The first time Clay Helton was USC's interim head football coach, the Trojans won a bowl game, and his second stint won him the permanent job.

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden announced Monday that Helton signed a multiyear contract as the school's permanent head football coach. Since Steve Sarkisian's firing, Helton led the Trojans to a 5-2 finish to their regular season, which included no losses at home, and a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game. USC will play Stanford for the conference title next weekend.

"After weeks of searching the collegiate and pro ranks, interviewing candidates, and speaking with head coaches, athletic directors, NFL executives, and very knowledgeable football people, and after observing Clay in action the past seven weeks, it became abundantly clear that what we were searching for in a coach was right here in front of us," Haden said in a statement. "Choosing a coach is an inexact science. In Clay's case, there is exactness. We have a man with unquestioned integrity. He is a fantastic person and he is real. Clay is a leader of young men. He is a terrific communicator. He brings high character, stability, continuity, consistency, toughness and resiliency to our program."

This time two years ago, USC was weighing interim coach Ed Orgeron for the permanent position, but opted to search for an external candidate. When Orgeron learned he would not be considered for the job, he resigned and left the team in Helton's hands for the Las Vegas Bowl, which they won.

According to ESPN's Arash Markazi, the USC Trojans players "absolutely love" Helton, which was reportedly the case with Orgeron. Haden's last two coaching hires were external candidates and both were fired mid-season.