Just Another Day At USC

Posted on by

Deland McCullough leaves for the Kansas City Chiefs. Tee Martin is talking to the Raiders. Cornerbacks coach Ronnie Bradford interviewed with the New York Jets.

Oh, and the basketball team might be fed up because it is angry guard De’Anthony Melton was declared out for the season.

UPDATED: Bradford said today he has not interviewed with the Jets.

187 thoughts on “Just Another Day At USC”

  2. coaches are jumping ship cause everybody knows helton is gone after signing period. like I said if your a 5 Star RECRUIT, YOU MIGHT WANNA SIGN WITH USC. POSSIBLE COACHES COMMING IN ARE HUGE. USC WILL WIN NATIONAL TITLE WITH THESE GUYS.

  3. And the beat reporter is ecstatic because the school has a little normal activity. Who knew he was such a UCLA troll?
    Please name a year when even average USC coaches were not held in high regard by every other team? It’s call poaching talent. They wouldn’t get interviewed if there wasn’t an interest.
    Coaching at USC is no picnic. You’re damned if you beat a team but didn’t slaughter them. You are damned because you lost on a fluke field goal. The list goes on. I think the next time I see positive news on this site there should be a warning to those of us who would be die of a heart attack.

  4. Don’t forget bozo fans, pugnacious Andyain’twinning vs Colorado 1/10, called a T/O with 21 seconds left and up double digit pts. to point out what a petty cheat/loser acts like.

  5. So just like a certain type of people. These people wanted Helton to create a massive exodus. Because the program needed it. Now it may appear it’s happening. But now Helton can’t hold down the fort. He’s weak and the program is in chaos. Amazing.

    • Yep, I also thought none of our coaches would be hired anywhere else yet all these guys interviewing. I guess the NFL doesn’t know how little these guys know about football. Maybe the Jets should contact some of the posters on here so they can set them straight

      • RB coach was the one most thought would get hired away. Tee11 and Bradford have interviewed, not hired, neither would be a loss anyway.

      • Watch, Callaway will get an interview with an nfl team and all you will hear on here is….crickets

        • I’m with you on 75-80% of what you’ve been saying the last 3 days, steveg. But —believe me—no NFL team is going to take Callaway off our hands….
          #…We’llHaveToDoItOurselves

          • Helfrich would of been a good replacement for Tee……..too late.

            I`m sure Helfrich is better head coaching material than Helton. I guess you never hire someone that might be a threat to your own job

          • Helfrich COULD have saved the day for Helton —-and he wouldn’t have been a threat—there is no way USC would want him as head coach. Helton let something good slip through his fingers.
            #It’sNotTheFirstTime

          • Mr G, USC had no shot at Helfrich. He was going back to Chip, get another HC gig or the NFL–no other options. Once Chip got the UCLA job there was no way Helfrich would be an asst. anywhere else. I live in the NW and that is the narrative up here

          • One thing about us football outsiders is that we’re real good at happy talk, & compiling dream teams of assistants—- we just have no fricking idea whether any of the names on our lists are remotely interested in or available to USC.

          • And if we are honest we don’t have the foggiest idea if any of these coaches we hear are good or not. lol

          • Ha! That is so fricking true. And, conversely, for all we know, the so called “no names” from Western Kentucky are actually brimming with talent and potential. Maybe we’re better off just letting USC do their thing and hoping for the best.

          • Part of me would love to say goodbye to Tee —but, with all the turmoil, I hope he stays for 2018. Breaking in a new signal caller for away games with Stanford and Texas would be a royal mess. Can you imagine how many delay of game penalties we’d get —with Clay, Bryan and someone new in the booth collaborating on every play? Mamma Mia!

          • MG, in all honesty, that doesn’t happen like that, at any level. Martin is in the coaches box with a couple of GA’s, and the conversation is generally observations of the defense alignments. Collaboration comes before the game all week, run game for every situation, pass game for every situation, compiled and agreed upon. That is what is on the Denny’s menu like Kiff used.

      • I don’t think it’s the coaches it’s the hc and his system he wants ran that does not work

    • Gomer is gone in 2018, these clowns know it, guys like you and pea brain Brent don’t.

      It’s gonna be a sad day for you Gomer pud strokers when he gets canned after the ND game, or hopefully before

    • You know what’s funny I said that the program is in chaos like 3 weeks ago. Like I said player were fighting coaches were fighting Helton is way over his head and like swann said during the season I gotta get this guy out of here! Tick tock swann is on the clock. Fire Helton

    • It’s worse over on Ryan Abraham’s site. Or very entertaining, to put it another way.

      Three days ago post after post mentioned that no one wanted to poach USC assistants because they were universally bad. People couldn’t wait for Tee Martin to go. Now it’s in full meltdown mode because one coach jumped to the NFL and Tee is interviewing with of teams.

      Whiplash. Very strong, it is.

    • They had best have people lined up or interested before signing day, it could become a disaster with this timing. I personally think Helton in 2018.

    • Then there is the strong “Fire Helton” contingent. But many of these same people are now demanding that USC and the $$$$$ donors open up the vault to poach big-name coaches in order to save Helton’s job.

        • I agree. But the same OPs are writing, as we speak, that USC is betraying the football teams by not spending all it takes to hire the best assistants possible. But wouldn’t hiring the best assistants possible make it more likely that Helton stays, because USC would have a good record?

      • Have you noticed the pay these assistants are getting this year? USC is kind of skimpy on the budget, thanks to the administration.

        • Assistant pay is in the same ball park as Bama and tOSU.

          But an interesting idea has been floated that after this year, no one will be owed guaranteed money or large buyouts (including Clay), therefore freeing Swann to reconstruct the entire football staff from scratch. In a conference that, after this year, owes $60 mil in buyouts, that puts USC in a very competitive position vis-a-vis other teams in the conference.

          • USC has not gone into the market to hire a good assistant or coordinator since they hired Pendy. What I am seeing is some assistants are now making more than some head coaches at other schools.

          • Makes a lot more sense than the rumor circulating from usc1986 that Swann is about to announce Jack Del Rio as new HC replacing Helton then again maybe Del Rio has a smart agent who has a credible counter option if USC delays.

        • Well that’s a whole nother subject. Leave the Pac 12. Go independent get a tv deal = more money for assistants. It’s time to abandon a conference who lives off a university which has been abandoned by the conference.

          • I personally think a new commish would do wonders to upgrade the conference and get one with huevos to stand up for the schools in the conference, no more Friday night games.

          • All the Commish really does is act for the President’s interests, and the Pac-12 Presidents, so far, still seem happy with the direction and the status quo.

          • Not really, Fox would pay a boat load to get a team with the tradition and alumni in the east( New York) that SC carries across the country. Not to mention going after NBC(ND). Plus being in the second largest city in America. Super easy to sell.

          • Absolutely true – those clowns blew it when Fordham’s team folded back in the late 20′ – anyone remember the ‘…seven blocks of granite’? the Fordam Rams
            ?. and a certain player in the group? Vince Lombardi? Save for Boston College all the old Catholic powers nationally began to collapse and all bowed down to Notre Dame and their idiocy.

            USC football made modern Los Angeles no less than the motion picture industry did. It;s the reason the 10th Olympiad was hosted here when it was awarded back in the mid-20’s. The construction of the Coliseum convinced the IOC LA was a feasible site and the longest continuous tenant and now proud leaseholder is USC.

            The LA Memorial Coliseum is the most revered extant stadium in all the USA – it is the sole one left of the old majestic ones intact – Soldier Field – it’s outer shell horribly ruined. Yankee Stadium – gone replaced by a ‘faux’ wider seat for fat rear fans. Kezar, JFK (Phil) gone, – the old college stadiums are still there but this city this region owes its’ growth to the prowess of USC and its’ athletic heritage and you are right NYC would give anything to have the infrastructure for sports LA has as well as a national college program able to focus any attention on those 5 boroughs – it doesn’t.

          • My experience in the past with Fox Sports was that they were really really cheap. That was what I saw in the press box.

    • If Clay gets himself recognized, top notch RB, DB and O-Line assistants he will come out of this smelling like a Rose (Bowl). I’d half like to see Tee go too —but I hate the idea of a new signal caller going against Shaw and Herman.

  6. Cornerbacks coach Ronnie Bradford interviewed with the New York Jets?

    Go Ronnie — GO! And take Callaway with you! (perhaps Helton has a grandson he can replace you with…)

  8. Bradford news old news. Rumor on the pay boards over the past 48 hours is that Ronnie is gonna be fired, but they are letting him interview in order for Ronnie to have a soft landing and save face.

      • The vibe is that Tee is staying with the idea that buy hired Colbert as WR coach, Tee can be freed up to be full-time OC, but that Tee is also Mr. Networking, that he does this every year, but he also wants to become a head coach sooner than later, and that he would be very interested in joining Gruden’s staff, because he is close to Reggie McKenzie (fellow Tennessse alums) and joining Gruden’s staff will help speed up the opportunities to be an HC at a Power 5 school..

        • If Martin stays then I say let him run the offense or just do receivers. Get a new OC then, spend the money. Defense is under control. And make Callaway 10th coach if they can’t get rid of him and get an O line coach. The pair from Seattle.

          • Tom Cable would be great as O-Line Coach— even as Offensive Coordinator, if Tee left. He got to .500 with an injury riddled Raider team. Only drawback? He punched out a dumb assistant coach who couldn’t follow orders —how would that go over at USC?
            #Personally,IThinkItWouldBeAGoodThing
            P.S.
            It’s probably already too late for slow moving USC to get Cable. He’s getting NFL offers as we speak.

          • Yep .. JDR will be named HC in the coming days.. Helton was demoted to OC… Thats why all the coaching movement.. Recruits and others were told of the changes..

          • This is truly the USC carousel last couple of days. I think we can expect more if JDR is coming. Everyone wave bye to Callaway!!!

          • It will I am sure. Del Rio is not an offense guy, so I am sure some meeting will take place. That is if Helton stays, or joins his brother in Tennessee.

          • So far you have really stuck your neck out on the Tee Martin leaving, and now it is way out there with this one. Sounds okay to me, but I will believe it for sure when I see it.

          • Sounds good—-[then Cable only has to drag Helton back on the field with sunglasses to cover up the fact he’s unconscious—-prop his limp body up against a burly 2nd string lineman —-and pretend the plays he’s sending in are really coming from Helton]…
            #….ItWorkedInWeekendAtBernie’s

          • But Cable is the Harvey Weinstein of coaching.

            Per ESPN:

            Nov 2, 2009 – Two women, including his former wife and a recent girlfriend, say that Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable has a history of violent behavior toward women.

          • To bad. In the old days that would get him hired. Weinstein screwed everything up. But then the nfl is full of wife beaters.

          • Helton being Helton will be one of the last coaches completing his coaching staff like last year as no one good will work for him. And like last year Find more Callaways and Bradfords or some graduate assistants.

  10. Two out of four are not bad. If Bradford and Martin leave, then we might be on a roll.

  14. For the sake of this discussion let’s assume that EVERYONE agrees the staff needs to be upgraded. I have seen comments that think Swann is intentionally not forcing CH to make coaching changes as a way to provide enough rope for CH to hang himself. When the team flounders in 2019 Swann can then cleanly fire CH. If this is true and Swann agrees the staff needs to be upgraded why would he intentionally sabotage the program? IMO, it doesn’t make sense to allow the program to crater before making changes. I don’t think Swann is devious enough or so incompetent that he would knowingly harm the program. There are many areas of the program that need improvement, but it is clearly not the dumpster fire it was 3 years ago. There is a lot of talent in the locker room and though the team is not yet elite it is a top 20 team. . So my question is this. How does it benefit Swann and the program by setting up CH to fail?

    • Well said sir….well said! I venture the ‘…writing is on the wall…’ by the afternoon 15th September esp. if the preceding week is also a loss. USC will be automatically out of any serious consideration for the current ‘final four’ and the drum beat will just be heard as it gets louder and louder. It will also be perceived as a ‘fair’ and ‘just’ test for Helton – honoring the full 3 firm years of the contract. I think that is what most sense and the savings by not being obligated to pay out any termination is also a plus.

      One feels for Helton save it seems, save the two Stanford wins, he hasn’t learned anything specific to preparing for ‘big games’. He’ll move onto a lower tier conference and be where his skill set is best used.

      • Even if all you say is true and comes to fruition, what good does it do and what purpose does it serve by purposely damaging the program? If Swann wanted to he could get the money from “petty cash” or tap a like minded major donor to absorb any contract obligation. I am having a hard time finding a legit reason for Swann to knowingly sabotage the program.

        • I can only say it would look better for the program if Swann honored the contract with Helton to completion, then announce they are “Going in a different direction”. It would appear Helton did a decent job and protect the stability they have created. That is not sabotaging the program, it would make it look like a respectable change.

          • You pose an interesting theory , but knowingly letting the program stagnate or back slide is far more damaging than not honoring a contract of someone you believe isn’t up to the job. If Swann feels that way & makes the right hire after letting CH go , any fall out ( IMO opinion-minimal at the worst) would be quickly forgotten.

        • Who said anything about damaging it? This is all Helton’s to do so as he wishes – if Swann chooses to intervene per staff suggestions to improve the squad – have at it. Helton appears to lack that which those in his elevated tier have – ability.

          • I agree that Swann can do what he please and actually encourage him to be proactive in staff positions. I just don’t understand how some people think that Swann knows/ or thinks the staff needs to be upgrade, but is intentionally leaving CH to his own devices. Why would he do that? If he thinks the staff needs upgrading & he doesn’t see CH addressing the problem , why would he stand idly by? Makes no sense to me.

          • Confident individuals make their own decisions – if it gets out Swann is making such for Helton (and rest assured it will) that doesn’t do Helton much good i.e. it only undergirds the perception of his (Helton’s) lack of skill and mgmt. but it also could stabilize the program for 2018. Unlike most head coaches who understand the gain Helton has not seemed to inclined to hire strong assistants and I can’t see him changing now.

          • Agree with you the perception CH doesn’t want strong assistants is real. But all AD’s are involved with the HC to address personnel issues, and the less experienced the HC is the more involved the AD is. Chip has a stronger resume than CH so I am sure his AD is going to give him more leeway. I am not so sure that CH lacks the confidence to make decisions, but more that he needs more support. But your first point could definitely be accurate.

          • No he got his ‘school’ support when they held that presser two years ago this past October after Sarkisian was sacked and he was named ‘interim coach’ Keyshawn Johnson et. al. did a ‘come together’ rally for him prior to the Notre Dame game/loss.. The subsequent contract given him was after the ucla victory but prior to losses to Stanford and WI.

            Public pronouncements of support are usually meaningless – they deflect for a while but there’s a reason why they have to be made – i.e. ‘..Houston we have a problem.’

            Helton is getting paid and has been paid $3 million a year – let him figure out his own plan. This is why he’s paid $3 million – you want support Helton earn your salary – after that loss to OH St. it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone assistants are leaving this ‘rudderless’ ship that has no ‘direction’.

          • Appreciate the conversation. Not sure I agree with you, but definitely something to think about. Have a good weekend. Stuck with the NFL now.

          • Decorum, probably why no one joined the conversation. If I called you a commie pinko leftist flat earther maybe we would have really gotten a full on scrum going. LOL

          • Nah w.o. any ‘comeback’ what is life? Boring….been called a lot worse and better for it. Worked in NYC for 2 years way back in the late 70’s early 80’s – Kings County (Brooklyn) and Hudson County (Jersey City) – hatch cover repair on the docks.

            Much as I got sick of the mocking because I came from ‘LA’ I always have and always shall admire the ‘up front’ perception of me by the ‘naw yakahs’ instead of the ‘PC’ idiocy we have here in my home – LA.

            A real conversation starter was when I’d ask “Hey how come you mopes wear that NYY hat…all you have to do is open your gob and everyone will know where you’re from!” – Nellie bar the door!

    • Well your speaking from perspective, with no malice and no drama induced monologue, others not so much.

  15. I guess it okay with Wolf to hire from within:

    USC Rumor Of The Day
    Posted on February 16, 2017 by Scott Wolf
    One name I’ve heard this week for the running backs job is former wide receiver Keary Colbert. He’s already on the staff, so it would be a smooth transition in that sense.

  16. While the ship sinks, SC is hosting a very big OV weekend with two five star recruits and several 4 star..HAHAHA..

  17. Iman Marshall is returning! That’s great news — I think he could be very effective at safety and now we get to see!

Comments are closed.