It’s yet to be seen if the USC football team can have one of the top defenses in the country, or even if new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson will be one of the top hires of the 2026 offseason. But, one fact is certainly not in doubt: Patterson ranks among the top 10 most fascinating hires of this college football offseason.
It’s not every day that one of the best offensive coaches in the country (Lincoln Riley) who can’t seem to crack the code of developing an elite defense lures a Hall of Fame coach with a knack for developing stellar defenses out of retirement.
Advertisement
The national significance of Patterson’s hire is already being made clear by the amount of attention Patterson’s union with the Trojans is receiving in the media. Blake Toppmeyer of USA Today penned an article called, “Eight college football coordinator hires I can’t stop thinking about” and included Patterson’s name amongst the list. He also laid out just why Patterson’s hire is so fascinating for college football fans across the country:
“It’s a rare season when a Lincoln Riley team fields a great defense,” Toppemeyer wrote. “So, is Patterson the solution to Riley’s career-long problem, or set to become the latest coordinator who’ll try and fail to instill the sturdiness needed for Riley’s Trojans to elevate from also-ran to national champion? There’s really no telling how this will go.”
“Many of Patterson’s TCU teams played the type of defense you’d want, but he last served as an assistant coach more than 25 years ago. It’s fascinating to see how someone used to being in charge will adapt to being a lieutenant.”
“A lack of talent is not a concern for USC, but the 66-year-old Patterson must show he can get the requisite buy-in, toughness and commitment to detail to accelerate a defense that ranked toward the bottom of the Big Ten the past two seasons.”
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC makes national headlines with the hire of coach Gary Patterson
