The USC Trojans are in their off week and finally get some time to unwind after an exhausting first six weeks of the season. Clay Helton got fired after a disappointing loss to Stanford, and since then the Trojans have lost a pair of games to Oregon State and Utah.
The coaching carousel in Southern California has been awfully quiet and likely won’t pick up steam until (most likely) early December. If Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell makes the College Football Playoff, one of the two top candidates for the USC job will have a decision to make.
Nonetheless, it is always fun to examine who might be good for the job, but there is also the matter of the coordinators the new coach will hire. Let’s use this off week for the Trojans to dive in and see who might be the next offensive and coordinator for USC.
In theory, the head coach will likely bring in some familiar faces — it is total speculation at this point — but it remains that USC is a prime job for a head coach and coordinators, so a lot of guys might sit back and give this a long, hard look at season’s end.
Mike Bohn also needs to make sure that if head coaches have a list of preferred coordinators, those staff hires meet USC standards.
Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting names to consider. This is NOT a set of predictions about which coordinators will likely be installed. We’re just giving you a brief preliminary survey of a portion of the landscape. This is not an exhaustive list of all possible candidates. It’s best seen as a sampling:
JIM LEAVITT
FILE – In this Nov. 18, 2017, file photo, Oregon defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt, left, congratulates quarterback Justin Herbert after the team’s NCAA college football game against Arizona in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch, File)
Jim Leavitt has SMU unbeaten. He helped Colorado win the 2016 Pac-12 South title and has been a defensive coordinator at Oregon as well. He is listed first here, but that does not imply he is or will be a first choice. This list does not indicate a ranking preference or ladder of likelihood, or anything of the sort. Nevertheless, USC could do a lot worse than Leavitt on defense.
JUSTIN FUENTE
Sep 25, 2021; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Justin Fuente (left) leads the team entrance out of the tunnel prior to the game against the Richmond Spiders at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ryan Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Fuente is not a good head coach, but he is a good play-caller. He maximized Andy Dalton’s talents at TCU, winning the Rose Bowl and presiding over the best year’s of Gary Patterson’s successful coaching career. He turned Paxton Lynch into a top-20 NFL draft pick at Memphis. Head coach? No way … but don’t let that make you think Fuente wouldn’t be a very strong offensive coordinator.
MIKE DENBROCK
Aug 9, 2021; West Harrison, Indiana, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock directs a drill during practice at the Higher Ground training facility. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/The Cincinnati Enquirer via USA TODAY NETWORK
Denbrock is Luke Fickell’s offensive coordinator at Cincinnati. One can look at the Bearcats’ struggles in the first half against Indiana, plus their other slow starts in September of this season, and view Denbrock as a coordinator who will not lift USC’s offense to a championship level. However, if Cincinnati makes the playoff, Fickell might be emboldened enough to bring Denbrock on his staff, and Mike Bohn might not stand in the way. USC can do better than Denbrock as an offensive coordinator, but if Fickell makes retaining him a condition for taking the USC job, it might be worth the exchange.
JIM KNOWLES
Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles watches during football practice at the Sherman Smith Training Center.
Knowles has Oklahoma State unbeaten at the midway point of the season. The Cowboys shut down Steve Sarkisian’s Texas offense in the second half this past Saturday. Knowles is a hot commodity, and USC fans would have reason to be optimistic about the future if the Trojans can somehow land him.
MARCUS FREEMAN
Oct 2, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish Defensive Coordinator Marcus Freeman signals to his players in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Notre Dame Stadium. Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
USC faces Freeman and Notre Dame this Saturday. Freeman was Luke Fickell’s defensive coordinator at Cincinnati. It is doubtful he would leave Notre Dame for USC, but stranger things have happened.
BRIAN JOHNSON
Aug 24, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks (13) talks with quarterback coach Brian Johnson during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Johnson currently is the quarterback coach for Jalen Hurts with the Philadelphia Eagles under head coach Nick Sirianni. Johnson previously worked at Florida under Dan Mullen. He was the quarterback of the unbeaten 2008 Utah football team which beat Nick Saban and Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This would be a highly intriguing hire with someone who knows the recruiting landscape in the West but has coaching experience in the SEC and NFL.
JON HEACOCK
Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock arrives with the team before the Valero Alamo Bowl on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in San Antonio.
If Matt Campbell becomes a more central part of the USC head coaching search, he could bring Heacock with him from Iowa State. Heacock has flummoxed Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley in Iowa State Big 12 games in recent years. He has done a tremendous job coaching Iowa State’s non-five-star, non-four-star talent. Imagine what he could do at USC.
JIM LEONHARD
Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst, right, and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard argue in vain against a Notre Dame touchdown reception during the second quarter of their game Saturday, September 25, 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
Wisconsin’s offense is terrible, but its defense is awesome. Jim Leonhard is an elite defensive coordinator. He would rock and roll anywhere, USC included. He might want a head coaching job, however.
JEFF GRIMES
Oct 9, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda talks with his team after the win over the West Virginia Mountaineers at McLane Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Baylor is 6-1 and looking very good after thrashing BYU. Bears offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes is getting the most out of his offense under head coach Dave Aranda. Grimes’ previous stint at BYU gives him familiarity with the recruiting scene in the West. That’s a solid profile for a potential USC coordinator.
SCOTT FROST
Sep 25, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Scott Frost during the fourth quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Again, we’re not talking about a head coach here. Scott Frost, like Justin Fuente, is a failed head coach. As a coordinator, though, Frost — who previously worked at Oregon — would have instant name recognition and could recruit the West. He would have far better talent to work with compared to Nebraska. He obviously maxed out at UCF and has shown he is a clever play designer.
