Amon-Ra St. Brown’s Hopes for USC Under Gary Patterson

Amon-Ra St. Brown has set some pretty high expectations for his former school, the University of Southern California, especially now that they’ve brought in Gary Patterson as their new defensive coordinator.

This past weekend, during an interview with the California Post, the former Trojan wide receiver expressed his enthusiasm for Patterson’s hiring. He noted that, honestly, he would be let down if the team didn’t secure at least ten wins in 2026.

“For me, it’s at least 10 wins,” St. Brown stated, quite emphatically.

Lincoln Riley, USC’s head coach, brought Patterson on board just last month. Following the signing, Riley remarked to reporters, “I’ve never had a player who was harder to game plan and figure out how to move the ball than this guy.”

Patterson has a long history with TCU, where he was deeply involved in the football program for over two decades, starting in 2000. However, he hasn’t served as a full-time coach since leaving the Horned Frogs in October 2021.

St. Brown doesn’t seem particularly worried about Patterson’s extended time away from coaching. He shared that one of his closest friends earned accolades as a two-time AP Coach of the Year.

“He went to TCU and played football there,” St. Brown mentioned about his friend. “He was a walk-on. He said he liked Gary. He was a good coach.” If St. Brown’s friend feels this way, it seems likely that Patterson will bring something valuable to the team.

St. Brown, who now plays for the Detroit Lions, mentioned that he doesn’t get many chances to visit USC, but he hopes to catch a game this year if his schedule allows.

“If I can, I’ll make it,” he added, expressing his eagerness to reconnect with his roots.