Clay Helton says USC is confident with coaching staff for Holiday Bowl

It’s been more than 50 years since USC played Wisconsin in a bowl game, a span that will end when the Trojans play the Badgers in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30.

USC and Coach Clay Helton will be operating with a patchwork staff that will prepare and guide players for the game at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.

Helton’s decision to fire three defensive assistants — including coordinator Justin Wilcox — and the offensive line coach leaves the Trojans with only five full-time coaches.

Helton indicated that would not be an excuse for the Trojans against a 9-3 Badgers team that suffered defeats against Alabama, Iowa and Northwestern, which were second, fifth and 13th in the final College Football Playoff ranking.

“With the coaches we have on staff, along with our graduate assistants, we feel more than confident in doing a great job in this bowl game,� Helton said.

Helton dismissed Wilcox, defensive line coach Chris Wilson, defensive backs coach Keith Heyward and offensive line coach Bob Connelly on Sunday, a day after the Trojans’ 41-22 defeat by Stanford in the Pac-12 Conference championship game.

Linebackers coach Peter Sirmon, who is also recruiting coordinator, is the lone remaining defensive coach. Helton did not specify what roles remaining assistants would have for the Holiday Bowl, but Sirmon is expected to act as defensive coordinator.

Ricky Brown, a defensive administrative assistant, is a former NFL linebacker. Kenechi Udeze, an assistant strength and conditioning coach, was an All-American defensive end for USC and an NFL first-round draft pick. Graduate assistant Drew Pearson has worked daily with defensive backs.

Helton, receivers coach Tee Martin, quarterbacks coach Marques Tuiasosopo and running backs coach Johnny Nansen provide continuity on offense, with several options to help with the line.

×

Gary Klein and Lindsey Thiry discuss the staff changes at USC.

Former Trojans offensive lineman Lenny Vandermade, who began the season as an offensive administrative assistant, has been coaching tight ends since former head coach Steve Sarkisian was fired and Tuiasosopo replaced Helton as quarterbacks coach.

Graduate assistant Mike Goff worked with the offensive line under Connelly.

USC is 6-0 against Wisconsin, but the Trojans have not played the Badgers since 1966. The most famous meeting was in the 1963 Rose Bowl, when the top-ranked Trojans took a 42-14 lead against the second-ranked Badgers and then survived a furious comeback led by quarterback Ron Vander Kelen to win, 42-37. The Trojans finished 11-0 and were named 1962 national champions.

This season, under first-year Coach Paul Chryst, Wisconsin finished 6-2 in the Big Ten Conference and was third in the West Division behind Iowa and Northwestern.

Senior linebacker Joe Schobert anchors a defense that has given up an average of 13.1 points a game, which ranks first nationally. The Badgers are third in total defense, giving up 267.1 yards per game.

Junior running back Dare Ogunbowale has rushed for 769 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior quarterback Joel Stave has completed 60% of his passes, 10 for touchdowns, with 11 interceptions. Senior wide receiver Alex Erickson has 72 receptions.

Alabama defeated Wisconsin in a Sept. 5 opener, 35-17. Iowa defeated the Badgers, 10-6, on Oct. 3. And Northwestern beat Wisconsin, 13-7, on Nov. 21.

Now the Badgers face USC, which rallied under Helton to win the Pac-12 South after Sarkisian was fired.

“They’ve got a heck of a team,� Chryst told the Wisconsin State Journal. “I give them a lot of credit for kind of overcoming what all happened in the beginning of the year.�

[email protected]

Twitter: @latimesklein