"He's our choice because we believe in him. We believe in Clay Helton. We believe he can win Pac-12 Championships and the National Championship right now"
-USC Athletic Director Pat Haden
"I totally understand that I am not a flashy name. I never have been. I never will be."
-Clay Helton
"You realize this place was founded on blue-collar toughness, a toughness that I hope to emulate with my time here. I apologize for not being glitzy but I believe that that mentality that blue-collar toughness mentality is what wins championships, and it is has been proven here over a long period of time way before me."
-Clay Helton
"When you get in the toughest times you really find out who you are and that's what I'm so fired up about for these guys as they move forward in life. When adversity hits you cowboy up, you take the bull by the horns and you get the job done. You can't quit being a father, you can't quit being a husband, you can't quit doing your job when things get tough. I think that's what they've learned, some life lessons that will carry on way past what we're doing right here in the next couple weeks with this game. These are things that they'll carry with them forever."
-Clay Helton
"Clay Helton Named USC Head Football Coach" from the USC Athletic department:
"'After weeks of searching the collegiate and pro ranks, interviewing candidates, and speaking with head coaches, athletic directors, NFL executives, and very knowledgeable football people, and after observing Clay in action the past seven weeks, it became abundantly clear that what we were searching for in a coach was right here in front of us," said Haden. "Choosing a coach is an inexact science. In Clay's case, there is exactness. We have a man with unquestioned integrity. He is a fantastic person and he is real. Clay is a leader of young men. He is a terrific communicator. He brings high character, stability, continuity, consistency, toughness and resiliency to our program.
"We have known Clay well for the past six years. He earned this opportunity. He has been positive and upbeat handling adversity. He was built to be a head coach. Football is his family business. He is a coach on the rise and he will be coaching a team on the rise. As our interim head coach, Clay brought back USC's style of physical football. I have been impressed with how hard and how inspired our team has played for him, as well as the support they have shown for him.
"Clay was not hired because his team defeated UCLA Saturday. He was not hired because many current and former players voiced their support for him. And he was not hired because he is a Trojan. He is our choice because we believe he can win Pac-12 and national championships here. Clay Helton is the right man at the right time for the USC football program.'"