USC needs its defensive coaching changes to pay off in 2026

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USC football fell short in 2025 because the defense didn't quite come together. Part of the reason for the failure was injuries and illnesses. Key players missed key games, such as Kamari Ramsey not playing at Illinois. However, youth was also a factor in 2025's struggles. The defensive line wasn't able to evolve as quickly as D'Anton Lynn would have liked. Lynn left for Penn State. In came Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator, with the linebacker coaching room also undergoing changes. ESPN discussed this in its offseason look at the Trojans:

"Gary Patterson is back on a college sideline as a defensive coordinator for the first time since 2000, the year before he embarked on a Hall of Fame career leading TCU," ESPN wrote. "Patterson is a fascinating hire for coach Lincoln Riley ahead of a pivotal season. USC also hired safeties coach Paul Gonzales, who worked under Patterson at TCU, and brought in Nebraska's Mike Ekeler as special teams coordinator. Ekeler has also overseen special teams at Tennessee, Kansas and elsewhere. USC's defense had made some improvement under coordinator D'Anton Lynn, who left for fellow Big Ten competitor Penn State. Veteran defensive line coach Eric Henderson, the team's co-DC, returned to the NFL."

It is very good and important that Rob Ryan is no longer coaching the linebackers. That might be the biggest single improvement on the USC coaching staff this year. Gary Patterson is a world-class defensive tactician. The only concern is that he's been away from the sport for a few years (in terms of being an active coach) and might be a half-step behind current trends, but if he's fully up to speed, USC's defense just might be able to do the job if the players are up to the task.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football defensive coaching changes draw national attention

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