USC glued with coach Clay Helton after missing the cup match

USC head coach Clay Helton will be back for his fourth season, said USC Sports Director Lynn Swann.

The Trojans finished season 5-7, their first loss since 2000.

"I am firmly convinced that we have a good team back next year and a solid base in place, and that Clay Helton is a good coach," Swann said in a statement. "Let me be clear to everyone, our players, our rookies and our fans Clay Helton is our head coach and he will continue to be our head coach."

"I am a strong advocate for consistency within a program, I am supported by a leader, I support him and I help him and his team to improve."

Helton resumed the program as acting coach in 2015 after the sacking of Steve Sarkisian. After guiding the team to the Pac-12 Championship game that season, he led the Trojans to a Rose Bowl title in 2016 and to Pac-12 in 2017.

"We find that the best programs across the country have been declining for years and that fans want to change coaches," Swann said. "In fact, it happened a few years ago with the opponent of yesterday (Notre Dame raised the score to 4-8 in 2016), but this administration remained attached to its Head Coach, who has made some essential changes, worked hard to fix things and get her to improve dramatically.This will happen here at USC. "

After the 24-17 defeat of the Trojans against Notre Dame on Saturday, Helton's job security was a hot topic of discussion. Before the match, a plane with a banner calling for his dismissal flew over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but Helton spoke at his press conference with assurances that he was not afraid for his work.

"USC is about the championships, it deserves it, and we have not done it," said Helton. "The fact is that this year we have not done the work, that does not mean we can not, I know and I believe in the guys in this locker room and we're going to go back and create a disciplined football team that performs at the highest level.

"We can compete with anybody in the country with the men who are in this locker room.It will be my job and my task in the future to force us to perform, to be disciplined and to win. championships, which is what we expected and that is what is deserved. "

He indicated that he would consider making changes to his staff.

The Trojans are 26-13 in Helton's three full seasons as a coach. They were 5 to 4 with Helton after replacing Sarkisian in 2015 and winning the Las Vegas Bowl in 2013 as an acting coach.