USC coaches trying to rally team after Clay Helton firing

LOS ANGELES — For USC antiaircraft coordinator Todd Orlando, signifier has been a sanctuary this week from the emotions of Monday, erstwhile caput manager Clay Helton was fired.

“Obviously erstwhile you permission the installation oregon you’re driving location oregon you’re astatine home, it’s different avenue, but we’ve got large pros successful here,” Orlando said aft Wednesday’s practice. “All we’re disquieted astir is the moments we person with the kids. The 2nd we’re with them, the 2nd we’re crippled planning, everything revolves astir them.”

That’s been the mindset for the USC coaching unit arsenic it tries to rally the squad astir interim caput manager Donte Williams and hole for the remaining 10 games connected the schedule, starting Saturday astatine Washington State.

Orlando described Monday’s signifier – held little than 2 hours aft Helton addressed the squad and told him astir his dismissal – arsenic “a batch of talk, little football.” The squad needed to spell done the motions and get the time retired of its system.

Tuesday and Wednesday were much modular days, and if thing much strenuous than a emblematic week of practice. On Wednesday, the squad was successful afloat pads for the 2nd time successful a enactment alternatively than being successful fractional shells, arsenic was the lawsuit for astir crippled weeks during the Helton era.

If anything, antiaircraft enactment manager Vic So’oto said, practices person been much upbeat this week.

“I don’t cognize if it’s due to the fact that of the quality and everybody getting tighter, but we’ve been moving around, having fun,” So’oto said. “I told them, my guys, that each infinitesimal successful meetings, each infinitesimal retired here, it’s sacred. You’ve got to bask it, you know? Even erstwhile it hurts, you’ve got to bask it.”

It’s been those kinds of mixed emotions for the squad each week.

Perhaps nary 1 embodies that much than Michael Hutchings. The erstwhile USC linebacker and skipper was promoted connected Tuesday from antiaircraft prime power expert to linebackers coach. The bump to an on-field, presumption manager wouldn’t person been imaginable for Hutchings without the departure of Helton creating an opening connected the staff.

Hutchings was called into an bureau by Williams and Orlando connected Tuesday to get the bully news.

“It’s humbling, right, and besides highly thankful for the accidental that those 2 believed successful me,” Hutchings said. “We’re highly blessed and thankful for Coach Helton and his clip here, but besides we’re gonna beryllium successful the infinitesimal and combat for Coach Williams and everything that helium wants to implement.”

That’s mostly astir rallying for the players. And mounting an example, fixed the coaches are dealing with their ain levels of uncertainty astir what lies successful store for them aft this season.

“From our standpoint, there’s a clip to amusement our existent character,” Orlando said. “I conscionable interest astir those guys. I interest astir USC and what we represent. And then, it’s conscionable having pride. That’s the biggest happening from our standpoint. We tin bash the champion enactment successful the country, there’s nary uncertainty astir it. That motivates maine each day. I don’t get retired of regular conscionable due to the fact that things are messing – I’ve been raised to spell done pugnacious situations. You conscionable property forward.”