Gary Patterson named newest USC Football Defensive Coordinator

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LOS ANGELES — The search is over for USC's vacant defensive coordinator position as Trojans Head Coach Lincoln Riley announced today that Gary Patterson, a decorated former Power Four head coach and defensive innovator, will take the helm in 2026. 

"We are excited to welcome Gary and his family to USC," said Riley. "As a Hall of Fame coach, who is one of the game’s most highly regarded defensive minds, he brings a wealth of success and experience to our program. His impact will be immediate, elevating our defense and strengthening the culture we’ve built. We’re proud to welcome him to the Trojan Family.”

Patterson, who was recently named to the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class, was the head coach at TCU for 21 seasons (2001-21). 

He was the Horned Frogs' all-time winningest head coach with 181 victories (.696) and won 22 national coach of the year honors and four conference coach of the year honors throughout that time. In 2009 and 2014, he was recognized as the National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, AFCA, FWAA and Walter Camp. 

He finished his tenure in Fort Worth with a 181-79 record,  including an undefeated 13-0 season in 2010 that was capped by a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin.

TCU notched six conference championships under Patterson’s tutelage: Conference USA in 2002, Mountain West in 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and one share of the Big 12 title in 2014, with TCU being the first team left out of the initial four-team College Football Playoff. 

His teams won at least 10 games in 11 different seasons with 11 AP Top 25 finishes, with seven of those being AP Top 10 finishes, including No. 2 in 2010 and No. 3 in 2014. Before he arrived in Fort Worth in 1998, TCU had just four 10-win seasons in its history. Patterson recorded a 7-3 mark against Texas in the Big 12.

In 21 seasons as a head coach, Patterson coached 90 First Team All-Conference selections, 20 First Team All-Americans, 22 Freshman All-Americans, three Academic All-American selections and a Rhodes Scholar. As TCU's head coach, Patterson had 49 players drafted by the NFL.

Patterson, a defensive savant, helped TCU to lead the nation in total defense five times (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009 and 2010). From 2008-10, TCU became just the third program in NCAA history to lead the nation in total defense in three consecutive seasons. 

Patterson first arrived at TCU in 1998 as the defensive coordinator on coach Dennis Franchione’s staff. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Frogs beat Iowa State, Vanderbilt and No. 23-ranked Air Force. 

TCU recorded a winning season with six victories and an invitation to the Sun Bowl, where Patterson’s 4-2-5 defense held USC to minus-23 rushing yards, a record-low for both the Sun Bowl and the Trojan program. 

Prior to the 2024 season, Patterson was a senior-level strategic consultant for Baylor under head coach Dave Aranda after taking a year off from coaching. In 2022, he served as a special assistant to head coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas. Texas’s defense significantly improved in 2022 during the regular season. The Longhorns allowed 21.2 points per game (No. 29 in the nation), improving from 31.1 points per game (No. 99) in 2021. Additionally, Texas’s yards per play allowed improved from 6.03 (No. 102 in the nation) in 2021 to 4.9 (No. 19 in the nation) in 2022. 

With the extensive background coach Patterson brings to USC, his expertise on the defensive front could be what the Trojans and company need heading into a crucial 2026 season. 

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