When an individual makes a mistake, sometimes he or she is given a second chance, allowing the person to start over and wipe the slate clean. Some say that the third time’s the charm, yet for Steve Sarkisian, former head coach of USC, all of his chances were up after he was caught once again, intoxicated while coaching. As Sarkissian left, the offensive coordinator, Clay Helton, was asked to step up.

Sarkisian was reported as having been under the influence of alcohol when the assistant coaches pulled him aside during the Arizona State game on Sept. 26th. Once Pat Haden, the athletic director, was informed of what happened, he requested that Sarkisian take a leave of absence, opening up the coaching spot. When Sarkisian took his leave of absence, Helton was asked to be the temporary head coach of the Trojans until they officially decide on a replacement for Sarkisian while he is hopefully seeking rehabilitation. With a lot of confusion and uncertainty involved in the situation, many are uncertain of how long it will take to find a new head coach This is Helton’s sixth year coaching at USC and was first hired in 2010.

Being the offensive coordinator, Helton helped set USC records. In 2014, Cody Kessler had the most efficient passing season in the history of USC, and their offensive team ranked in the national Top 25 in passing efficiency, passing offense, third down conversions and scoring offense.

With Helton taking over the team as the temporary head coach, he has done well as he has already won two games. Meanwhile, many fans are content with the interim coach Helton and are also relieved by Haden’s decision to relieve Sarkisian of his coaching position.

“I’m happy he’s fired. It’s way easier to root for your team when you know the coach who was drunk at a rally and a game is finally gone. It’s good to know that the one at fault, who made your team look bad, is taken care of,” sophomore and USC fan, Ryan Morwood said.

Throughout all of this drama, seeking out a new coach is one of the Trojan’s top priorities at the moment but many hope that Helton will be taking over the head spot. As the season progresses, Helton is working the players hard to get back on track and keep moving forward. For now, fans are just hoping that Helton is able to keep everything under control in the meantime.