W. Kentucky's Tyson Helton joining brother Clay Helton's staff at USC
Western Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyson Helton is joining the staff of his brother, USC coach Clay Helton, likely as running backs coach, according to a source.
This past season was Tyson Helton’s second in his positions at Western Kentucky, which had a 12–2 record this year under rising star coach Jeff Brohm, including a 45–35 win over South Florida in the Miami Beach Bowl. Helton was instrumental in a Hilltoppers offense that is fourth in the FBS this season in scoring (44.3 points per game) and ninth in yards per game (526.4) behind departing star sixth-year quarterback Brandon Doughty.
Prior to Western Kentucky, Helton was Cincinnati’s tight ends and special teams coordinator for a season and an assistant at UAB from 2007–12. He got his start with the Blazers as quarterbacks coach under then-coach Neil Callaway, who is expected to be USC’s new offensive line coach. Helton held that position for five years before moving to running backs coach under Callaway’s successor, Garrick McGee, in ’12.
Helton was Memphis’s tight ends and special teams coordinator from 2004–06 after three years as Hawaii’s special teams coordinator. He got his start in coaching as graduate assistant for the Rainbow Warriors in ’00. His father, Kim, was Houston’s coach from 1993–99, and Tyson Helton was a quarterback for him those final four seasons.
Helton’s brother, Clay, was promoted to USC’s permanent coach late last month after being the program’s interim coach since October when former Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian was fired. Clay Helton started the season as the Trojans’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, positions he had held since 2013.
USC won the Pac-12 South this season and finished with an 8–6 record, which included a 5–4 mark under Helton.
