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)
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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STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 10: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on after the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Beaver Stadium on November 10, 2018 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 10: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on after the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Beaver Stadium on November 10, 2018 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

2. James Franklin, Penn State HC

USC is going to go big fish hunting, and there’s no bigger name currently on a team than James Franklin. He’s done a great job building Penn State into a powerhouse over six seasons, and has led the Nittany Lions to his third ten win season in 2019.

Franklin’s ability starts with recruiting. He has been in the top 15 recruiting classes in the country every year since 2015, all of this in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Penn State is poised to reach their third BCS bowl game with Franklin at the helm, and surely he is one of the biggest names in coaching circles.

This is a great opportunity for USC to get one of the biggest names in the business. He’s already being rumored as a successor to numerous positions, and I’m sure he won’t finish his career at Penn State. If the Trojans can get one of the biggest names in college football, they have to do it.