USC Booster Brian Kennedy Calls Current State of Football Program 'Dogs--t'

A USC booster didn't mince words about the current state of the football team.

Speaking to reporters during the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year banquet Saturday night, Brian Kennedy called the Trojans program "dogs--t."

Kennedy's comments come in the wake of a tumultuous season for USC football. Lynn Swann resigned his post as athletic director in September after four members of the athletic department were implicated in a college admissions scandal and Tony Bland, a former assistant men's basketball coach, pleaded guilty in a federal bribery case.

Head coach Clay Helton was believed to be on the hot seat, but new athletic director Mike Bohn announced in December the 47-year-old would return in 2020.

Helton took over as head coach on an interim basis midway through the 2015 season after Steve Sarkisian's firing. He was given the full-time job in November 2015 and went a combined 21-6 in 2016 and 2017, including a 52-49 victory over Penn State in the 2017 Rose Bowl.

Over the past two seasons under Helton, USC has compiled a 13-12 record. Its 5-7 mark in 2018 was just the second losing record for the program since 1992 (5-7 in 2000).

Recruiting has also become an issue for the Trojans, with 247Sports' composite rankings currently listing their 2020 class as No. 56 in the nation.

USC has an opportunity to change its current narrative in 2020 when it takes on Alabama in the season opener at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 5.