USC’s hire of Gary Patterson as DC increases Trojans’ 2026 momentum

When USC squandered a 10-point lead and suffered a 30-27 overtime loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl, it was only fitting that a defensive breakdown allowed the Horned Frogs to score the decisive touchdown. For a Trojans program that so often in the Lincoln Riley era has been limited by its defense, watching Jeremy Payne evade multiple tacklers along the sideline and rattle off a 35-yard, walk-off score was eerily familiar and a sign that there still remains work to be done in constructing a championship-caliber operation.

Enter Gary Patterson.

Weeks after losing to TCU, Riley identified a program legend and 2026 College Football Hall of Fame electee as his next defensive coordinator. The longtime Horned Frogs coach will take over for D’Anton Lynn, who departed from USC to take the same job at his alma mater, Penn State.

Riley said after the Alamo Bowl that the hiring pool for his defensive coordinator position was robust. Assistant coaching hires, he said, have become easier in recent seasons with USC upgrading its talent and strengthening its alignment from the administrative level down through the coaching staff and recruiting personnel. At face value, the Patterson hire backs up that claim.

“I think for us right now the opportunity to make a hire, to continue to make us better and to go from being a very good defense to being a great defense is the goal,” Riley said. “We have the personnel to do it. We’re on an upward trend.”

Patterson became the winningest coach in TCU history with his defenses regularly standing in the upper half of the country. The 2010 Horned Frogs unit led the nation in scoring prevention en route to an undefeated season, capping a six-year run in which the team ranked inside the top 15 in points allowed per game. His 2014 unit ranked eighth in keeping opponents off the board and nearly earned a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff.

What remains to be seen is whether Patterson’s defensive acumen will translate to the modern Big Ten and how much of an impact, if any, his five-year absence from full-time coaching will make.

USC could not afford to whiff on Lynn’s successor. The Trojans offense will always be among the best in the Big Ten, if not the country, as long as Riley is its orchestrator. The defense has to hold up its end of the bargain, or else this dormant championship contender will never find its elusive breakthrough. Lynn helped the Trojans make significant strides on his side of the ball over a two-year tenure, and the 2025 defense allowed fewer points per game (23) than any of the groups that preceded it in the Riley era.

The standard is improving, and Patterson needs to elevate it further.

USC trends upward despite defensive coordinator change

While the Trojans lost some momentum heading into the offseason, they still ought to feel optimistic about the long-term direction of their squad. Riley worked tirelessly over the last four years to build something sustainable at a program in search of returning to its pedestal as a perennial national championship hopeful. He said after bowl season that the pieces are beginning to fall into place for USC to make a push in 2026 and beyond.

“This place is doing all the things that you need to do to put yourself in position to go bust that door down and do it,” Riley said. “I really believe a window here has opened up that’s taken a lot of effort by a lot of people, a lot of commitment by a lot of people. Four fun, but really challenging years to get it open, and it’s open now.”

Those efforts most notably included a shift in focus on the recruiting trail and the building of alignment between the program, the athletic department and university administration. Riley has not been bashful this year in discussing those steps forward. So while USC remains in search of its first College Football Playoff berth, posted a losing record against top-25 teams this season and closed the campaign with two losses in its final three games, the best still may be yet to come for Riley in what has thus far been an underwhelming tenure.

Trojans welcome top-ranked recruiting class

When Riley took the USC job in 2022, he constructed his roster mostly through the transfer portal. It was a fruitful approach that produced an 11-win season and a Heisman Trophy, but it was not a model for sustainable success. Riley recognized that reality and altered his recruiting approach, instead working to load up on elite high school recruits and keep the state of California’s best prospects close to home.

The philosophy change paid dividends. USC signed 247Sports’ No. 1-ranked recruiting class during the 2026 cycle and became the first non-SEC team to do so since 2008. Nine of the nation’s top 100 prospects signed with the Trojans, including class headliner Keenyi Pepe, the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 5 overall player in America.

Recent national champions proved that while the transfer portal is a helpful tool, winning at the highest level still requires the stacking of loaded high school classes. USC took the first step in that regard over the last year, and its prized newcomers will debut on the practice field this spring.

Jayden Maiava returns amid supporting cast turnover

While one of the nation’s best one-two punches at the wide receiver position is gone, USC may avoid offensive regression in 2026 with quarterback Jayden Maiava set to return for his senior season. He will have to build new reliable connections with Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon and matchup nightmare Ja’Kobi Lane departing to pursue NFL careers.

Getting young running back Waymond Jordan back and healthy after his ankle tightrope surgery should take pressure off Maiava. King Miller will round out a dynamic backfield after breaking out in Jordan’s absence.

Perhaps freshman Tanook Hines will emerge as the next great USC receiver as he enters his second year in the offense. Maiava linked up with Hines 34 times for 561 yards and two touchdowns in their first season together.