USC Now mailbag: Coaching search, UCLA and recruits

Questions and comments always take an interesting turn when there is an interim coach.

My inbox still hasn’t reached the level of craziness that it did in 2013, with the “Hire Ed Orgeron!” and “Don’t hire Coach O!” letters.

If you want to participate in a future mailbag, email LNThiry@gmail.com or tweet @LindseyThiry.

If I were Clay Helton, I’d walk into Pat Haden’s office and say hire me now as head coach or I quit and you can continue your legacy as athletic director with the most interim coaches. He’s saved Haden twice. Haden has no leverage as I see it and it would be totally embarrassing again if Helton were a man and called him out! Let’s face it, Haden ain’t gonna hire him at end of season. I don’t care if USC wins ’em all. Haden wants a USC big name!

— Robert Evans

That would be the worst possible move Clay Helton could make.

Though some believe Helton does not have a legitimate chance to become the next head coach, this is an opportunity to prove he is capable of the job.

If USC wins its remaining games, Helton should be a serious candidate.

But regardless of whether USC will hire him, Helton can build his resume to become the head coach of another program.

If he were to walk out, which I do not think would ever happen, he would also leave behind a team of players who have been put through several difficult situations over the last few seasons.

That would be a resume killer, and he doesn’t appear to be a coach who would abandon kids.

Why are you so adamant that UCLA will defeat the Trojans? What has UCLA shown you? If USC plays like it did against Arizona State, Utah and Notre Dame (in a losing effort), then UCLA stands no chance.

— Stephen Meola

Must I remind you that UCLA has defeated USC the last three seasons?

The games weren’t even close. UCLA won by 38-28 in 2012, 35-14 in 2013 and 38-20 in 2014.

USC’s victory over Utah last week was the first time since early 2014 that the Trojans played a hard-fought, physical game against a top opponent and won -- decisively.

If the same USC team that beat Utah shows up against UCLA in November (which is not a given with the inconsistent Trojans) it should be a close contest.

But until last week’s victory, USC showed little sign that it would be capable of handling the physicality of some teams, including UCLA.

I was wondering if you think there’s any remote chance USC hires another former Pete Carroll assistant. The only two who I can think of are Norm Chow at Hawaii and Nick Holt at Western Kentucky. I would like to hope that Pat Haden knows that hiring former Carroll assistants hasn’t worked out the last two times and I don’t think the third time is a charm.

— Jesse Sullivan

There’s always a chance, Jesse, but Trojans fans should hope USC doesn’t take it.

The Pete Carroll era will continue to be one of the greatest in USC history, but the program must find a new identity and a coach who can foster success in his own right.

There is plenty of time to conduct a thorough search and make the right hire for USC’s future.

I’m noticing a few committed players are opening their recruiting. I feel that if kids are not solid on their commitment, oh well. He wasn’t going to pan out anyway. USC is bigger than a coach. We are a family. What are your thoughts?

— C. Brown

Any adult who begrudges a recruit for researching every offer he gets needs a reality check.

Recruits have the right to make five official visits and to take as much time as necessary (even beyond signing day in February) to make an informed decision about where they want to attend school and play football.

Sometimes recruits aren’t solid on their commitments, but neither are coaches.

When a high school player withdraws his commitment to a program, it’s often as much a decision by the coaching staff as it is the player.

In USC’s case, with the head coach being fired during the season, it is in the best interest of the recruit to check all of his options, and that shouldn’t be held against him.

Questions or comments about USC? Email me at LNThiry@gmail.com or tweet @LindseyThiry and I will respond to select messages in a weekly USC Now mailbag.