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Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:36 pm
by T-Dog
The enemy has made their move and they're going for a big splash.

Helton was fired in September as USC (the LA one) head coach. He won a Rose Bowl and the Pac-12, but was mirring in mediocrity and those folks don't like that.

It's such a weird hire.

And before anyone brings it up, Georgia Southern hasn't been using the triple option for some time now. They've run a gun option hybrid under Lunsford, ran God-knows-what under Summers and a speed gun option under Fritz. Monken was the last coach to run a true flexbone.

Also, the triple option is a play, not an offense.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:54 pm
by mike87
T-Dog wrote:
Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:36 pm


Also, the triple option is a play, not an offense.
At Southern it was a religion.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:07 pm
by appgrad2010
SoCal to Statesboro! Wow, the tale of two "cities"

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:47 pm
by BeauFoster
If Helton isn’t a triple option disciple the those hicks will run him out of town in 3 seasons.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:50 pm
by moonshine
Might just be a solid hire. Assuming he’s hired, would that make 4 former A5 head coaches now in the SBC?

Bowden/RichRod
Butch
Helton

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:51 pm
by Boroneer10
This seems like a good hire on the surface.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 2:43 pm
by TractorApp
Hope he doesn’t mind the taste of gnats.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 3:20 pm
by appchicago
Dude’s been at Southern Cal for more than a decade, but he’s from Gainesville and played at Auburn and Houston, then coached at Duke, Houston and Memphis before heading to California. So he’s not from Mars.

I think he’s got a lot of skills and knowledge, but the gumroots are pretty set in their ways. We’ll see how it goes. I want them to improve, as long as we keep beating them.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 3:53 pm
by asu66
BeauFoster wrote:
Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:47 pm
If Helton isn’t a triple option disciple the those hicks will run him out of town in 3 seasons.
Or less! :lol:

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:35 pm
by hapapp
I think they have come to the realization they need to enter the realm of modern football. I know they have clung to the TO and the different modifications over time, but I really believe they were looking for a change. Its seems a solid hire.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 6:05 pm
by Eagle22
T-Dog wrote:
Tue Nov 02, 2021 12:36 pm
The enemy has made their move and they're going for a big splash.

Helton was fired in September as USC (the LA one) head coach. He won a Rose Bowl and the Pac-12, but was mirring in mediocrity and those folks don't like that.

It's such a weird hire.

And before anyone brings it up, Georgia Southern hasn't been using the triple option for some time now. They've run a gun option hybrid under Lunsford, ran God-knows-what under Summers and a speed gun option under Fritz. Monken was the last coach to run a true flexbone.

Also, the triple option is a play, not an offense.
We haven't run what us purists call the T/O since Monken left, as you mention. Nothing since Fritz left has been remotely close, just a bastardized offense with no core tenets.

If nothing else, I expect there to be some alignment and a foundational approach established.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 7:05 pm
by CVAPP
eff the stink. I could not care less what they do.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 7:31 pm
by AppinATL
appgrad2010 wrote:
Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:07 pm
SoCal to Statesboro! Wow, the tale of two "cities"
Is this guy married? Because when she sees Statesboro, she’s gonna pitch a fit!

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 6:13 am
by spong
Jerry Moore was a bad hire on the surface at the time. That one worked out.

He hasn’t been on the east coast in a number of years. He doesn’t have the needed experience recruiting at the G5 level. He’s a retread. If I was a Southern fan I would want to see a young up and comer with a plan to recruit the state of Georgia and northern Florida hard.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 3:31 pm
by Yosef84
Georgia Southern will be fine with him as long as he wins in a reasonable (meaning short) time. If the transition goes too long, the critics will be hollering for them to bring in a T/O guy and go back to their roots. I actually think GS has plenty of talent to compete in general. They need someone who can actually get the team to gel and perform up to that talent.

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 5:57 pm
by asu66
https://www.si.com/college/usc/football ... ern-hiring

Former USC head coach Clay Helton is headed to Georgia Southern.

The school announced the news on Tuesday afternoon on social media, which included a short address from Helton himself.

"Hello Eagle Nation, this is your new head football coach Clay Helton. I'm so excited to be apart of your tradition of excellence that is Georgia Southern University. We look forward as a team to showing you our grit, toughness, discipline."

Helton was fired from USC on September 13 after a tough loss to Stanford at home. He took over as head coach for the Men of Troy after Steve Sarkisian's firing in 2015. During his tenure in Southern California, Helton led USC to an overall record of 46-24.

Georgia Southern has been searching for a new coach since firing Chad Lunsford on September 26. Lunsford was in his fifth season with Georgia Southern and finished with a 28-21 record overall.

According to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, Helton will make $800,000 annually with his new gig. Helton, had two years left on his USC contract and was owed more than $10 million at the time of his firing. He is expected to join GSU immediately and begin compiling a staff for the 2022 season.

https://www.si.com/college/usc/football ... ern-hiring
CLAUDETTE MONTANA PATTISON
All Trojans Fan Nation

Re: Georgia Southern close to hiring Clay Helton as head coach

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 6:00 pm
by asu66
https://www.si.com/college/usc/football ... ern-hiring

and

https://www.si.com/college/usc/football ... ern-hiring
CLAUDETTE MONTANA PATTISON
All Trojans Fan Nation

Former USC head coach Clay Helton is headed to Georgia Southern.

The school announced the news on Tuesday afternoon on social media, which included a short address from Helton himself.

"Hello Eagle Nation, this is your new head football coach Clay Helton. I'm so excited to be apart of your tradition of excellence that is Georgia Southern University. We look forward as a team to showing you our grit, toughness, discipline."

Helton was fired from USC on September 13 after a tough loss to Stanford at home. He took over as head coach for the Men of Troy after Steve Sarkisian's firing in 2015. During his tenure in Southern California, Helton led USC to an overall record of 46-24.

Georgia Southern has been searching for a new coach since firing Chad Lunsford on September 26. Lunsford was in his fifth season with Georgia Southern and finished with a 28-21 record overall.

According to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, Helton will make $800,000 annually with his new gig. Helton, had two years left on his USC contract and was owed more than $10 million at the time of his firing. He is expected to join GSU immediately and begin compiling a staff for the 2022 season.