USC’s offseason staff shakeup isn’t over yet, according to a report from The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
Feldman tweeted Sunday afternoon that the Trojans are not retaining inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen, defensive backs coach Greg Burns or defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a.
USC officially announced the moves Monday.
These are the ripple effects of the hiring of new defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, which was made official two Fridays ago. The full staff, including Nansen, Burns and Kauha’aha’a, were on campus recruiting Saturday for the Trojans’ Junior Day event.
This leaves no holdovers on the defensive staff from last season. USC fired former defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast a day after its bowl game in late December and outside linebackers coach Joe DeForest left for a job at NC State. Orlando had already hired Craig Naivar, who worked with him at both Houston and Texas, as his safeties coach, and this move ensures the entire defensive staff will be new.
It’s also still uncertain who will oversee USC’s special teams.
Nansen was the most veteran member of head coach Clay Helton’s staff, joining USC in December of 2013 and actually predating Helton’s promotion to head coach. He also held the title of recruiting coordinator. His departure is the least surprising as the linebackers underwhelmed in 2019, and Orlando has traditionally coached that position group himself.
Burns and Kauha’aha’a were hired last offseason.
Both produced successes. On the defensive line, freshman defensive end Drake Jackson producing as one of the top true freshman DEs in the country and leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss, and defensive tackle Jay Tufele earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors. In the secondary, Burns brought along a unit with almost no experience at cornerback and minimal experience at safety. Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao was one of the most improved players over the course of the season, and freshman corner Chris Steele, redshirt freshman corner Isaac Taylor-Stuart and sophomore Olaijah Griffin all had their moments.
But with a new coordinator bringing in a new scheme, it’s not a surprise that Orlando would seek to make his own hires. It is a surprise the Trojans would have coaches go through a key recruiting event Saturday, connecting with prospects only to be fired a day later.
