Doug Belk not returning as USC’s secondary coach in 2026

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USC’s 2026 defensive coaching staff is still very much in the air. The Trojans do not currently have a defensive coordinator—although right now, former TCU head coach Gary Patterson appears to be the favorite for the job. On Tuesday night, however, we got a notable development when Connor Morrissette of 247Sports reported that secondary coach Doug Belk will not return in 2026. Belk coached USC’s secondary for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Houston.

USC’s secondary this past season was a bit of a mixed bag. The biggest positive was safety Bishop Fitzgerald, who earned Consensus All-American honors for the Trojans after transferring in from NC State. However, the cornerback room was a big disappointment, with the Trojans struggling to get consistent play at the position.

Presumably, USC’s new defensive coordinator will want to bring in his own secondary coach. It will be interesting to see if the other defensive assistants get to stick around under the new DC, or if they are forced out as well. USC reportedly wants to keep defensive line coach Eric Henderson, but beyond that, the status of the Trojans’ remaining assistants is very much up in the air.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Defensive backs coach Doug Belk not returning to USC football in 2026

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