Report Labels USC Head Coach Clay Helton 'The Ultimate Survivor'

Clay Helton returns for his seventh season with the USC Trojans after leading the Men of Troy to the Pac-12 title game and a 5-1 record last year.

Sports Illustrated writer Pat Forde released a list of the 25 most intriguing college football coaches ahead of the 2021 season. Each coach named 'generates the most curiosity and interest' this year for various reasons. 

Sitting at No. 17 is none other than USC head coach Clay Helton. Forde writes:

"The ultimate survivor enters his seventh season with a chance to actually thrive. Aided by administrative instability and a failed attempt to hire Urban Meyer, Helton may be able to turn down the temperature of his perpetual hot seat—or it may burn him for good. The Trojans appear to have the talent, experience, coaching staff and schedule for a return to the prominence they haven’t enjoyed since Sam Darnold was in uniform. What Helton has to do is not screw it up, which means cleaning up what has been a mistake-ridden program on game days."

While Helton always seems to be sitting in the hot seat, his chances of having a solid 2021 season are high. The Trojans return with third-year quarterback Kedon Slovis, new offensive line coach [Clay McGuire] and a strong defensive unit featuring stars like Drake Jackson, Chris Steele and freshman Korey Foreman.

Helton is 45-23 as the USC's head coach, and finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 season 5-1 which included a trip to the Pac-12 championship.

USA TODAY

Two former USC coaches to grace Forde's list are Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin. You can read more on their respective rankings: HERE

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