The search is on for a new USC defensive coordinator after Clay Helton fired Justin Wilcox on Sunday.

Oct 11, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. The Trojans defeated the Wildcats 28-26. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Helton made the swift decision to move on from Wilcox and much of his defensive staff just a day after the Trojans fell to Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship.

RELATED: Ranking The Best USC Football Coaches of All-Time

With only the Holiday Bowl remaining this season, USC has limited time to make a run at finding the right defensive coordinator for right now.

Here’s a look at ten potential defensive coordinators for the Trojans to go after:

Clancy Pendergast

Currently serving as the linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers, USC fans are certainly aware of Clancy Pendergast. He was the Trojan defensive coordinator in 2013 after serving as the coordinator at Cal for three seasons. Prior to that he was the defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals in addition to a wealth of years as a position coach in the league.

Why USC Should Hire Him:

The first name on the lips of many USC fans after, and before, hearing that Wilcox had been fired was Pendergast. That’s because he fits the mold: USC-connected, aggressive and well-liked.

Pendergast only led the Trojan defense for one season, but his multiple-front system had USC among the top teams in the Pac-12 in all the major defensive categories including total defense, for which they led the conference.

Why USC Should Not Hire Him:

Nostalgia is great, but Pendergast’s defense was thoroughly unraveled by Arizona State when they gave up 62 points in Lane Kiffin’s final game. At the end of the season, he had no answer for UCLA, who imposed their will on the Trojans. The sample size is exceedingly small, but he never faced Oregon to test his ability against the best offense in the conference.