USC coach Steve Sarkisian taking indefinite leave of absence

Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence as USC’s head football coach, Athletic Director Pat Haden announced Sunday.

Sarkisian, who is in his second season as USC’s head coach, did not show up for the Trojans’ practice around midday. Haden made his announcement after USC completed its workout.

Offensive coordinator Clay Helton has been named interim coach.

Haden spoke with the media after he and other top USC officials met with the team to inform the players that Sarkisian would be taking a “temporary leave of absence and Coach Helton will be our interim head coach,” said a player who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Haden said when he learned Sarkisian was not a practice, which began at 12:30 Sunday, he called the coach.

“I called Steve and talked to him,” Haden told reporters. “It was very clear to me that he is not healthy. I asked him to take an indefinite leave of absence.”

USC has a record of 3-2 in a season that started amid tumult after an embarrassing incident involving Sarkisian at a pep rally on Aug. 22.

When Sarkisian spoke to the gathered Trojan faithful, he slurred his words, said several opposing teams “suck” and uttered an expletive before the rallying phrase “Fight On.” Witnesses said Sarkisian appeared intoxicated. The event was closed to the media.

A day later, Sarkisian issued an apology on USC’s athletic department website, which also carried a statement by Haden.

“I sincerely apologize to my players and staff and to our fans for my behavior and my inappropriate language at our kickoff event Saturday night,” Sarkisian said. “I have a responsibility to all of them and I let them down. Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again.”

Said Haden: “I met with Coach Sarkisian and I expressed my disappointment in the way he represented himself and the university at our Salute to Troy event. While the details of our conversation will remain between us, I am confident he heard my message loud and clear.”

The following day, Sarkisian held a news conference and said the incident was the result of him mixing alcohol -- “not much” -- with medication he did not specify.

USC, which started the season ranked eighth in the nation in the Associated Press media poll and as the favorite to win the Pac-12 Conference championship, has a record of 3-2 after losing to Washington, 17-12, on Thursday.

Sarkisian left Washington to take USC’s job.

This is Clay Helton’s second tour of duty as interim coach of the Trojans.

In 2013, after Lane Kiffin was fired, Ed Orgeron was named interim coach. When Haden hired Sarkisian as Kiffin’s permanent replacement, Orgeron left the program and Helton led the Trojans to a victory over Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Another USC player who asked not to be identified predicted older, more experienced Trojan players would not be affected by the coaching change.

“We’ve been in this exact position before with Coach Helton,” he said. “The locker room mood is shocked, obviously. But the locker room is focused on what we can kind of make this season into. Like the older guys were saying, this season could be a complete disaster, or turn into an epic run like we had in 2013.

Mike Hiserman contributed to this report.