"God that guy has fallen hard from the top": CFB world reacts to Georgia Southern extending Clay Helton

The Georgia Southern Eagles have reportedly agreed to a new deal with Clay Helton to keep him through the 2029 season. On Wednesday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported via X (formerly known as Twitter), that the coach had accepted a five-year contract extension with a raise of $1 million per year.

"Sources: Georgia Southern has agreed to a new five-year deal for coach Clay Helton that extends him through the 2029 football season. The deal includes a raise to an average of $1 million per year over the five years.," Thamel tweeted.

Thamel also reported that the coach's deal includes incentives that could raise his pay by over $1 million annually. Helton took over the Georgia Southern coaching position in the 2022 season after six years as the head coach at USC.

Fans have reacted to Thamel's report on the new deal on X. One fan criticized the coach for how his career has changed since he was fired by USC in 2021.

"God that guy has fallen hard from the top...," a fan wrote.

"Good for Clay Helton. Didn't work out at USC but he landed on his feet and has done a remarkable job there," another fan commented.

"Happy Clay has found a good spot for himself. A+ human being.," a third fan wrote.

"this guy should coach at a program like usc!," a fan replied.

"Hail Southern," a fan wrote.

"Grifters gonna grift," another fan wrote.

Clay Helton's successful run as Georgia Southern Eagles coach

Before his arrival, the Georgia Southern Eagles ended the 2021 season with a 3-9 record. Clay Helton led the team to a 6-7 record the following year.

The new contract came after Georgia Southern finished last year with an 8-5, placing second in the Sun Belt East Conference.

They played their final game last season in a 31-26 loss to the Sam Houston Bearkats in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 19. Georgia Southern quarterback JC French struggled in the matchup, completing 20 of 33 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown. He also had four interceptions, which affected the team's loss. French will return to the starting role next season to help the team appear in another bowl game and potentially secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The team has not won a bowl game since the 2020 season, when they defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the New Orleans Bowl. If Helton can lead the team to a bowl win and a playoff appearance, it may silence the critics who believe his career is irrelevant now that he isn't with USC.

Georgia Southern will begin the 2025 season in a matchup against the Fresno State Bulldogs on Aug. 30.