Column: Pat Haden’s illness adds more drama to USC’s loss at Notre Dame

FROM SOUTH BEND, Ind. —  It seemed a fitting way to end an awful week that USC Athletic Director Pat Haden would fall ill before Saturday’s kickoff at Notre Dame Stadium.

The 62-year-old Haden felt dizzy before kickoff and needed medical attention. He already has a pacemaker and has faced only increased duress this week for his handling of the Steve Sarkisian firing.

Haden visited a local hospital and flew home on a private plane.

He was said to be “fine” and resting comfortably, but that almost seems impossible with the problems facing his program in the coming weeks and months.

USC has never seemed more uncomfortable.

After a shaky start, USC played commendably for interim Coach Clay Helton. If the Trojans are adept at anything, it’s adapting to new coaches.

The effort fell short, as Notre Dame claimed a 41-31 win.

The Irish had a little bit too much, a little too late, for USC.

“It wasn’t for lack of effort,” Helton said of the defeat.

This was true. The Trojans showed resolve after a start in which they looked as though they would go gentle into a cold October Irish night.

Notre Dame scored 21 first-quarter points — more than it had scored in any quarter against USC. The Irish were a play or two from busting the game open but, to the Trojans’ credit, did not.

This does not change the fact the Trojans limped home a 3-3 team, with an ailing athletic director.

The plight is eerily similar to 2013, when Haden fired Lane Kiffin early and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron had to rescue the cause.

USC suffered a hard-fought loss at Notre Dame then faced Utah at home the following week.

It’s the same setup this year, with Helton instead of Orgeron. Two years ago, USC shook off the Notre Dame loss and defeated Utah.

The Trojans ran off four more wins and Orgeron kept spirits high until a Nov. 30 loss to UCLA.

Is it possible USC could pull a repeat this year?

“I truly believe this is a good football team that can be great,” Helton said. “There’s no reason that we can’t go win the Pac-12 South.”

There’s a big difference: Utah is much more formidable than it was in 2013.

USC’s program tension is also palpably different this time. Haden inherited Kiffin and was responsible only for propping him up until he was forced to fire him.

The Sarkisian failure is Haden’s failure — the dynamic has changed. There are those who wonder, this time, whether Haden should even get to hire the next coach.

Short term, the program could turn any number of directions: up, down or sideways.

USC isn’t getting healthier. Last week it lost center Max Tuerk for the season, and on Saturday star receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster hobbled his way out of the game.

There were positive signs. The offense rebounded strongly after an inept performance against Washington.

USC finished with 590 yards of offense.

“Any time you go out and get almost 600 yards something is going right,” Helton said.

And the defense, after a horrible start, stiffened enough to at least allow the Trojans a chance to win.

USC was in a tie game, at 31-31, in the fourth quarter.

Notre Dame didn’t take the lead back until DeShone Kizer hit Corey Robinson on a 10-yard scoring pass with 9:06 left.

Ten years after “The Bush Push,” there were signs fate might intervene and deliver USC another gift.

There was drama, again, at the left (front) pylon at the south end zone. In 2005, the “Bush Push” epic played out in that quadrant.

Quarterback Matt Leinart fumbled in that corner, in the closing seconds of an air-tight game. Screaming Notre Dame fans stormed the field thinking the ball rolled out of the end zone for a game-clinching touchback.

In fact, the ball rolled out at the one, setting up Leinart’s winning sneak, aided by Reggie Bush’s historic help.

Saturday, Notre Dame was dominating, 21-10, early in the second quarter, seemingly ready to put the game out of reach.

Irish receiver Torii Hunter Jr. took a short pass and appeared headed for a score to make it 28-10.

Adoree’ Jackson, though, stripped Hunter of the ball, and this time it did roll in the end zone.

USC’s Cameron Smith jumped on the ball for the touchback Notre Dame needed a decade ago.

Saturday’s touchback allowed USC a chance to turn its night around. The Trojans cut the score to 24-17, then tied at 24-24 before halftime, then took the lead at 31-24 in the third quarter on Cody Kessler’s scoring pass to Taylor McNamara.

USC, in one of its toughest weeks, pulled out all stops.

“We came in and said we were going to fire every bullet,” Helton said.

Notre Dame, though, played at a slightly higher caliber.

USC left South Bend wondering what might have been. More important now, though, is what comes next.

Follow Chris Dufresne on Twitter @DufresneLATimes.

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