New USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson is officially on the clock-and so is the rest of the Trojans’ program as it enters Year 5 under Lincoln Riley. With January in the rearview mirror, 32 of USC’s 35 incoming freshmen are already on campus and grinding through winter conditioning under the watchful eye of Trumain Carroll, the Trojans’ director of football performance. And while the transfer portal window for players entering has closed, USC can still add players, though the bulk of the 2026 roster is now in place.
Now, it’s Patterson’s turn to go to work-and his task couldn’t be clearer: fix the defense.
Last season, USC finished No. 50 in DFEI (Defensive Fremeau Efficiency Index), a metric that measures defensive efficiency adjusted for opponent and game context. That’s not disastrous, but it’s far from elite-and far from where a program with playoff aspirations needs to be.
Just look at the teams that made the College Football Playoff semifinals: Indiana, Miami, Oregon, and Ole Miss. The national champion Hoosiers ranked third in DFEI.
Miami came in at No. 4, Oregon at No.
- Even Ole Miss, whose defense was the weakest of the bunch, still landed at No. 47-just a few spots ahead of USC.
That tells us something important: you don’t necessarily need a top-10 defense to make the playoff, but if you want to win it all, you better be strong on both sides of the ball-and special teams, too. Indiana proved that.
So what’s Patterson’s plan?
For now, it’s all about evaluation. He’s only had a handful of opportunities to see the team on the field and in the meeting rooms, but he’s not rushing to fit square pegs into round holes.
Patterson knows that before he can install a scheme, he needs to understand what he has. That starts with watching film, running drills, and-maybe most importantly-listening.
“It’s been a short time right now between everything we’ve been doing,” Patterson said this week. “It’s really been about taking it one step at a time.
Make sure we have a good foundation of defense to put in. And then also get to know the kids.
Get to know what they do well, what they don’t.”
That’s a veteran coach talking-someone who’s been through this process before. Patterson has over 40 years of experience, and he’s not about to rush into a system just for the sake of having one.
While it’s likely the Trojans will use a base 4-2-5 alignment, Patterson is keeping things open-ended until he has a full grasp of the personnel. That flexibility could be key, especially with a roster that features a mix of returning players, transfers, and incoming freshmen.
The early feedback from Patterson has been positive. He likes the ingredients in the room. Now it’s about turning that potential into production.
And that brings us to the months ahead. With spring ball on the horizon, Patterson has three big questions to answer:
- **What are the core strengths of this defense?
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Every good coordinator tailors his scheme to his talent.
Does USC have the speed to play aggressive man coverage? Do they have the size and depth up front to control the line of scrimmage?
Can they generate pressure without blitzing? These are the foundational questions Patterson needs to answer before he can build a system that fits.
- **Who are the tone-setters?
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Every great defense has leaders-players who bring the energy, hold teammates accountable, and elevate the unit when things get tough.
Patterson needs to identify those guys early. Whether it’s a returning starter or a hungry underclassman, someone has to emerge as the heartbeat of this defense.
- **How quickly can the Trojans adapt to Patterson’s vision?
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Scheme changes take time, especially when they involve new terminology, responsibilities, and techniques.
The faster USC’s defense can absorb Patterson’s concepts, the better chance they have to make a leap in 2026. Spring ball will be the first real test.
There’s no question the offense under Lincoln Riley has been dynamic. But if USC wants to take the next step-from a team that can score with anyone to a team that can beat everyone-it starts with defense.
Gary Patterson was brought in to be the difference-maker on that side of the ball. Now, it’s time to see what he can build.