Gary Patterson is set to bring a familiar face to the University of Southern California.
The Trojans will be hiring Paul Gonzalez from Baylor to serve as the new defensive backs coach. This move reunites him with the team’s current defensive coordinator, following a decade of collaboration at Texas Christian University.
Last season, Gonzalez held the position of passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach at Baylor, where the defense allowed an average of 194.9 yards per game. Over his 13 seasons at TCU, he established himself as one of the premier defensive backs coaches in the nation, initially under Patterson from 2012 to 2021 and later under Arthur Dykes.
Notably, Gonzalez mentored players like Trevon Mehrig, who received the 2020 Jim Thorpe Award for being the top defensive back and was then drafted in the second round by the Las Vegas Raiders. Throughout his tenure, he successfully recruited six safeties into the NFL Draft.
During his time at TCU, two safeties, Millard Bradford and Bud Clark, played crucial roles in the team’s journey to the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship Game. Clark notably intercepted five passes that season, including a significant one he returned for 41 yards against Michigan.
At TCU, Gonzalez’s coaching experience spanned across seven seasons with safeties, three with cornerbacks, and three additional seasons with safeties and linebackers as a graduate assistant. His coaching journey began as an assistant at Pioneer High School in The Woodlands, California, before moving on to positions at the University of the Pacific and as a defensive assistant at UC Davis.
A native of San Jose, Gonzalez was also a four-year baseball player at UC Davis, excelling as both a starter and relief pitcher.
He takes over the role from Doug Berg, the previous secondary coach, who did not remain with the team amid the defensive staff changes.
