Clay Helton, who led USC to a Rose Bowl title in 2016, was named the 11th full-time head coach in the Georgia Southern modern football era on Nov. 2, 2021. He is in his third season as the Eagles head coach.
In 2023, Helton once again led the Eagles to a bowl games, as well as wins over rivals Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. Fourteen players were named all-conference by various outlets, including linebacker Marques Watson-Trent who earned All-America honors from Phil Steele. Additionally, three players were named Freshman All-Americans and Khaleb Hood left Statesboro with nearly every receiving record.
In his first year in Statesboro, the Eagles knocked off Nebraska on the road for the school’s second Power 5 win, beat a ranked James Madison team at home, and beat rival App State in double overtime to secure a bid to the Camellia Bowl. The Georgia Southern passing offense finished in the top five nationally in yards per game and transfer quarterback Kyle Vantrease broke numerous school and Sun Belt passing records - both single-season and career - in his lone year with the program.
Helton went 46-24 (.657) as the head coach of the USC Trojans with 12 victories over AP Top 25 teams, including three in the Top 5 and four in the Top 10. He went 5-1 in a pandemic-shortened 2020 season and was 8-5 in 2019 with wins over No. 23 Stanford and No. 10 Utah. Helton went 11-3 in 2017 with wins over No. 14 Stanford twice (including in the Pac-12 Championship Game) and No. 23 Arizona, and went 10-3 in 2016 with wins over No. 4 Washington, No. 5 Penn State in a legendary Rose Bowl thriller and No. 21 Colorado.
Helton was the first USC head coach to have 10-win seasons in each of his first two full seasons, and he had more wins (21) in his first two full seasons than any USC coach. He led USC to a 13-game winning streak from 2016 to 2017 and a 13-game winning streak over Power 5 opponents from 2016 to 2017.
His 2020 Trojans won their first five games in the COVID-19-shortened season and played in the Pac-12 Championship Game as the South Division representative, finishing 5-1 (USC opted out of a bowl game). In 2020, USC’s passing offense ranked 11th nationally (first in Pac-12) at 319.3 as quarterback Kedon Slovis made All-Pac-12 first team while ranking in the national Top 20 in completions (first at 29.5), passing yards (sixth at 320.2), total offense (13th at 310.7) and completion percentage (18th at .670), all tops in the Pac-12. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also was an All-Pac-12 first-teamer. Offensive tackle Alijah-Vera Tucker made All-Pac-12 and was the Pac-12 offensive Morris Trophy winner (top lineman). USC’s defense improved dramatically from the previous year, allowing 369.7 total yards (to 408.7 in 2019), including just 216.3 passing (to 246.2 in 2019). Safety Talanoa Hufanga was a consensus All-American first-teamer and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive lineman Marlon Tuipulotu made All-Pac-12 first team. Helton was released as the head coach of the Trojans after a 1-1 start to the 2021 season.
His 2019 Trojans won five of their final six regular-season games to go 8-5 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-12 South, qualifying for the Holiday Bowl. The Trojans gave Utah its only regular-season loss (for which he was named the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week). Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was a finalist for the Biletnikoff and Witten Awards, was in the national Top 20 in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He caught 101 passes with 11 touchdowns, while fellow wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown (77 catches) and Tyler Vaughns (74 catches) both had six TDs. True freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis, the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, completed a school-record and NCAA freshman record 71.9% of his passes for a USC frosh record 3,502 yards with 30 touchdowns. Included in that total was a school-record 515 passing yards against UCLA (one of a USC record four games with 400-plus passing yards), to rank in the national Top 20 in completion percentage, passing yards, completions, passing efficiency, passing TD, and total offense. Jackson was an NFL Draft first-rounder, and Pittman went in the second round. USC’s offense averaged 455 total yards, including a school-record 335 passing and 32 points a game.
His 2018 Trojans, which featured young players in key positions, went 5-7 overall, with the last four losses all by seven points or less. JT Daniels, who threw for 2,672 yards for USC just a season after graduating high school a year early, was just the second Trojan true freshman to start a season opener at quarterback. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was just the fourth USC true freshman to lead the Trojans in season receptions (60), and defensive lineman Jay Tufele was a Freshman All-American first-teamer.
In 2017 while guiding USC’s 125th team, Helton’s Trojans were 11-3 (ranked 12th in the final AP poll) despite playing all 12 regular-season games without a bye. It was USC’s most wins since 2008 and its first back-to-back 10-win seasons since 2007-08. He led USC to an 8-1 Pac-12 record and its first Pac-12 title since 2008 by winning the Pac-12 Championship Game and then playing in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Helton was the 2017 AP Pac-12 Coach of the Year and a finalist for the 2017 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award. Tailback Ronald Jones II and outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu were All-America first-teamers, quarterback Sam Darnold was a finalist for the Manning Award after setting USC’s season passing yardage and total yardage records and was the third pick of the NFL Draft. USC’s 484.1 yards of total offense in 2017 was its highest average since 2005, and the Trojans had at least 600 yards of total offense three times in 2017.
After his Trojans started 1-3 in 2016 in his first full season as head coach (all three losses were to AP Top 25 teams away from home), USC went on a nine-game winning streak to rise to a final No. 3 national AP ranking. They earned a berth in the Rose Bowl while playing a schedule ranked among the 10 most difficult in the nation. USC capped the season with an instant classic 52-49 at-the-gun victory over No. 5 Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
Under Helton’s guidance in 2016, Adoreé Jackson was named the Thorpe Award winner, a consensus All-American first-teamer, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and a finalist for the Hornung Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy (he also was an NFL first-round draft pick). Sam Darnold was a Manning Award finalist and a Freshman All-American, and both Zach Banner and Chad Wheeler were All-America first-team selections. USC’s offense had at least 400 total yards in its final 10 games, while its defense held seven opponents to season lows in points. Helton was named a finalist for the 2016 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award and won the Football Writers First Year Co-Coach of the Year Award.
After starting the 2015 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Helton was named USC’s permanent head coach for two post-season games on Nov. 30 of that year. He had the interim head coaching title that he had held since Oct. 12 (for USC’s final seven regular-season games) removed. Helton guided the 2015 Trojans to five wins in the final six regular-season games (including victories over No. 3 Utah and No. 22 UCLA), the co-championship of the challenging Pac-12 South Division, a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game, and a trip to the Holiday Bowl.
As the coordinator of USC’s offense in 2015, quarterback Cody Kessler was named a finalist for the Unitas Award and was an NFL Draft third-round pick, ranked in the national Top 20 in completion percentage, passing touchdowns, and passing efficiency. Kessler ended his career in USC’s career top four in touchdown passes, completions, passing yards, and total offense. All-Pac-12 first-team wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was in the Top 20 nationally in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receptions. Tailbacks Justin Davis and Ronald Jones II each had 900-plus yard rushing seasons.
Helton joined the USC staff in February of 2010 as the quarterbacks coach after spending 10 seasons as an assistant at Memphis. He added the passing game coordinator role in 2012 and became the offensive coordinator in 2013.
In 2014, quarterback Cody Kessler had the most efficient passing season in USC history (69.7%, 39 TDs, five interceptions) while setting USC season records for completions (315), completion percentage (69.7), passing efficiency (167.1), and interception rate (1.11). He also threw a school-record seven touchdown passes against Colorado and six against Notre Dame. USC’s offense ranked in the national Top 25 in passing efficiency, passing offense, third-down conversions, and scoring offense in 2014. USC played in the 2014 Holiday Bowl.
In 2013, he served as USC’s interim head coach in its victory over Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Trojan offense was in the national Top 25 in red zone scoring. In 2012, quarterback Matt Barkley won the Wuerrfel Trophy, and he was also a finalist for the Manning Award, Unitas Golden Arm Award, Senior CLASS Award, and ARA Sportsmanship Award. Barkley became the Pac-12 career record holder for passing yards, completions, touchdowns, and total offense en route to becoming a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. USC played in the 2012 Sun Bowl.
In 2011, Barkley was a Manning Award and Wuerrfel Trophy finalist as he set the Pac-12 season record for TD passes with 39 and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Helton began his 10-year (2000-09) Memphis career as the running backs coach for three seasons, then coached the Tigers’ receivers for the next four seasons before becoming the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the final three years. He served as Memphis’ interim head coach for several months in early 2006 when head coach Tommy West had off-season heart surgery.
Among the Tigers’ running backs he tutored was school rushing/scoring/all-purpose running record holder DeAngelo Williams, who finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2005 and was an NFL first-round selection. As the receivers coach, he produced a pair of Conference USA All-Freshman picks in Maurice Jones (2005) and Duke Calhoun (2006) and the school’s No. 4 all-time receptions leader in Ryan Scott. In 2003, Memphis set school season records for receptions and receiving yardage.
As the Tigers’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the 2007 and 2008 offenses were among the top six in school history in total yards and points. Both squads were ranked in the top 26 nationally in total offense. Quarterback Martin Hankins became Memphis’ No. 2 career passer and set single-season records for completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes in 2007. In 2009, Curtis Steele had his second consecutive season with 1,000 rushing yards, Calhoun became the school’s all-time leading receiver, and Carlos Singleton set the career mark for receiving touchdowns.
During Helton’s time, Memphis played in five bowls: the 2003 and 2007 New Orleans Bowls, 2004 GMAC Bowl, 2005 Motor City Bowl, and 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl. Helton was hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas State after the 2009 season but was there just two months before leaving for USC.
Before Memphis, he was the running backs coach at Houston, his alma mater, for three seasons (1997-99), working under his father, head coach Kim Helton.
He began his coaching career at Duke, serving as a graduate assistant in 1995 and then the running backs coach in 1996.
Helton played quarterback at Houston in 1993 and 1994, playing for his father both seasons and captaining the Cougars as a 1994 senior. He spent 1991 and 1992 at Auburn, where he earned 1992 SEC All-Academic honors. He redshirted there in 1990.
Helton earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and interdisciplinary science from Houston in 1994 and prepped at Clements High in Sugar Land, Texas.
Helton was born on June 24, 1972, in Gainesville, Florida. He and his wife, Angela, have three children: sons Reid and Turner and daughter Aubrey. Besides being Houston’s head coach from 1993 to 1999, his father, Kim, was an assistant in college (Florida, Miami, and Alabama Birmingham), the NFL (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Raiders, Washington Redskins), and the CFL (Toronto Argonauts) following his playing career at Florida. His brother, Tyson, was the quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator at USC (2016-17) until becoming Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2018 and is now the head coach at Western Kentucky.
THE HELTON FILE
Career Record: 58-38 (Seven Full Seasons); includes two stints as interim head coach and 2021 season
GS Record: 12-14 (Third Year)
1995: Duke - Graduate Assistant
1996: Duke - Running Backs
1997: Houston - Running Backs
1998: Houston - Running Backs
1999: Houston - Running Backs
2000: Memphis - Running Backs
2001: Memphis - Running Backs
2002: Memphis - Running Backs
2003: Memphis - Receivers (New Orleans Bowl Champs)
2004: Memphis - Receivers (GMAC Bowl)
2005: Memphis - Receivers (Motor City Bowl Champs)
2006: Memphis - Receivers
2007: Memphis - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks (New Orleans Bowl)
2008: Memphis Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks (St. Petersburg Bowl)
2009: Memphis - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2010: USC - Quarterbacks
2011: USC - Quarterbacks
2012: USC - Passing Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks (Sun Bowl)
2013: USC - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks * (Las Vegas Bowl Champs)
2014 USC Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Holiday
2015: USC - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Head Coach # (Holiday Bowl)
2016: USC - Head Coach (10-3; Rose Bowl Champs)
2017: USC - Head Coach (11-3; Cotton Bowl)
2018: USC - Head Coach (5-7)
2019: USC - Head Coach (8-5; Holiday Bowl)
2020: USC - Head Coach (5-1)
2021: USC - Head Coach (1-1)
2022: Georgia Southern - Head Coach (6-7; Camellia Bowl)
2023: Georgia Southern - Head Coach (6-7; Myrtle Beach Bowl)
* - 1-0 as USC’s interim head coach for the Las Vegas Bowl
# - 5-2 as USC’s interim head coach for final seven games of regular season and 0-2 as permanent head coach in postseason
Personal
Born: June 24, 1972 in Gainesville, Fla.
College: Houston (1994; mathematics and interdisciplinary science)
Family: wife, Angela; sons, Reid and Turner; daughter, Aubrey
Accomplishments and Honors
Pac-12 Championship (2017)
Three-time Pac-12 South Division (2015, 2017, 2020)
Rose Bowl Champions (2016)
2017 AP Pac-12 Coach of the Year
Two-time Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award Finalist
2016 Football Writers First-Year Co-Coach of the Year Award
Prominent Pupils
Sam Darnold (QB; 1st round draft pick [3rd overall] - New York Jets; 2018)
Drake London (WR; 1st round draft pick [8th overall] - Atlanta Falcons; 2022
Alijah-Vera Tucker (OL; 1st round draft pick [14th overall] - New York Jets; 2021)
Adoreé Jackson (CB; 1st round draft pick [18th overall] - Tennessee Titans; 2017)
Austin Jackson (OL; 1st round draft pick [18th overall] - Miami Dolphins; 2020)
DeAngelo Williams (RB; 1st round draft pick [27th overall] - Carolina Panthers; 2006)
Ronald Jones II (RB; 2nd round draft pick - Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2018)
Uchenna Nwosu (LB; 2nd round draft pick - Los Angeles Chargers; 2018)
Michael Pittman Jr. (WR; 2nd round draft pick - Indianapolis Colts; 2020)
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR; 2nd round draft pick - Pittsburgh Steelers; 2017)
Rasheem Green (DL; 3rd round draft pick - Seattle Seahawks; 2018)
Cody Kessler (QB; 3rd round draft pick - Cleveland Browns; 2016)
Matt Barkley (QB; 4th round draft pick - Philadelphia Eagles; 2013)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR; 4th round draft pick - Detroit Lions; 2021)
Jay Tufele (DL; 4th round draft pick - Jacksonville Jaguars; 2021)
Talanoa Hufanga (S; 5th round draft pick - San Francisco 49ers; 2021)
Cameron Smith (LB; 5th round draft pick - Minnesota Vikings; 2019)
Marvell Tell III (CB; 5th round draft pick - Indianapolis Colts; 2019)
