Now, in his third try at finding a leader for USC's defense, Riley is working to lure a Hall of Famer to Hollywood. USC is closing in on a deal to hire Gary Patterson, the longtime Texas Christian coach, as its defensive coordinator, a person familiar with the decision but not authorized to speak publicly told The Los Angeles Times. Riley left for USC a month later, while Patterson floated around other Texas football programs in consultant roles. Riley, meanwhile, was struggling to find any sense of stability for his USC defense. But how the dynamic might look at USC with Patterson, a 21-year coach, stepping into a coordinator role remains unclear.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 23, 2026 00:33 UTC