Helton and Kessler share a special bond

The way this year’s USC team is rallying around Clay Helton draws comparisons to the 2013 season, when players, including quarterback Cody Kessler, came together for a 6-2 finish to the regular season under then-interim head coach Ed Orgeron.

“Obviously, I know him better than anybody on this team, and I really respect him and guys really do respect him because you know that he’s excited,” said Kessler about his long-time position coach. “He knows it is going to be tough ahead of him, but he doesn’t want to put too much pressure on us. He told us, ‘Hey this is just us playing football.’ We’re going to stick to what we know.”

Helton and Kessler have established a special relationship in their time together. Helton called plays for USC when he served as the interim coach for the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl against Fresno State, a game the Trojans won, 45-20. Helton says that he’s been coaching Kessler for seven years now — two years recruiting him and five years as a player.

According to Helton, the connection they’ve established allows him to rely on Kessler as a coach on the field because he understands exactly what the offensive coaches want when calling plays.

Consequently, Helton isn’t concerned about how the fifth- year senior will respond to arguably his worst performance at USC against Washington, in which Kessler struggled all night and threw two interceptions. Helton said Thursday’s game was merely an an off day for Kessler.

“The great thing for him is he is a tremendous competitor and student of the game, and I don’t anticipate that happening to him again,” Helton said.  “The first thing he told me after the game was, ‘Don’t worry about me.’ I said, ‘Buddy, I believe it, I’ve been with you for a long time.”

Helton, who has been calling plays for the Trojans all season, says that he will continue to do so until the end of it. Helton has spent six years at USC as the quarterbacks coach.

He added the passing game coordinator role in 2012 and became the offensive coordinator in 2013. Helton says that the fortified relationship he’s built with this offensive coaching staff will give him the time he’ll need to focus on the defense and special teams.

Replacing Helton as quarterbacks coach will be Marques Tuiasosopo, a former quarterback who was previously on staff as the team’s tight ends coach.

“I think that as a head coach that the whole team has to feel you at every position, and I want to make sure that I am part of that defensive structure, because they have to know that you care,” Helton said. “They have to know that you have their best interest in heart, and they have got to feel your passion for them.”

Helton said that the incredible support he’s received in his second practice as head coach is a result of the spirit of the the Trojan Family. And last night, after Helton organized a team BBQ for players, coaches and family members to watch the new ESPN documentary “Trojan War,” he said he realized how much this opportunity means to him.

“[When] we’re all there together and there’s a 30 for 30 on TV there, you really see how powerful ’SC is and the brand of ’SC and how special this place is,” Helton said. “There is no other place like it in the world and you got to see how success was made, and for them it was right on this practice field.”

Sophomore Adoree’ Jackson shared about how the 30 for 30 had good timing, but the team will always be motivated for the rivalry game. He talked about how the team possesses the confidence to go and perform on Saturday.

“We’re just ready to go out there and play,” Jackson said.

Helton and his players have repeatedly emphasized that the best way to get through this turmoil is by playing football. Though the sensitivities of Sarkisian’s firing have shocked many, veterans like Kessler say that the team is in remarkably good spirits.

Kessler, junior Su’a Cravens and redshirt senior Tre Madden  have been visibly more vocal in recent practices, acting as mentors to their teammates during this hard time.

“I’ve been through adversity and the same exact situation,” Kessler said. “I know how to handle it, it’s the young guys I have to be there for. I need to teach them how you handle things that you can’t control. We had no control over what happened, but we do have control over how we play Saturday and how we play going on with the season.”

Helton called his team’s situation a “fresh start.” To prepare for the noise against Notre Dame in South Bend, Helton had a cart with huge speakers on it that played thundering crowd sounds that drove closely behind the offenses’ scrimmage as they marched down the practice field.

“We want it to be a game-like atmosphere,” Helton said. “So it’s easy on Saturdays.”

The team practiced silent counts and hand gestures to combat the noise.

Even with all of the distractions that go beyond football on the field, it hasn’t been forgoten that it’s rivalry week.

“It’s special,” Helton said. “It’s USC vs. Notre Dame, and that is going to provide a little bit of extra juice and I think they  want to go out and prove something. They want to make the Trojan Family proud and from what I’ve seen on the field these past two days, I’ve been extremely impressed with the group of professionals on the field.”

Madden did little work for the second straight day because of his tender knee, though Helton sounded optimistic that Madden will be able to play Saturday. He added that injured players Steven Mitchell and Darreus Rogers will also probably play, but will be evaluated day-to-day.

In the face of the adversity, the momentum felt by the players and coaches as they turn their focus back to football will prove to be an important element if the Trojans are going to be able to go the road and upset the Fighting Irish.

Kessler feels confident in his team’s abilities as they head out to South Bend. He believes even in the face of everything that has happened, the team can still rally together.

“These guys have a chance to do something great this year,” Kessler said.

Former head coach Steve Sarkisian broke his silence on Wednesday via Twitter, making public comments for the first time since he was terminated.

“I would like to thank everyone for their huge outpouring of support and well wishes,” Sarkisian tweeted.” “This is a very difficult time for my family and me. I am facing these challenges the best I can and your support helps immensely.”