Former TCU coach Gary Patterson would be a good fit for USC as defensive coordinator
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Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter. We’re coming to you on a brief break from vacation with college friends and their kids in San Diego to discuss USC’s ongoing search for a defensive coordinator … because I’m not gonna leave you hanging like that!
It’s been almost three weeks since D’Anton Lynn left for Penn State, and the search is finally reaching a crescendo.
It shouldn’t be long now before we know who will be leading USC’s defense. That decision had not been made as of publication of this newsletter. But my understanding, in speaking with people familiar with those discussions, that longtime Texas Christian coach Gary Patterson is a leading option to be USC’s next coordinator.
So what would Patterson bring to the Trojans’ defense?
For one, he has quite an impressive track record, starting with the fact that he’ll soon be in the College Football Hall of Fame.
As head coach at TCU for 21 seasons, Patterson was renowned as one of the best defensive minds and talent evaluators in college football. Over that time, five of his TCU defenses finished No. 1 nationally in total defense.
Patterson and Lincoln Riley know each other well from their time coaching against each other in the Big 12, and when Patterson and TCU parted ways in the middle of the season in November 2021, Riley said he was “sick” when he heard the news of Patterson’s exit.
That familiarity is a huge part of why Patterson makes sense paired with Riley. USC plans to keep its defensive staff largely intact, limiting it from certain outside options who might’ve wanted to bring in their own assistants.
Riley’s tenuous future also complicates matters. You can understand why some potential candidates for the job could balk at the idea of uprooting your life and family to then only get one season at the helm. Whether that would actually happen doesn’t change that it’s a perception that exists around the college football world.
Patterson hasn’t been a full-time staff member since his exit from TCU since 2021. He’s spent time at Texas and at Baylor, helping out with their defense. He wouldn’t be taking a risk by leaving a job, and he’s not likely to use USC as a stepping stone like Lynn, who left after two years after saying all the right things about staying.
Throw in the fact that his 4-2-5 scheme, which is masterful at disguising pressure and stopping the run, would make for a natural and necessary fit at USC, where those two things weren’t up to snuff last season.
It all points to Patterson as a prime candidate for the job. Not only because of his mind, but because he feels like such a clear fit alongside a coach who may not have as many clear fits for that position as you’d think.
Extra points
—Husan Longstreet lands with Louisiana State, after, the family says, trust eroded with the staff at USC. When the Trojans’ former quarterback of the future entered the transfer portal a week ago, the plan, according to his father, Kevin, was to find somewhere he could start. But last Wednesday, Longstreet chose to sign with LSU, where he’ll be … a backup. The Tigers also signed Sam Leavitt, arguably the top quarterback available in the portal, to a $3-million deal. So Longstreet finds himself in the same position he would’ve been had he stayed at USC. But Sports Illustrated reported that there was a disconnect between the family and USC’s staff over his NIL situation relative to Jayden Maiava and plans for him to play in the bowl game. Ultimately it sounds like it was better for the two sides to part. Plus, it always made the most sense for Longstreet to sit another year and learn. He just chose to do that with Lane Kiffin and not Riley.
—Alani Noa is back at USC, meaning the entire line is returning in 2026. Noa missed the bowl season dealing with a personal matter, casting doubt on whether he might return. But USC announced his re-signing, the last of the Trojans’ 2025 starting front, last week. That’s a huge coup for a group that had very little continuity last season. Now whether the same five are still starting in 2026 remains to be seen. Left tackle Elijah Paige and guard Tobias Raymond are presumably locked into a starting spot. But USC has several young linemen who could push for the other three jobs up front. Offensive tackles Elijah Vaikona and Aaron Dunn could be primed for big leaps in their second seasons, and top recruit Keenyi Pepe could be ready as a freshman. It’s possible that someone other than Kilian O’Connor could push to play at center too. Don’t be surprised if you see a combination you’re not expecting, such as, say, Raymond at center, Justin Tauanuu at guard and Vaikona at tackle.
—USC added a tight end to round out its transfer haul. The transfer portal closed this week for the Trojans with the addition of Wisconsin tight end Tucker Ashcraft, who should add experience and blocking ability to a room that lost its top two contributors from 2025. Overall, USC was pretty measured as planned with its portal approach. The additions of cornerback Jontez Williams and wideout Terrell Anderson stand out especially as moves that should make a major difference next season.
—FBS coaches voted unanimously in favor of allowing players to play in nine games, instead of four, and still preserve a redshirt. Personally, I don’t know why we can’t just go the whole way, allow players five years of eligibility, and do away with redshirts altogether. Riley has spoken out in favor of a five-year window. But this change feels like a way to help stop the coming tsunami of litigation over eligibility. Any rule would still need approval from the NCAA.
—If Indiana wins the national title game on Monday, it would be three consecutive years in which the CFP champ didn’t play a Power Four nonconference game. You can understand why USC might not want to put Notre Dame in that slot. Though, officials still want to schedule a different Power Four school — just earlier in the year.
Olympic sports spotlight
Alison Swain had built a Division III dynasty at Williams College before she was hired in 2017, to take over at USC., where the Trojans had once had their own women’s tennis mini-dynasty, winning two team national titles in three years.
USC is still chasing a conference title under Swain, who’s in her ninth season in the program. But the Trojans have been to the NCAA tournament every season they could since 2019, making the Round of 16 three times. As she mentioned last week, that consistency in a sport that won’t see revenue-sharing dollars is important to athletic director Jennifer Cohen, who handed Swain an extension in August.
There are reasons for optimism heading into the spring season. Sophomore Jana Hossam went on a deep run to the semifinals of the NCAA singles tournament, eventually losing to North Carolina’s Reese Brantmeier, the No. 1-rated player per the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. rankings.
Hossam and senior Emma Charney, who was on the All-Big Ten team in 2024, give USC two of the ITA’s top-16 rated players from the end of the fall season. In doubles, the team of Lily Fairclough and Dani Borruel ranks sixth in the nation.
USC opened its season last week at home with wins over UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount before defeating Arizona State on the road Sunday.
Times of Troy official CFP title game pick
It’s incredible what Curt Cignetti has done at Indiana. And after dismantling two college football powers in consecutive rounds of the Playoff, how could anyone bet against the Hoosiers and their stone-faced coach now?
Indiana is a 7 1/2-point favorite. Did anyone watch the semifinal? I am riding with this season’s team of destiny. Give me the Hoosiers in a two-touchdown win.
In case you missed it
USC women’s basketball snaps four-game losing streak with rout of Purdue
USC falls just short of upset in ‘super frustrating’ loss to No. 5 Purdue
Eric Musselman, USC surviving injury-riddled season by ‘constantly reinventing ourselves’
Jordan Addison’s legal woes continue. Former USC receiver arrested for trespassing at 3:46 a.m.
Jordan Marsh helps USC rebound from tough stretch, earn home win over Maryland
USC star freshman Alijah Arenas won’t debut this week as planned
What I’m watching this week
HBO is on a heater right now. And while you probably know about “The Pitt” by now — I wrote about it in this space last year — you may be less familiar with “Industry,” which just had its fourth season premier last Sunday.
The show follows a group of young professionals thrown into the cutthroat world of high finance in London. That’s not a world I ever thought I’d care to explore. But while the finance jargon flies way, way over my head, the depth of the characters is what makes the show special. It’s also fast-paced and propulsive, well acted and beautifully shot. For my money, it’s one of the most underrated shows on TV, and in Season 4, it’s boldly starting off in a new direction. Which I’m really enjoying so far.
Until next time ...
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
