All Trojans

If It's Friday, It's Time For A USC Notes Column

What's your current impression of Clay Helton?
Scott Wolf|
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

I listened to Pac-12 Network analyst Yogi Roth get interviewed by Portland radio host John Canzano on Thursday and this comment stood out:

"Google Clay Helton, it ain't about the hot seat anymore, it's about a top 10 recruiting class," Roth said.

Oh really? 

I took Roth's advice and googled Helton. I actually didn't see any articles on the top 10 recruiting class.

There are plenty of USC fans excited about the recruiting class. But they do not believe Helton should be off the hot seat because recruiting is back to where it almost always is by USC standards.

Helton might not get fired because USC's is losing millions in football revenue but that doesn't mean the fans have forgotten about his performance as coach.

In case you needed reminding, Roth has defended Helton before:

  • USC athletes will be given the day off from all athletic activities on 2020 Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) so they can vote.
  • A memorial for former USC offensive lineman Tom Cox will be held in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Sept. 5 at Hansen Desert Hills Chapel. Cox died May 13 from complications related to cancer. The chapel address is 6500 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale, 85254.

Cox's son, Chandler, is a fullback with the Miami Dolphins

  • It's disappointing USC did not write anything about former safety Kenny Moore, who died last weekend, especially since he was one of three brothers to play for the Trojans.

And now for some history:

  • It was before my time but who remembers Fred Ehrlich Sausage Kitchen? Before that it was Otto Schirmer's Sausage Kitchen.
  • A few years ago I wrote about a USC tradition of getting its All-Americans to make cement footprints. Every USC All-American, along with figures like George Tirebiter below, did it until around 1959.

But when the footprints needed to be relocated in 1959, no one could decide where to put them. A drive was started in 1960 to relocate them to Tommy Trojan but opposition was so intense, this cartoon was drawn to show the statue overrun by footprints.

There was talk of putting the footprints outside Heritage Hall or the Coliseum peristyle but nothing happened. There are a few footprints that have been displayed but they are in the McKay Center and a locked room at the Tutor Center. Both are off limits to the public.

The rest of the foot prints are stuck in a warehouse and the athletic dept. seems completely uninterested in doing anything with them. At the moment, there are no plans to remove them for display.

Here is the ceremony when Frank Gifford made his footprints. Gifford paid his way from New York it was such a big deal to get the footprints made.

USC often discards its traditions but it would be nice to display some footprints to the public somewhere on campus.

Published
Scott Wolf
SCOTT WOLF

Home/Football