The Trojans were tied to names such as Wisconsin’s Dave Aranda, who has since signed lucrative deal with LSU, but only one man was continuously mentioned as a serious candidate.
According to Football Scoop, USC head coach Clay Helton has reportedly found his man to run the defense, and it’s former Trojan defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast.
Pendergast was at USC for just one season in 2013, but it was long enough for him to lead the Trojans to being the Pac-12’s No. 1 overall defense.
They averaged just 334.9 yards per game, and were ranked 4th by Football Outsiders in defensive S&P+, despite a 62-point showing at Arizona State that ultimately got head coach Lane Kiffin fired.