Helton to stay as USC coach
LOS ANGELES >> Clay Helton will remain Southern California’s head coach after the Trojans’ first losing season since 2000.
USC athletic director Lynn Swann made the announcement Sunday, one day after the Trojans finished 5-7 with a loss to Notre Dame.
Swann elected to keep the embattled coach for another season just nine months after he gave Helton a contract extension through 2023. Helton is 32-17 in his first head coaching job.
The Trojans lost five of their final six games this season, capped by back-to-back losses to archrivals UCLA and Notre Dame.
Helton took over at USC during the 2015 season. The Trojans won the Rose Bowl two seasons ago to cap a nine-game winning streak, and won the Pac-12 title last
season.
Tar Heels fire Fedora
RALEIGH, N.C. >> Larry Fedora overcame years of NCAA trouble at North Carolina, from inherited scholarship reductions to an academic case that hovered over recruiting, to help the Tar Heels put up big offensive numbers and win an Atlantic Coast Conference division championship.
But Fedora never could halt a startling two-year downturn for his program, and that ultimately cost him his job.
The school announced Sunday that Fedora is out after seven seasons.
The decision came the day after an overtime loss to rival North Carolina State that dropped the Tar Heels to 2-9 and concluded with a brawl between the teams in the end zone after the Wolfpack scored the winning touchdown.
Illinois extends Smith’s contract two years after 4-8 season
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. >> Illinois extended the contract of coach Lovie Smith for two years through 2023 after the Illini finished his third season with four victories.
Athletic director Josh Whitman said Sunday the extension demonstrates his belief in Smith, his staff and the plan they have going forward. Whitman hired Smith, the former NFL head coach who led the Bears to the Super Bowl, soon after he was named AD in 2016.
Texas Tech fires former QB Kingsbury after six seasons as coach
LUBBOCK, TEXAS >> Kliff Kingsbury was fired Sunday by Texas Tech after the former record-setting Red Raiders quarterback had a losing overall record in his six seasons as their head coach.
Athletic director Kirby Hocutt announced the move after meeting with Kingsbury, a day after the Red Raiders finished their third consecutive losing season with a 35-24 loss to Baylor. when they had a chance to get bowl eligible.
That was their fifth straight loss after a 5-2 start.
“I’d like to thank Kliff Kingsbury for his six years of dedication leading our football program,” Hocutt said.