Michael Hutchings played for Clay Helton at USC and was given the opportunity to start his coaching career with the Trojans thanks in part to Helton.

So it's interesting that it is now Helton's departure from the program that results in Hutchings' best career opportunity yet, as he'll finish out the season as one of USC's 10 on-field coaches, working with the linebackers.

"It was tough, extremely tough, right? I've known him since I was a young teenager and he's been a part of my life for over a decade now and the reason I'm here is because of him," Hutching said Wednesday after practice. "So we're extremely thankful for that opportunity, for everything that's he's given me but also for the guys who are here currently. For Mr. Bohn, for Brandon [Sosna], for Donte and T.O., right, for all those people that believed in me for this opportunity. So all those things go hand-in-hand."

USC interim head coach Donte Williams and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando delivered the news earlier this week to Hutchings, who was serving as an off-field quality control analyst and spending the 2018-19 seasons as a graduate assistant.

Hutchings was a linebacker for the Trojans from 2013-16.

"It's so humbling, and also extremely thankful for the opportunity that those two believed in me," he said. "Also, Coach Orlando, I worked for him and him being my mentor, for him to give me the opportunity and of course Donte and the whole defensive side of the ball, was a huge honor and just now I get to make the most of it. ...

"I go from an off-field role where I was just more of encouragement, organization, day-to-day operations in the building to now being on the field, being able to participate in more game-day activities, coach drills, and be more active in practice."

Hutchings has been one of USC's more impactful support staff members, as he has made an impact in recruiting -- most notably as the lead recruiter along with Orlando for four-star linebacker Julien Simon and playing a role in the recruitment of fellow four-star linebacker Raesjon Davis.

It's no surprise that he was the one tapped to fill the extra spot on the coaching staff that came open through Helton's departure and Williams moving up to interim head coach.

As for Helton, Hutchings reflected further on what the former coach meant to him.

"Just the man himself. That's the part that gets lost in all of this is everyone gets caught up in the coach but they forget about what kind of person he is and will always be, is how high-character he is, transparent, everything, the list goes on and on. More so the man and the character that was lost," he said.

Moving forward, Hutchings thinks the remaining staff will come together well and help get this season back on track.

"I've been around the program for multiple years now, I think our staff is really comfortable with each other, we all know our roles and nobody is going to step on each other's toes," Hutchings said. "And that's the main thing, everyone knows their roles, we're in line, we follow the chain of command and that's my job is whatever they need from me."