Monday, USC athletic director Pat Haden confirmed Kessler’s assessment, removing the interim tag and making Helton the program’s permanent head coach.
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This from a defensive player who has not had all that much contact with Helton, who was offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
McCaffrey was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Shaw and Mike Leach of Washington State were co-Coaches of the Year. Sarkisian admitted he was struggling with alcohol after he went on an obscenity-laced rant at a booster function before the season and the coach and team continued to struggle for the first five games. The Trojans are trying to cap a drama-filled season with a title in Clay Helton’s first game as USC’s permanent coach. Aside from the few who showed up to cheer Helton on in the press conference Monday, many voiced their support on Twitter. And Stanford, the leader of the Pac, ended Notre Dame’s playoff hopes with a game-winning field goal, and will head into the Pac-12 Championship Game will momentum.
In the video, Haden introduces Helton as the interim head coach, then tells the players, “This guy is no longer your interim head coach”.
“I’ve had the great experience and fortune to be a part of this special place for six years”, Helton said. Let’s derail the hype train before it begins – I know you wouldn’t be able to stand months of offseason “ARE THE TROJANS BACK??!?!?” talk. “I am so proud to have the chance to lead what I feel is the pinnacle of college football and to represent our Trojan Family”, he said.
The timing of Haden’s move was surprising, even if the outcome had seemed increasingly plausible for weeks. Faced with an unwanted midseason coaching change, little news leaked about USC’s search – and Haden flatly denied that he had interviewed Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly, a popular candidate among fans and alumni. Banner claimed he hasn’t decided whether to head for the National Football League next year. McCaffrey is better still than he was in the first half of the year, and Joshua Garnett and Kyle Murphy headline from the left side one of the country’s most physical O-lines.
Shaw has compiled an overall record of 52-14 at Stanford, and reached 50 wins faster than any head coach in program history. He broke Charles White’s school rushing record for freshman with 890 yards and is averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Skov was also a two-time Pac-12 Honorable Mention recipient while at Stanford. He started nine of 10 games and finished his rookie season with a team-leading 78 tackles as well as three interceptions. He has 149.8 per game on the ground this season after topping 200 yards for the third time in four games and the fourth time in sixth games overall.
“Toward the beginning of the season, I felt like we really didn’t have an identity as a team”, Davis said.
COMEBACK GOFF: California quarterback Jared Goff is no stranger to topping 500 yards passing in a game, having done so twice entering this season.
For Hogan, a birth in the Pac-12 Conference’s top bowl game would be the third of his collegiate career. “We love him and we want him back”.
Stanford, in turn, desires to milk the clock with McCaffrey, who has rushed for 1,640 yards and seven touchdowns – catching 37 balls for 435 yards.
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FRESH LONGHORN: Texas running back Chris Warren III had only 18 carries for 88 yards on the season before being pressed into action because of injuries in a 48-45 loss to Texas Tech.
