Clay Helton Hired As USC Football Head Coach, Twitter Reacts

The Trojan Family woke up to major news on Monday morning with Clay Helton hired as USC’s permanent head coach. It didn’t take long for social media to explode with opinions.

Players had called for it all season, using #Helton2016 to further push their agenda in USC’s search for a new head coach, and they got their wish. But how did the Twittersphere react to Clay Helton’s hiring? Not particularly well.

The former interim head coach took over at USC for Steve Sarkisian in October when he was fired following several incidents concerning alcohol consumption. After losing his first game in charge to Notre Dame in South Bend, Helton let the Trojans on a four-game winning streak which included an upset over highly-ranked Utah.

The parade was slowed by a drubbing to Oregon in Eugene but Helton’s highlight of the season came in ending UCLA’s winning-streak in the rivalry and claiming the Pac-12 South title as a result.

Now the Trojans are heading to the Pac-12 Championship game against Stanford with a newly-minted permanent head coach.

Despite those successes, the perception that a better coach was available made the hire quite controversial on Twitter.

Here’s the best of the reactions:

Pat Haden made the most important hire of his tenure based off of one game and support from the players. I'm surprised, and then I'm not.
— Max Meyer (@TheMaxMeyer) November 30, 2015

Welp. Feels like a hire off one win even if they'll say otherwise https://t.co/pGQjr4811b
— Jacob Freedman (@Jacob_Freedman) November 30, 2015

Helton took over clearly w/a plan on how to be a head coach. I’m surprised after 20-point loss to Oregon that this decision made so quickly.
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) November 30, 2015

Also, why didn't #USC wait until after the Pac-12 Championship to make its decision? I mean, it's not like Helton was in a hurry to leave.
— Max Meyer (@TheMaxMeyer) November 30, 2015

Now will come the media rationalizations. But this is as rip-worthy a hire as has been made since the last bad USC hire.
— Chris Huston (@HeismanPundit) November 30, 2015

Pat Haden has now hired a former #USC asst. coach (Sarkisian) and a current #USC assistant coach (Helton). Is that being ambitious?
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) November 30, 2015

USC hired both Steve Sarkisian and Clay Helton on the Monday after the regular season. That's fast.
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) November 30, 2015

Let me be clear: I like Helton. Nothing against him at all. But he's a pup at this HC thing. There were legit great candidates. Holy crap.
— RichSC (@OriginalRichSC) November 30, 2015

Pat Haden is the highest paid AD in the country and he’s A) hired former assistant w/o proper vetting B) removed an interim tag.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 30, 2015

Pat Haden just has a knack for underwhelming you. https://t.co/OKQMXUCznY
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 30, 2015

Helton certainly has the support of players, but it should be interesting to see how this plays out w/ boosters. https://t.co/0MbOHvPi2r
— Evan Budrovich (@evanbud) November 30, 2015

#USC is a great coaching job (talent, recruiting base, tradition, $$$) yet last 3 hires: Lane Kiffin, Sark & now hiring interim Clay Helton.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 30, 2015

My understanding is USC checked in on Jack Del Rio a while ago, and he told them he's not leaving the Raiders.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) November 30, 2015

I'm 100 percent certain there will be significant changes to the staff https://t.co/0032kX7r0Q
— Michael Lev (@MichaelJLev) November 30, 2015

Yep. Somehow Iowa State made a better hire than USC. https://t.co/IYszNMlqgH
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 30, 2015

A few #USC fans are excited, but the majority are not. And agree on the adult part. https://t.co/xNvEHcDPp7
— Ryan Abraham (@insidetroy) November 30, 2015

At USC, sources tell FootballScoop to expect significant staff changes before next season https://t.co/sNnVtycOD5
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) November 30, 2015

Gonna say this, SC players got their coach. They'd better play with their ass on fire come Saturday.
— Saman Djabbari (@samandjabbari) November 30, 2015

Because some have asked - I believe Helton can succeed at USC. My issue isn't with hiring him. It's with Haden's "process".
— Scott Enyeart (@ScottEnyeart) November 30, 2015

What say you Trojan fans? Do you like the Helton hire? Are you concerned about ambition? Are you excited about the future? Vote in our poll then sound off in the comments below.

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