New USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson outlines his vision for the Trojans' defense

['Staff Writer', 'Ryan Kartje Is The Usc Beat Writer At The Los Angeles Times. He Joined The Times After Six Years With The Southern California News Group. A Michigan Native', 'University Of Michigan Graduate', 'Kartje Previously Wrote For Fox Sports Wisconsin', 'The Bloomington', 'Ind.'] News from California, across the nation and world - Los Angeles Times 2026-01-28 00:00:00

I know he knows and believe he’s found that.”No one is more invested in that than USC’s head coach. But by 2021, while Patterson’s TCU defense had largely remained strong, the luster of his long tenure in Fort Worth had faded. Informed that he wouldn’t be back the following season, Patterson instead resigned with four games left. Now he returns not as a head coach, but as a coordinator, a step down that Patterson seemed just fine with when asked Wednesday. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)“My job is defense,” Patterson said.