USC Now mailbag: Coaching changes and coaching searches

We went from football season to football coach-search season rather quickly.

If you have any tips about private jets taking off from remote airports that might be carrying head coaching candidates, please drop me a line at LNThiry@gmail.com.

Or you can use that email if you have a question or a comment about the Trojans for a future mailbag.

And, yes, that was sarcasm about tracking planes ... kind of.

I have been a Trojan follower since 1939 -- the Thundering Herd days. The young men on the team will respond vs. the Domers and the rest of the Pac-12 schedule. USC has had a tough five years and the kids will respond with a chip on their shoulder.

— Ted Brown

Sometimes I think I’ve seen it all when it comes to USC football — but you’ve been a fan since 1939? That’s dedication.

USC will probably respond to the recent adversity with a chip on its shoulder. However, it doesn’t appear to be the same chip the team came out with in 2013, when Ed Orgeron took over as interim coach.

The rest of the schedule is an uphill battle for a team that has played as inconsistently as USC.

Notre Dame is 5-1, its only loss at fifth-ranked Clemson.

Also still on USC’s schedule: undefeated and fourth-ranked Utah, 23rd-ranked California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and 18th-ranked UCLA.

None of those games will be easy.

The suggested replacement as head football coach is Jon Gruden. This would be an incredible choice for the football program at USC.

— Carl R. Porter

Jon Gruden’s chair inside the ESPN “Monday Night Football” booth is plush and cushy, I’m sure.

The fact that his name comes up in every coaching search at every major college is unbelievable.

Never say never when it comes to coaching searches, but color me skeptical that he would leave a high-profile gig as an analyst for ESPN to go recruit high school players on Friday nights.

Is John Harbaugh the best coach USC could get?

— Tarik LaCour

Perhaps, if USC got him.

But that sounds unlikely at this point.

Harbaugh, the coach of the Baltimore Ravens, told ESPN Friday, “I love the Ravens. I love being here. It’s not a consideration.”

The Ravens have gone to the playoffs in six of Harbaugh’s seven seasons and they won the Super Bowl in 2012.

Despite a 1-4 start this season, it’s unlikely Harbaugh would leave the Ravens for USC.

Clay Helton? Isn’t this the guy who called the last game offensively when we scored a whopping 12 points? Is this the Fall of Troy? I feel bad for the players. Should USC continue the season with Max Browne at quarterback to prepare for 2016?

Helton was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before Pat Haden announced he would be interim coach.

Sarkisian relinquished play-calling duties to Helton this season.

USC should have run the ball more against Washington, which won 17-12, but the lack of offense hardly should fall on Helton’s shoulders.

Quarterback Cody Kessler made several out-of-character mistakes, which included having two passes intercepted. The offensive line was abysmal and lost center Max Tuerk to a season-ending knee injury in the process.

Regardless of how USC plays under Helton, he is hardly going to be the cause for the “Fall of Troy.”

If the team succeeds under Helton’s leadership, it’s great for his resume. If it doesn’t, it is hardly on him because of the disarray that has been caused by the Sarkisian situation.

And, no, USC should not turn to Max Browne.

Kessler had one bad game. Kessler needs to lead the team through the rest of the season.

Browne’s turn will come in the spring.

Do you think we’ll see any philosophical changes with Helton as head coach?

— Saman Djabbari

Helton made a concerted effort in his first week as interim coach to have a presence with the defense.

This is not something we’ve seen from the head coach in several years.

Lane Kiffin spent the majority of his time with the offense and so did Sarkisian, though Sarkisian did make a few trips to watch the defense this season.

Helton’s philosophy includes overseeing the entire team and making sure he has a working knowledge of what’s going on at each position.

With the decommits, how about transfers? Think we’ll see a small exodus this off-season?

— Dave Chung

Linebackers Mique Juarez from North Torrance High and Daelin Hayes from Skyline in Ann Arbor, Mich., each withdrew his commitment to USC in the wake of Sarkisian’s leave of absence and eventual firing.

It’s almost inevitable that after the season some players decide to leave the team and this season likely will be no different.

The number of players who decide to transfer could depend on the hire USC makes.

However, it is important to remember that most players choose to play at USC because of the football brand more so than the coach.

Questions or comments about USC? Email me at LNThiry@gmail.com or tweet @LindseyThiry and I will respond to select messages in a weekly USC Now mailbag.