USC fired former head coach Lane Kiffin in late September, installed defensive line coach Ed Orgeron as its interim head coach and just hired Washington’s Steve Sarkisian as its permanent head coach.
But with Orgeron moving on to other opportunities and Sarkisian still getting his feet wet, there’s still the matter of who will be left to coach the 9-4 Trojans in their bowl game.
USC athletic director Pat Haden solved that issue on Tuesday when he announced that current offensive coordinator Clay Helton would serve as the team’s coach -- the interim interim, if you will -- for whatever bowl it goes to. Sarkisian will likely observe and stay out of most day-to-day preparations.
Helton is in his fourth season as USC quarterbacks coach and first as offensive coordinator. USC is looking for its first bowl victory since 2009.