Coach Steve Sarkisian Sacked by USC

Less than two years on the job and four days after an embarrassing loss to Washington, Steve Sarkisian was fired Monday by USC as its head football coach.

Sarkisian’s fate was forged on Sunday, when he didn’t show up at a team practice. Athletic director Pat Haden called Sarkisian and, while on the phone and apparently making a decision on the fly, put him on indefinite leave.

A day later, the leave is permanent.

“After careful consideration of what is in the best interest of the university and our student-athletes, I have made the decision to terminate Steve Sarkisian, effective immediately,” Haden said in a statement. “I want to thank Clay Helton for stepping into the interim head coach role, and I want to add how proud I am of our coaching staff and players and the way they are responding to this difficult situation. Through all of this we remain concerned for Steve and hope that it will give him the opportunity to focus on his well being.”

Once a golden boy in college football for his prowess as offensive coordinator on the USC sideline, Sarkisian became head coach at Washington for five seasons before returning to Los Angeles to take his dream job at USC.

That dream appears to be shattered.

Reports emerged that Sarkisian and alcohol were never far from each other at events or on various trips, and ESPN reported that staff suspected Sarkisian was under the influence during a 42-14 victory over Arizona State, but Haden was not aware of those suspicions.

Haden named offensive coordinator Clay Helton, who coached USC to victory in the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl, as the interim coach in Sarkisian’s absence on Sunday.

Sarkisian was 12-6 at USC, and 3-2 this season, 2-1 in the Pac-12 Conference. The Trojans embarrassingly lost a 17-12 decision to Washington on Thursday.

Sarkisian was 34-29 at Washington a program that was 0-12 the season before his arrival at USC in December 2013.

Haden addressed the media briefly on Sunday when Sarkisian didn’t show up to practice.

“It was very clear to me he was not healthy,” Haden said of a telephone conversation he had with Sarkisian. “I asked him to take an indefinite leave of absence. … I think it’s the right thing to do for our team.”

ESPN reported that an unidentified player texted a reporter Sunday that Sarkisian “showed up lit to meetings again today.”

In August before USC’s first game, Sarkisian, 41, appeared at a pep rally for the team and major donors in which he slurred his words, insulted opponents and used profanity.

He apologized later, saying “the way I acted was irresponsible and something I don’t condone. It’s a hard time.” He also said he didn’t know if he had a drinking problem: “I don’t believe so, but I’m going to find out. I’m going to treatment.”

He blamed his actions on inadvertently mixing alcohol with medication and it was unclear if he ever sought treatment. However, former players at Washington responded in social media that it was essentially Sark being Sark; one added the hashtag, #ThingsHaven’tChanged to a Twitter post.

Sarkisian was on the USC coaching staff for seven seasons prior to coaching Washington for five, from 2009-13. He was hired in December 2013, and Haden said a thorough vetting of the coach was performed.

However, after the August outburst, USC turned down several requests by the Los Angeles Times to interview Sarkisian about his alcohol use while at Washington. The Times’ report released Monday painted a picture of a man who enjoyed a drink no matter the time, who favored Patron Silver tequila and Coors Light, and whose drinking became a running joke among some players at Washington.

One receipt cited by The Times was an expense of $1,023 worth of alcohol at an Indian Wells restaurant during a Washington retreat, though it was unclear how many were in attendance. Sarkisian also had a one-day beverage tab at a Los Angeles hotel of $170.47.

On another occasion, in 1993 at a Nashville restaurant, Sarkisian and three assistants ordered four shot shots of tequila, four of another type of alcohol, and five beers before paying the tab a few minutes before noon.

Apart from difficulties on the field, Sarkisian is going through a divorce, according to ESPN.

Haden spoke to USC players and coaches “and it’s clear the team had a great deal of concern about the health of Coach Sarkisian, so did the staff have that concern for him. It was also very apparent to me in the room of the support that Clay has from our team and his staff.”

This week, USC plays at Norte Dame in what is annually one of the most high-profile games on the national schedule.

-Martin Henderson; Steve Sarkisian before the Washington game via USCTrojans.com