Hall of Fame coach Gary Patterson named USC’s next defensive coordinator

The winningest coach in TCU history joins the Trojan staff after 21 seasons as a head coach.

By SEAN CAMPBELL
Gary Patterson pictured at a Big 12 news conference.
Former TCU head coach Gary Patterson, who most recently spent one year as a senior-level strategist at Baylor in 2024, led TCU to six conference championships, 17 bowl appearances and a 181-79 overall record while at the helm from 2001-2021. (Bobak Ha’Eri / Wikimedia Commons)

College Football Hall of Fame coach Gary Patterson will be USC football’s next defensive coordinator, Head Coach Lincoln Riley announced in a Friday news release. Patterson is best known as the winningest coach in TCU history, where he spent 24 seasons, 21 as head coach.

Patterson, who most recently spent one year as a senior-level strategist at Baylor in 2024, led TCU to six conference championships, 17 bowl appearances and a 181-79 overall record from 2001-2021. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot Jan. 14.

“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,” Riley said in the release. “His impact will be immediate, elevating our defense and strengthening the culture we’ve built.”

Patterson’s TCU teams led college football in total defense five times, as Riley and company hope to shore up a defense that showed improvement but remained inconsistent under former defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. Lynn left for the same position at Penn State on Dec. 30 after leading the Trojans to the 49th-best total defense in the nation.


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