Lincoln Riley Hires Defensive Line Coach Who Could Transform USC’s Defense

USC is making strategic moves to bolster its defense for the 2026 football season under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson. The Trojans have promoted Skyler Jones to defensive tackles coach following the departure of defensive line coach Eric Henderson to the Washington Commanders. Jones, who has been with USC as a defensive analyst and previously held similar roles at Oregon and with the Los Angeles Rams, will join defensive ends coach Shaun Nua in leading the defensive line.

The Trojans aim to address defensive shortcomings that contributed to their 9-4 record in the 2025 season, with losses to Illinois, Notre Dame, Oregon, and TCU highlighting the need for improvement. The team's success in 2026, particularly in the competitive Big Ten schedule, will heavily depend on defensive performance.

USC’s defensive line will be strengthened by returning players Kameryn Crawford, Braylan Shelby, Jide Abasiri, and Jahkeem Stewart, the latter of whom had a standout freshman season. Additionally,