USC announces four assistant coaches will not return

USC head coach Clay Helton was not fired after the Trojans' 5-7 season, but a lot of the people around him will be different next season. USC announced Tuesday that four assistant coaches will not be returning. Offensive coordinator Tee Martin, defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze and defensive backs coach Ronnie Bradford are out. Also, quarterbacks coach Bryan Ellis has left to "pursue another opportunity." That opportunity might be on the staff of new Western Kentucky head coach Tyson Helton, the younger brother of the USC head coach. When USC announced on Sunday that Clay Helton would remain the Trojans' head coach, it made it clear changes were coming. Martin called the offensive plays for USC when the season began but he was relieved of his play-calling duties at the end of October as the Trojans fell to 4-4. At that time he was retained as the team's wide receivers coach and recruiting specialist. Losing Martin could hurt the Trojans' recruiting. USC had fired offensive line coach Neil Callaway in October at the same time that it relieved Martin of his play-calling duties. Helton is 26-13 in three full seasons, and the Trojans won the Pac-12 title in 2017. This season, the Trojans lost five of their final six games, and finished 4-5 in Pac-12 play.