USC Athletic Director Mike Bohn announced on Twitter that head football coach Clay Helton will return to the team in 2020. This comes after rumors and reports that Helton would be fired.
I am pleased to let you know Coach Helton will continue to be our head coach.
His commitment to our student-athletes and to leading with integrity is vital to restoring our championship program, which is the goal for all of our teams.
— Mike Bohn (@USC_mikebohn) December 4, 2019
Helton is 40-21 in his time as USC’s head coach. He was the interim coach in both 2013 and 2015, but was given the job full time in 2016. Helton led USC to a Rose Bowl victory and a Cotton Bowl appearance during his tenure. In 2015 and 2016 he won double-digit games, but last season USC missed a bowl game at 5-7.
This season, Helton guided the team to an 8-4 record despite having injury issues. Kedon Slovis was buried on the depth chart to start the season at quarterback, but has since blossomed into a star.
Bohn was just hired as Athletic Director this year, so the decision to stick with Helton, for at least 2020, comes as a little bit of a surprise.