USC Football: Top 3 potential candidates to replace Clay Helton

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - OCTOBER 19: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions high fives fans on his way into the stadium before the game against the Michigan Wolverines on October 19, 2019 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

3. PJ Fleck, Minnesota HC

Despite a disappointing performance in the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, PJ Fleck has done a remarkable job turning around Minnesota’s football program, and he will be one of the biggest names available around the country.

The 39-year-old head coach is 52-37 for his career as a head coach at Western Michigan and Minnesota, and the Gophers finished this past season 10-2, and second in the Big Ten West. He’s a great coach, known for galvanizing his players, having a high-powered offensive attack and his infamous “row the boat” phrase for team spirit.

Fleck would definitely fit right in at USC. He had a terrific season with Tanner Morgan at quarterback, and I could only imagine what he would be able to do with two years of Kedon Slovis at the helm.

The only question with Fleck is his ability to recruit, as his stint with Minnesota he’s only had class rankings around the mid-30s. That could be Fleck swinging above his weight, but recruiting to Los Angeles will be easier than recruiting to Minneapolis. If I’m a Trojan fan, I’m very happy with getting Fleck if he’s the hire.

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