This story is free to read.

USC fires Steve Sarkisian 1 day after putting coach on leave

FILE - In this July 31, 2015, file photo, Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian speaks to reporters during NCAA college Pac-12 Football media days in Burbank, Calif. Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence after athletic director Pat Haden determined that the troubled coach is "not healthy", Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) FILE - In this July 31, 2015, file photo, Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian speaks to reporters during NCAA college Pac-12 Football media days in Burbank, Calif. Southern California coach Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence after athletic director Pat Haden determined that the troubled coach is "not healthy", Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

By Associated Press October 12, 2015 1 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Southern California has fired Steve Sarkisian one day after the troubled coach was put on leave.

Athletic director Pat Haden announced his decision Monday in a brief statement.

Sarkisian was put on indefinite leave on Sunday after the school determined he wasn’t in condition to lead practice. Offensive coordinator Clay Helton was appointed interim coach.

The school hasn’t been specific about Sarkisian’s problems, but the second-year coach had an embarrassing public display in August at a pep rally where he appeared to be intoxicated while giving a speech.

Sarkisian went 12-6 at USC, where he was an assistant coach under Pete Carroll with the program’s dominant teams of the past decade. He spent five years as Washington’s head coach until 2013.