USC’s Clay Helton denies E.J. Price punched him, confirms transfer

Earlier this week, rumors surfaced that USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton was punched by a member of the team, offensive lineman E.J. Price. Late Tuesday, those rumors were squashed.

Helton spoke to the media and denied being punched by Price, before confirming the former prized recruit has transferred.

“I’m not a big social media guy, but I got told today about E.J. Price hitting me, which is funny,” Helton told reporters Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura. “I wouldn’t be here; I’d be dead, one. May make my face look better, but when it comes to E.J. – I know a lot of times when a guy doesn’t show up on the field there’s questions.

“I talked to E.J. a couple days ago. E.J. has some personal family issues that are going on – a lot of homesickness and missing family really bad. With us sitting down and visiting, really felt, mutually, that it was important for him to go find a school that is closer to home, where he can deal with his family.”

Price is a Georgia native and there is currently no word on where he will continue his college football career.

The former four-star recruit was a top ten offensive tackle in his class and and the No. 11 recruit in the state of Georgia. Price also had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and LSU, among others.

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