Expert believes USC has gotten its coaching staff right
· Yahoo Sports
The USC Trojans, since the Lincoln Riley era began, have been no strangers to having an elite offense and elite offensive playmakers. The Trojans' offense took big steps forward in 2025, as did starting quarterback Jayden Maiava. The offense was not the problem. Riley made it a priority to change the Trojans' defense. His big solution for that issue was hiring former TCU head coach Gary Patterson.
Visit truewildslot.com for more information.
Joel Klatt, in a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," highlighted USC as a team that can be a sleeper after the offseason they have had so far, including the hiring of Gary Patterson. Here are his thoughts on USC's coaching changes and the impact of that, via a Fox Sports article piece highlighting his episode:
"Lincoln Riley lost D'anton Lynn, the defensive coordinator whom I was a big fan of, but he brings in Gary Patterson," Klatt said. "I really love the idea of having Gary Patterson here for Lincoln Riley. He built a winner at TCU. He's a defensive-oriented guy, he's got high energy and a wealth of experience Lincoln can use and bounce things off of. That's a win. Now, I think Lynn is great. So, I'm not saying this is an upgrade or a downgrade. But it's a win for Lincoln Riley and USC to get Gary Patterson."
D'anton Lynn had the Trojans defense improving each season and in a much better place before he joined Lincoln Riley's staff. Yet with his defense, there were still a lot of inconsistencies, and the defense did not tackle well. The games in which USC lost their defense were outmatched and were not good enough to get the job done.
Gary Patterson is as good as it gets as a defensive coordinator in the college football landscape. He has all the experience and a great resume to put the Trojans' defense back into being an elite one. Lincoln Riley is an elite offensive mind and he had this offense playing lights out last season. The Trojans outscored Michigan and beat Iowa because their offense was good enough to do the job. The defense showed up big in both of those games, too, but it did not show up enough for the Trojans to get other wins like those against Illinois and Notre Dame.
The Trojans' defense should show growth this season, and their offense will pick up right where they left off. With Patterson and Lincoln Riley, it is safe to assume and project that this team should be even more competitive this season in the Big Ten. The schedule definitely is a gauntlet, but the Trojans have what they need to still have a good year.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Joel Klatt trusts USC football duo Gary Patterson and Lincoln Riley