Bland, who was ultimately fired by USC, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to commit bribery for taking a $4,100 in exchange for steering players to a sports agency. Kitchens coached tight ends for the New York Giants in 2020 and was their senior offensive assistant & interim offensive coordinator in 2021. USC mens tennis coach Peter Smith, who won five NCAA titles, has resigned. Our university and its leadership are committed to winning national championships and restoring USC football to glory, the athletic director said in his statement. USC has fired embattled coach Clay Helton, who had long been a source of fan discontent, in the wake of the team's 42-28 loss to Stanford on Saturday. Former USC head football coach Steve Sarkisian has lost a $30 million lawsuit that claimed he was improperly fired by the school instead of being allowed to seek treatment for alcoholism. We are making a change in the leadership of our football program. Over that miserable stretch, USC made just a single NCAA regional (2015) while cycling through coaches who combined to produce just two winning seasons. COLUMBIA, Mo. It was the same language Bohn and USC president Carol Folt would use years later to describe an ideal steward for USC athletics. Legal Statement. We are determined to restore the unrivaled winning tradition of our program, and we will make the necessary commitments to ensure we successfully recruit an elite leader for our baseball program.. Heltons firing finally brings an end to one of the most unlikely head coaching tenures at a premier football program in recent NCAA history. When questioned by the admissions department why a student was not on the womens basketball team, Heinel told them that she had suffered an injury and was to be out for six to eight months. Sometimes, the right choice is not always the easy choice, he said. At Winthrop: Seven NCAA . In 2015, the Pac-12 Network named VavicMen's Water Polo Coach of the Century as part of its celebration of the conference's 100th anniversary. How USC trainers saved Vincent Iwuchukwu after cardiac arrest, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. USC head coach Clay Helton was fired on Sept. 13, just two days after the Trojans fell 42-28 to Stanford. The Trojans already have two conference losses. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Ten players and three other people close to the program later accused Gill and pitching coach Ted Silva of mistreating players and staff in a concerted effort to drive them from the program. Chad Kreuter, Gillespie's son-in-law, had losing seasons all four of his years. Helton posted a 46-24 record in parts of nine seasons with the program. The added resources carried significantly increased expectations for our teams performance, Bohn said. Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter. Warmer storms could cause problems, Inside USC baseballs long road back to prominence amid investigations and discontent, Dont expect Drake London 2.0: Takeaways on Jordan Addison joining USC, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, High school basketball: Southern California and Northern California Regional results and updated pairings, Still in UCLAs corner, Ben Howland stressed importance of getting No. USC was right to fire Clay Helton, but the Trojans need a big name to return them to glory. Williams, a Los Angeles-area native and the first Black head coach in USC football history, joined the program in 2020 and has played a major role in the Trojans significant recruiting advancements over the past two cycles. I took the job knowing what the standard is. USC has fired football coach Clay Helton just two games into his seventh season leading the program. In a statement posted to Twitter, Helton thanked USCs administrators, players and fans for the opportunity to coach the team. 7 USC Mens Tennis Set For Midweek Crosstown Showdown Against UCLA, No. Former South Carolina men's basketball coach Frank Martin said he is "at peace" after being fired by the university early in the week. A year ago the injury-riddled Trojans finished 6-26 and won only one conference game. A lifelong South Carolina native who played for College of Charleston, Lee served as a USC assistant early in his career under then-coach and current athletic director Ray Tanner from 2003-08. Ali Khosroshahin: Khosroshahin was head coach of the USC women's soccer team for seven seasons before he was fired following the 2013 season. . Vavic -- a 13-time national coach of the year -- has 14 national titles under his belt during his tenure at the University of Southern California. He worked with the South Carolina Gamecocks last . In 2017, Marci Palatella, a liquor distributor in Kentucky, sought admission for his son. According to his LinkedIn account, Khosroshahin is the owner of the Newport Futbol Club of the United Premier Soccer League. While Helton brought stability to a tumultuous football culture and ran a clean program that inspired loyalty and love from his players, he never won over a significant portion of the Trojans vast fan base, even during his early successes. At College of Charleston: assistant coach under John Kresse, 1988-1996. 111 Comment. The University of Southern California released a statement on Monday afternoon, two days after the then-14th ranked . The decision was made on Monday following the Trojans' ugly home loss to Stanford on Saturday night. Neither student ended up attending Stanford. USC coach Clay Helton watches the Trojans warm up before Saturdays loss to Stanford. Plus, David Shaw's bold decision and another failed delivery by North Carolina State's Dave Doeren. The Trojans are just 19-15 since, but still Helton clung to his job, even as the athletic director who extended him, Lynn Swann, resigned in September 2019. The culture of the team was terrible. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. Posted on March 24, 2017 by Scott Wolf. He was the third consecutive USC coach to be fired in the middle of the season. USC senior associate athletic director Dr. Donna Heinel, ex-USC women's head soccer coach Ali Khosroshahin and ex-assistant soccer coach Laura Janke are all named as well as current USC men's water polo head coach Jovan Vavic. Aside from the 2016 season, Helton's Trojans never finished ranked the same or higher than they were in the preseason: MORE: USC, Mike Bohn must answer Clay Helton question sooner rather than later, In his announcement, Bohn made it clear he wants USC to compete for national championships. or redistributed. LAS VEGAS Down seven to Washington midway through the fourth quarter Wednesday, Oregon needed someone to step up. USC's recruiting rankings in the Helton era have been disappointing. Still, as fans clamored for a change, Bohn put his faith in a Helton turnaround. Championships, Helton said earlier this summer. Bohn replaced Lynn Swann as USCs athletic director in November 2019, and the schools aspirations for national title contention ramped up again with major infrastructure additions to all areas of the football program. Lets see at the end of the year, Helton said. Athletic director Mike Bohn made the move two days after an embarrassing 42-28 home loss to Stanford that dropped the Trojans (1-1, 0-1 Pac-12) out of the AP Top 25. I am excited to see what the future holds for me and my family, and I wish the players and the program the best.. The coach navigated this treacherous terrain with a smile and consistent optimism, never failing to express his gratitude and appreciation for his position in the sport. Trojan athletic director Mike Bohn announced Monday Helton has been fired. His womens tennis coach was an easy-to-afford Division III coach. He faced considerable pressure during the 2019 campaign but got Bohn's backing with a caveat on Dec. 4, 2019: "Coach Helton and I will work together to take a hard look at all aspects of the football enterprise," Bohn said, "and will make the tough decisions necessary to compete at a championship level.". 11:08 AM PT -- The NCAA released a statement addressing the scandal saying, "The charges brought forth today are troubling and should be a concern for all of higher education. Before reuniting with Kelly in 2022, Jancek was a defensive quality control assistant at Georgia, where he was part of the 2021 national title team. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. But I know this. According to court documents, USC ain't alone in this -- at least one soccer coach from UCLA is named, along with a coach from Georgetown, a sailing coach at Stanford, a tennis coach at Texas, a coach from Wake Forest and even Yale. Athletic director Mike Bohn made the move two days after an embarrassing 42-28 home loss to Stanford that dropped the Trojans (1-1, 0-1 Pac-12) out of the AP Top 25.. Donte Williams, the Trojans' cornerbacks coach and associate head coach, is taking over as head coach. Janke is listed as the Physical Education Department Chair & Educator for the Geffen Academy at UCLA. Clay is one of the finest human beings I have met in this industry, and he has been a tremendous role model and mentor to our young men, Bohn said in a statement. Gators coach Billy Napier turned to Armstrong to fill the position, making him the youngest defensive coordinator in Power Five football. "Clay's a friend of mine. D1Baseball first reported that USC planned to fire Gill, but nothing was made official until Monday, when baseball players and staff were asked to meet to discuss the program. Helton went 46-24 during his improbable tenure in charge of a longtime West Coast college football powerhouse with 11 national championships. "If the facts alleged are true, they represent a grave departure from the ethical standards we set for ourselves and the people who work here.". ", She added, "It is immensely disappointing that individuals would abuse their position at the university in this way. Joey Kaufman is the USC beat writer for the Southern California News Group. The Dash suggests top targets for the Trojans' coaching search. 1 seed in West, Another Trevor Bauer defamation suit is thrown out, Darvin Ham says the Lakers are sitting Anthony Davis as a precaution, Despite cap issues, Chargers GM Tom Telesco says Keenan Allen isnt going anywhere, Georgias Jalen Carter charged with racing in crash that killed teammate, staff member. 4, 5, 6 Arizona, UCLA and USC all tied for fourth with 11-7 league marks. According to the indictment, Vavic accepted bribes totaling more than $250,000 to designate two prospective students as recruits, thereby smoothing the path for their admission to USC. Thats a special place to be.. We appreciate that Jason led us through those challenging circumstances, Bohn said in his statement. But three of those victories required furious comebacks in the final minute. Playing next. Endyia Rogers scored 10 of her game-high 28 points during a span of 3:18 late in the fourth quarter, helping the UO women to a 52-50 victory over the Huskies in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena . Bohn added that those additions created heightened expectations for the program and, after the loss to the Cardinal, it was evident they would not be met "without a change in leadership. Age: Turns 60 Feb. 27. John is a veteran SEC coordinator who possesses a great deal of knowledge as it relates to the scheme we teach, Kelly said Tuesday, alluding to Janceks previous stints as a defensive coordinator at Georgia and Tennessee. Helton was under contract until 2023. The week after the loss to Stanford, at Washington State, USC quarterback Kedon Slovis went down with an injury. Heinel and Vavic were among four people with ties to USCs athletic department, including former womens soccer coach Ali Khosroshahin and former assistant womens soccer coach Laura Janke, implicated in the wide-ranging scandal. Warmer storms could cause problems, Here are 13 candidates to replace Clay Helton as USCs permanent head football coach, Plaschke: Get it right this time, USC. In addition to Georgia and Tennessee, Janceks coaching career also included stints at Kentucky, Cincinnati, South Florida and Colorado State. Dan Hubbs, Cruz's associate head coach, was promoted and lasted seven years. Shortly after, the announcement went out: Helton and USC were parting ways. It is already evident that, despite the enhancements, those expectations would not be met without a change in leadership.. 2023 University of Southern California Athletics, United Airlines Field at L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Allyson Felix Field at Loker Track Stadium & Colich Center, No. You mean Legoland? Swann gave a lucrative extension to Helton in 2018 over the objections of many fans. Is it a coincidence that USC is losing established, successful coaches like Smith and beach volleyball coach Anna Collier? The Trojans won the Rose Bowl after the 2016 season and the Pac-12 title in 2017 while Sam Darnold was their quarterback, but Heltons teams otherwise struggled to live up to the sky-high expectations around the USC program. Decisions might be driven by the elephant that still has his big ass parked In Swanys living room. But as USC football continued to fade and the frustrations of its fans mounted, Bohn made the call many had long demanded. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. That turmoil settled somewhat before this season, and USC officials were confident that Gill was steering the program in a new direction. Again.USC announced today that it has fired head coach Clay Helton, just two games into the 2021 season, after an ugly . Armstrong, who spent the last two seasons as Southern Mississippis defensive coordinator, was Napiers inside linebackers coach at Louisiana-Lafayette in 2020. pic.twitter.com/ejZe6Pr5rV. But at the time of his hiring, even Helton understood he was something of an unusual fit. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. September 13, 2021 6:44 pm ET. It took just two games the following season for Bohn to change his mind. The universityannounced Tuesday afternoon that Vavic had been fired. But with Helton gone just two games into the season, Bohn will have the next three months to conduct a national search for his replacement. In addition, 38 Bruins have been drafted by Major League Soccer (MLS) during Salcedo's tenure, boosting the program's attractiveness to recruits. He is accused of accepting $200,000 to help get one female student and one male student admitted to the university in 2016 and 2018, respectively. It appears Bohn's patience and support ran out after Helton's latest loss. (LogOut/ Men's Tennis won Baylor's first ever national title in 2004. Faced that night with all-too-familiar questions about his future, Helton pleaded for more time during his postgame news conference. pic.twitter.com/ejZe6Pr5rV, Under fire for his handling of Sarkisian, former athletic director Pat Haden removed Heltons interim coach tag a month later and lauded him as a man with undisputed integrity.. You can be at USC and win every game but one, and if its the last one, its looked at as a bad season. USC was 7-10 this season under O'Neill, including a 2-2 mark in Pac-12 play. Frank Martin Michael Woods AP. 3:01 PM PT --USC has fired water polo coach Jovan Vavic and Senior Associate AD Donna Heinel. No one wanted to be there, one USC player recalled to The Times in March. USC athletic director Mike Bohn announced Monday that Trojans football coach Clay Helton has become former Trojans football coach Clay Helton, though he was a bit kinder in the release. James Franklin also has a proven track record, but he has said before that Penn State a traditional Big Ten power is his dream job. The NCAA said Tuesday it was reviewing the allegations to determine if possible NCAA rules violations were also committed. USC visits Washington State this weekend for its road opener. BATON ROUGE, La. Bohn said he made the decision to fire Helton and elevate Williams with the hope of salvaging the Trojans 2021 campaign. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Who knows how deep the coaching bribery scam really runs. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. USC coach Clay Helton walks the sideline during Saturdays loss to Stanford. He is a true friend and I am devastated by this news. Seattle Seahawks. Bohn has been on the job for less than two years, but he already has a strong track record on hiring for major jobs that will please Trojans football fans: Four months ago, he persuaded Lindsay Gottlieb to leave the NBA to take charge of the Trojans underachieving program even though the successful, decorated former Cal coach wasnt initially seeking another job. This is the second coach in . Market data provided by Factset. At 2:45 p.m., UCLA, USC, Alabama and . The coaches, who represented the University of Southern California, Georgetown, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, Wake Forest and Yale, have led a variety of what are termed "non-revenue" sports, which is to say, sports that are dependent on the largesse provided by their university's football and basketball programs. Further staff changes are not anticipated at this time. Since then, the university has made it common practice, firing Sarkisian five games into a tumultuous 2015 season, and now Helton even earlier albeit under far different circumstances. All rights reserved. ", "We will continue to cooperate fully with all law enforcement and regulatory investigations. Singer characterized Heinel as the liaison to the admissions department for all varsity sports. Gill never found that footing at USC, finishing with a 60-59 record over three seasons. Receivers coach Keary Colbert left to take the same position with the Denver Broncos, and tight ends coach William Peagler has reportedly taken a job with the Cardinals. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/xChL8xi0oG, MORE: College Football Week 2 Takeaways: Oregon shreds Ohio State; Texas falls flat. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, "The conduct alleged in the filings revealed today is deeply disturbing and in contrast with the expectations we have of our coaches to lead their teams with honesty and integrity," UCLA said in a statement. The son received a conditional acceptance letter days later, noting he had the potential to make a significant contribution to the intercollegiate athletic program as well as to the academic life of the university.. A profile was made for Palatellas son that included fake accomplishments as a football player, according to court documents, that falsely described him, among other things, as an active player on his high school football team as a member of the defensive line and a long snapper and as a member of several local and statewide championship teams between 2015 and 2017.. June 6, 2022 Updated 12:31 PM PT. It is already evident that, despite the enhancements, those expectations would not be met without a change in leadership.. Helton was under contract until 2023. But the tension surrounding USCs football program had been building over multiple tumultuous seasons. Alabama finished the 2022 season with an 11-2 record. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Were committed to winning national championships, Bohn said, and we believe that in order to do that, a change was needed.. The allegations spanned both the tenure of Swann, who was hired in 2016, and Pat Haden, his predecessor who was the athletic director from 2010 to 2016. Longtime Longhorns men's tennis coach Michael Center was placed on administrative leave after he was charged withconspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest-services mail fraud. Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. Ever seen what a generic Stepford Wives layout that erector set campus looks like? COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CHEATING SCHEME: 3 BIZARRE DETAILS FROM THE COMPLAINT, "It is immensely disappointing that individuals would abuse their position at the university in this way," USC Interim President Wanda Austin wrote in a letter to employees. He won one Pac-12 football championship and was 1-2 in bowls. UCLA mens soccer coach Jorge Salcedo was also indicted. Donte Williams, the Trojans cornerbacks coach and associate head coach, is taking over as head coach. Shortly after beginning classes that fall, the student withdrew from the tennis team and renounced his scholarship, but remained at the university. Herald-Times. According to his LinkedIn page, Khosroshahin is currently the owner of the amateur United Premier Soccer League's Newport Futbol Club. ", LORI LOUGHLIN'S KID SAID SHE DIDN'T 'REALLY CARE ABOUT SCHOOL' IN RESURFACED VID AMID COLLEGE SCAM CHARGES. The unrest within the program continued to simmer as well, players, parents and some staffers taking issue with Gill and his leadership. It was to be in Honolulu this week to face Hawaii on Saturday. "As our work on culture and values continues, we must take the appropriate action when we become aware of behavior that is contrary toour values We will continue to cooperate fully with all law enforcement and regulatory investigations.". Thats being at a special place. The score also wasn't indicative of how thoroughly Stanford beat USC: The Trojans faced a 42-13 deficit in the fourth quarter before scoring two touchdowns in the final six minutes. His win percentage (.657) ranks ninth in USC football history, sandwiched between the Trojans last two fired coaches, Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian. USC fans have been calling for the Trojans to chase three-time national championship coach Urban Meyer, who is only one game into his tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since then, the two programs have won a total of 16 national championships (10 for the men's team and six for the women's team) and Vavic has been named the National Coach of the Year 15 times. Its Game 2. They were even worse against top-10 opponents, going 3-6; their last such victory was a 30-23 win over No. Helton's tenure officially comes to an end with a 46-24 record. Status: Khosroshahin was fired from USC in 2013. Gordon Ernst (University of Rhode Island), In a statement, Georgetown spokeswomanMeghan Dubyak said Ernst had not coached the men's tennis team since December 2017 "following an internal investigation that found he had violated university rules concerning admissions." "As the federal charging document makes clear, the Department of Justice believes that Yales Office of Undergraduate Admissions has been the victim of a crime perpetrated by its womens soccer coach, who is no longer at the university," the university said in a statement. " The daughter posed for a photo on an ergometer, a rowing machine, as part of an elaborate effort to demonstrate her participation in the sport despite no experience. Thats the standard. His 46 wins rank sixth all time, but second-to-last among those coaches who matched his number of games coached. In a following phone conversation, Singer said the sons chances of admission would jump 90 percent. LOS ANGELES Southern California fired football coach Clay Helton on Monday, two games into his seventh season in charge. Learn how your comment data is processed. Helton went 46-24 with the Trojans. Market data provided by Factset. A total of nine college coaches and one high-ranking athletics administrator were indicted by the Justice Department on Tuesday in connection with a nationwide scheme in which wealthy parents allegedly spent big to place their children in top universities. I cant think of one area where we didnt improve, Bohn told The Los Angeles Times in January. By the way, USC president Dr. Wanda M. Austin issued a statement saying USC is the VICTIM and not the bad guy here. Thats being at a special place. Helton became the Trojans offensive coordinator under both Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian before assuming the head job when Sarkisian was suspended and ultimately fired for alcohol-related misbehavior. Prosecutors allege that she received more than $1.3 million to help smooth the way for more than two dozen students to enter USC between 2014 and 2018. Position: Texas men's tennis coach. Nothing surprises me during the Lynn Swann administration. Fight On! 7 USC Mens Tennis Falls To No. Gregg Marshall file. Loss to Stanford was final straw in disappointing tenure, College Football Week 2 Takeaways: Oregon shreds Ohio State; Texas falls flat, Early signing period the latest loss for USC coach Clay Helton, USC, Mike Bohn must answer Clay Helton question sooner rather than later, Urban Meyer has been linked to the Trojans job. Getty Images. Gill was fired by USC on Monday, two . At the end of the season, see where were at.. Associate head coach Donte Williams will serve as USCs interim coach. But a year later, it appeared theyd done little to change USCs fortunes on the football field or the capabilities of its head coach. USC Trojans. Prosecutors say at least one of the payments was directed to a sports marking company Salcedo controlled. Feb 23, 2023 Updated Feb 23, 2023. Shortly after the team returned to play, seven players were suspended for violating pandemic protocols. How it Happened: Park was as steady as they come for a second day in a . I just think they need some direction on how to do that.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 1:45. Donna Heinel: Heinel, a senior associate athletic director and one of the highest-ranking members of USC's athletic department, was fired Tuesday in the wake of her indictment. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Athletic director Mike Bohn made the move two days after an . Tuesday's indictments were an inglorious coda to the 24-year coaching career of Rudolph "Rudy" Meredith, who resigned as women's soccer coach at the Ivy League institution this past November after 24 seasons in the job. Hire somebody whos somebody as your next football coach, when Kiffin was fired in a late-night meeting, Five things you need to know about new USC interim coach Donte Williams, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, High school basketball: Southern California and Northern California Regional results and updated pairings, Still in UCLAs corner, Ben Howland stressed importance of getting No.