Is Clay Helton going to make it?
Before LSU made the long anticipated but still earlier than expected move to fire Les Miles on Sunday, the Week 4 hot-seat talk fixated on a coach few expected to be discussed so soon. After a mostly smooth offseason, Helton's first full month as USC coach has been rocky, to put it mildly.
There have been off-field issues and on-field issues, curious comments and head-scratching decisions. USC is 1-3 for the first time since 2001, Pete Carroll's first season. A treacherous remaining schedule puts bowl eligibility in doubt. Although Helton is in only the first of a five-year contract, his future beyond 2016 is generating a lot of discussion in industry circles.