Sarkisian gets leave

Southern California Coach Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence, Athletic Director Pat Haden said. Haden announced the decision Sunday after Sarkisian didn’t attend practice. Offensive coordinator Clay Helton will take charge of the Trojans (3-2, 1-2 Pac12), who have lost two of their last three games.

LOS ANGELES — Southern California Coach Steve Sarkisian is taking an indefinite leave of absence, Athletic Director Pat Haden said.

Haden announced the decision Sunday after Sarkisian didn’t attend practice.

Offensive coordinator Clay Helton will take charge of the Trojans (3-2, 1-2 Pac-12), who have lost two of their last three games. USC visits Notre Dame on Saturday.

Haden wasn’t specific about the reasons for Sarkisian’s absence, only saying that “it was very clear to me that he is not healthy.” Haden spoke to Sarkisian by phone Sunday, and he asked the coach to take a leave.

Sarkisian publicly apologized before the season after he showed up drunk at a pep rally and made a slurred public statement. He announced he would be getting unspecified treatment, but didn’t believe he had a drinking problem, blaming his unsteady appearance on combining alcohol and medication.

Sarkisian is 12-6 during his short tenure leading the talented Trojans, who lost 17-12 to unranked Washington last Thursday. Sarkisian had been on the road recruiting during the weekend.

Helton is in his second stint as USC’s interim coach. He led the Trojans to a Las Vegas Bowl victory in 2013, a calendar year in which the Trojans had four different head coaches.

Sarkisian, a former Brigham Young quarterback who played in the CFL, was an assistant under Pete Carroll on the Trojans’ great teams of the previous decade. Coaching alongside Lane Kiffin, Sarkisian ran USC’s offense before getting hired by Washington to take over a winless program in 2009. Sarkisian left Washington to return to USC after Haden fired Kiffin five games into the 2013 season.

Sarkisian