USC is parting ways with offensive line coach Tim Drevno and strength coach Aaron Ausmus, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, who backed up an earlier report from Scott Wolf (previously of Sports Illustrated’s USC site).
The Los Angeles Times’ Ryan Kartje clarified that Ausmus’ contract expired and wasn’t renewed.
That means wide receivers coach Keary Colbert is the only Trojans assistant coach left from the 2018 season (when he was the tight ends coach).
This would also mark the second offensive line coach USC has replaced in that time, as Drevno returned to the Trojans as the running backs coach in 2018 before assuming OL duties after Neil Callaway was let go during that season. Drevno then officially had his duties switched to OL after the season.
Ausmus took over the strength and conditioning program after that 2018 season, also making a return stint with USC.
In addition to now annual fan discontent, Clay Helton’s USC tenure has been marked by consistent staff upheaval, especially the last three offseasons.
In addition to Callaway’s departure and former strength coach Ivan Lewis taking a job with the Seattle Seahawks after the Trojans’ 5-7 2018 season, much of Helton’s staff was replaced that winter. Offensive coordinator/WRs coach Tee Martin, already stripped of his play-calling duties, was let go along with defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze and defensive backs coach Ronnie Bradford. QBs coach Bryan Ellis left for the offensive coordinator job at Western Kentucky.
In came offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, RBs coach Mike Jinks, DL coach Chad Kauha’aha’a and DBs coach Greg Burns, while OLBs coach Joe DeForest was promoted from an analyst position.
After 2019’s 8-5 finish, as the Trojans had statistically the worst defensive season in program history, that entire side of the ball was changed out in full, ending the short tenures of Kauha’aha’a, Burns and DeForest and the longer tenures of defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen. Special teams coordinator/TEs coach John Baxter was also fired.
In came Todd Orlando as defensive coordinator/LBs coach, Craig Naivar as safeties coach, Donte Williams as cornerbacks coach, Vic So’oto as defensive line coach and Sean Snyder as special teams coordinator. John David Baker was promoted from analyst to TEs coach.
And after USC went 5-1 this fall, yet produced the second worst rushing season on record for the program (as far back as program records go into the 1940s) at 97.33 yards per game (120th out of 127 FBS teams), needed late rallies in three of five games to prevail and then got physically dominated up front by Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game, it appears the Trojans are again hoping to find a fix in swapping out more assistants.
That, of course, only amplifies the frustration in the fan base that Helton continues to weather the annual staff changes while remaining the constant common denominator.
As for Drevno, his situation is interesting in that he has a strong track record, coaching the OL for Jim Harbaugh’s Stanford, San Francisco 49ers and Michigan teams along with an earlier one-year stint at USC in 2014. He also is likely to produce a second straight first round NFL draft pick in left tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker (who will be a guard at the next level) after having 2019 left tackle Austin Jackson selected in the first round by the Miami Dolphins.
But for whatever reason, Drevno did not have the answers for the maligned offensive line this season, and he did not win many high-profile recruiting battles in his time with the Trojans, signing two 4-star OL and seven 3-star prospects the last two cycles.
With Vera-Tucker gone, the offensive line is even more of a question entering 2021 as it was in 2020.
Something had to be done about the struggles up front as well as the nadir of the rushing attack, but whether replacing Drevno provides any solution is to be determined. Player development was considered his strength and the same personnel minus Vera-Tucker will be awaiting the new coach.
As for Ausmus, he generated a lot of positive acclaim from players upon his arrival for the immediate changes made to the offseason training program. It’s unclear what the main impetus for change is now.
He was an assistant on the USC strength and conditioning staff from 2001-03 and returned to lead that staff from 2010-13 before being replaced and working in the private sector prior to his third stint back with the Trojans these last two years.
Ultimately, it’s interesting that it took two weeks from the conclusion of USC’s season for Helton or the Trojans athletic leadership to make these changes. What it does indicate is that Helton will continue as head coach in 2021, if there were any doubts to that end.
