Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

USC's Fired Football Coach Was One of Program's Highest Paid Employees 2 Years later

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lorenzo J. Reyna | Last updated May 15, 2025 9:00 PM ET

The USC Trojans don't stop paying coaches even after their fired. One former football coach became one of the highest paid employees for two years, even after his dismissal.

Los Angeles Times USC insider Ryan Kartje dove into the numbers involving Clay Helton. Turns out Helton still became wealthy after parting ways with the school.

"Two years after he was fired, USC was still paying Clay Helton a hefty salary in 2023. USC paid Helton $4.25 million in 2023, more that year than all but three university employees...Lincoln Riley, President Carol Folt, and men's basketball coach Andy Enfield," Kartje revealed.

The last part is most telling. Helton still reeled in more dollars than every active USC coach on campus minus Endfield and his eventual successor Riley.

Helton spent more than six seasons with USC. He succeeded the fired Lane Kiffin in 2015 and went 5-4 overall.

The Trojans showed promise under him early by going 10-3 in 2016. USC also captured the Rose Bowl in Helton's first full season as head coach. Which is also the Trojans' last Rose Bowl title.

Helton then elevated the program to 11-3 overall and playing for the Cotton Bowl. USC finished eighth overall that season.

Helton, however, never produced more than eight victories since that 2017 season. He eventually got fired after two games in the 2021 season. Donte Williams took over on an interim basis before Riley was named head coach.

Helton owns a 66-48 overall head coaching record. But he's yet to scale past eight victories at Georgia Southern.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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