EDWARDS (who also vanquished Mick Dontanio)!!! Also, Booby Petrino has got to be on his way out, right? I mean, Louisville is the worst team in the ACC, if not in all of CFB. Surely, UL ponies up the $14M buyout...
Enter Jeff Brohm. If Swanny pulls his head out of USC's ass, I think Brohm would be a legit candidate to take over at USC. His offense fits LA - high octane, big plays all over the field, sort of like Showtime on Grass. But UL is where Brohm is from - its his alma mater, where he grew up, where he still donates. It's his version of what Michigan is to Harbaugh.
For Brohm, USC has a lower floor, but also a MUCH higher ceiling. He'd be running the only Blue Blood in the entire West, the one place out west that is - without fail - mentioned with the big boys back east. If he fails, he can't run with the big dogs; but if he wins, whoo boy what USC can do with CA recruiting in his pocket! At UL, if he fails will anyone notice? Is it a place where he can win on a consistent basis? Either way, he's got a path out of UL; but failure at USC gets him nothing.
Who else would USC look at? You know, providing they can actually make a good decision for once...
October 29th, 2018 at 10:59 AM ^
I give credit to Carroll for winning with the talent he had at USC & Seattle, but it's hard to call someone an all time great in college when it's been proven he had to cheat to get the talent required to win like he did.
The reality is, things have changed since he left.
1) A little more scrutiny will be placed on his recruiting should he return to college coaching
2) Stanford is a legit power on the west coast now and many of the good players academically able to get into Stanford will most likely go there instead of USC. (USC is a very good academic school also, but is still not Stanford)
3) As bad as the Pac-12 is on the national stage, it is a much deeper conference now than it was when Carroll was racking up wins. Utah will always play tough now, Washington is competitive. Colorado is not an automatic win anymore (as an old Michigan fan I can't believe I just typed that), Stanford has already been discussed, UCLA has a proven excellent college coach just getting started, Wash St. is not a guaranteed win as long as Leach is there, Oregon is no the Oregon of Chip Kelley success but is still a legit program, and Cal is a .500 team with the chance to beat a good team every-once-in-a-while.
I doubt Carroll can come back and just roll the conference like he used to.
October 29th, 2018 at 9:05 AM ^
Louisville won't have to pay Petrino's buyout themselves. They'll have no shortage of volunteers to chip in.
I'm glad you pointed out that USC is a joke for how they run their athletic department. They only hire former star football players to be the AD and they don't much care about other qualifications. Helton can't survive this season, but the chances they hire Brohm are close to zero. Some of us way, way overestimate the national appeal of our regional coaches. A couple of years ago PJ Fleck was being touted for top tier out of region jobs here. USC isn't going to hire someone from Kentucky who's biggest job by far is Purdue. Where, I should point out, he's 4-4.
Brohm is going to Louisville. It's a perfect fit on both ends. USC will hire somebody with connections to the program or at least, the area.
October 29th, 2018 at 9:12 AM ^
I hate USC but they still need to be able to beat Notre Dame, as that is the only time I root for them every year.
So get a coach who goes 1-11 with the 1 win over Notre Dame. Is that too much to ask?
October 29th, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
So, just a thought and way out in left field but, John Harbaugh is kind of in the hot seat with the Ravens who are in danger of missing the playoffs for the 4th consecutive season. What are the odds if Harbaugh is let go and can't find a landing spot in the NFL he comes to Collegiate ranks and maybe spends a year at UM then jets somewhere else after?
I know in all reality this will never happen but would be kind of cool to see both brothers on the sideline for a season...
October 29th, 2018 at 9:24 AM ^
As fun as that would be (imagine the consternation from talking heads like Pete Finebum!), John Harbaugh is an NFL coach. Maybe he'll take over the Lions?
October 29th, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^
John Harbaugh has had a pretty good run - won a super bowl, and had some good teams. He benefited from having a stable general manager who seemed to shared a common philosophy, a decent QB in Joe Flacco and a pretty good defense - which helps if you are playing outside in Baltimore. He might get another year - so long as things aren't too hot for his GM.
Will he want another head coaching job? Maybe if they offered enough money and the talent situation looks right - don't see him looking for a complete rebuild and the GM has to be someone he trusts.
As for going to the college ranks, it may be one of expectations. Consider the Herman Edwards experiment which is an example of setting clever expectations. The team as of Oct. 29, 2018 is 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the Pac 12 and YET it is considered a pleasant surprise and even a success by many because so many thought this would end up as a train wreck.
When he was hired, many predicted a Nebraska 2018 like start but that didn't happen. So despite a very mediocre to poor showing, simply NOT falling flat on his face, Herman Edwards will get applauded for this year. Who knows where next year or the years after will be once he has to recruit some of his own players. Don't know if John Harbaugh wants to go this route - he's been out of the active recruiting game for a long time and I'm sure Jim and their dad can fill him in but it may not be something he likes. I get the impression the Jim sorta of actually likes going out and recruiting and meeting the families and kids. Don't know if John has that same interest.
October 29th, 2018 at 10:09 AM ^
Does coming to UM for a season to be around Jim and some other coaches who have been in the recruiting game give him enough time to see if he does like it? Being an NFL coach has to be stressful, honestly anything beyond Jr. High football coaching has to be very stressful.. Would a person as successful as John has been want a year to see if a change of scenery would be good for him? He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone at this point, since he has reached the top of the mountain and maintained success for almost a decade in Baltimore. Not too mention this would bring the Harbaugh family with Jay being here as well a chance to coach together and have their dad close by. Which would have the whole family close for the holidays...(I know I'm reaching lol) but, could you imagine if they were to win a National Championship together?
Anyway, just fun to speculate, and would be really cool to see.
October 29th, 2018 at 9:36 AM ^
Herm Edwards...he's so hot right now. Firm for Herm.
October 29th, 2018 at 9:38 AM ^
I'm curious about the "lower floor" line for USC.
October 29th, 2018 at 9:53 AM ^
If Brohm (or anyone else) can't win at a place like USC, where you have all of CA and most of the West as your home recruiting grounds, where can he win? If you can't win at UL, does anyone notice? For the Blue Bloods, the coaching floor of failure is lower - you'd never get another top rung HC gig after failing on the top rung. Failing at UL leaves you open to recycle jobs almost anywhere else.
Conversely, winning big at UL still leaves the nation wondering whether you can win at a 'real' program. But winning big at Blue Blood U? Every knows you won, how you won, and believes you can win again...
October 29th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^
Gotcha. I was reading it as "at worst your record will be..." as the meaning. Really confused me.
October 29th, 2018 at 10:15 AM ^
Urban Meyer will be the next head coach of the USC Trojans, Book it.
Meyer is not happy at OSU he felt slighted by the suspension, I think Drake wanted him fired and it's showing up on the field.
He moves to a down blueblood and gets everything he wants from the adulation perspective.
October 29th, 2018 at 10:32 AM ^
USC is 4-4 now...if they go 8-4 or 7-5 and beat UCLA and Notre Dame, then Helton probably does survive
October 29th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^
Helton survives with the caveat that a loss to Oregon State, Cal or UCLA will change that. 6-6 and I think it becomes 50-50.
FYI, watch that Cal game, that's the one that could spell doom.
October 29th, 2018 at 11:05 AM ^
Maybe the pull of home will be too strong, but Brohm can do better than Louisville.
One complication at USC is that it doesn't have a president, and if you're Swann you might want to know the big guy has your back if you're going to sign someone for beaucoup bucks.
October 29th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
Ryan Day? He could Fit @ USC well.
October 29th, 2018 at 11:53 AM ^
People are too wishy washy...he won the PAC 12 last year. I'd think you'd have to give him next year to turn it around at least. Nobody's gonna come in there and be another Pete Carroll, his run was unreal. 7 straight 11 win seasons, 6 out of 7 bowl wins including 4 Rose and 2 Orange.
October 29th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^
Urban Meyer is not going to USC. Neither party wants that.
October 29th, 2018 at 12:21 PM ^
Urban Meyer to USC. Brohm to tOSU.
/end hawt take
October 29th, 2018 at 4:17 PM ^
That's HAWT