USC football adding former Baylor coach to 2026 staff

Lincoln Riley is continuing to make key changes to USC’s defensive coaching staff for the 2026 college football season. In his latest move, Riley has officially added accomplished Baylor assistant Paul Gonzales.

Gonzales has been linked to USC for a few days due to his history with new Trojans defensive coordinator Gary Patterson. No contract has been signed yet, but the two sides are expected to make it official soon, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported. Gonzales will join Riley and Patterson’s staff as a defensive backs coach.

Gonzales moves to Los Angeles after one season as Baylor’s defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Baylor allowed 194.9 passing yards per game in 2025, fifth-fewest in the Big 12.

While Gonzales spent the 2025 season with Baylor, he built his profile as one of Patterson’s top assistants at TCU. During Patterson’s 22 seasons as the Horned Frogs’ head coach, Gonzales was on staff for 13 of them.

Gonzales developed several star talents at TCU, namely 2020 Jim Thorpe Award winner Tre’von Moehrig. he has coached six NFL safeties in the last seven years, according to his Baylor football coach profile.

USC could certainly stand to benefit from Gonzales’ coaching. The Trojans have struggled to defend the pass under Riley, allowing 220 or more passing yards per game in three of the last four seasons.

Gonzales started at TCU as a defensive graduate assistant before being promoted to cornerbacks coach in 2015. He occupied that position for three years before working as the Horned Frogs’ safeties coach from 2018 to 2024.

By signing with USC, Gonzales will return to his home state of California. The rising defensive coach was born and raised in San Jose before attending and playing baseball at UC Davis. He began his college football coaching career with the Aggies in 2008 and also spent two years at Pacific University.

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