Though I agree with most all of the shortcomings of USC football mentioned in Bill Plaschke’s column on USC football, he’s being shortsighted. USC needed to retain Clay Helton for another year. Obviously not because he’s a innovative, dynamic, inspiring coach, but simply because there are much larger university-wide problems to solve first.
In a perfect world, USC’s biggest issue would be their underachieving football team and uninspiring coach. But, handing Helton a multi-million dollar buyout check in the wake of the Tyndall scandal would cost the university so much more in the court of public opinion.
Oblivious to the escalating mediocrity of the football program, Lynn Swann neither thought about or bothered to look for a new head coach.