Weeks of speculation have reportedly come to end on Thursday afternoon as ESPN reported that Clancy Pendergast will join Clay Helton's coaching staff as defensive coordinator.
ESPN's Joe Schad broke the news via twitter on Thursday afternoon.
Clancy Pendergast to USC as defensive coordinator for Clay Helton source confirms
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 7, 2016
Pendergast was the defensive coordinator for the Trojans during the 2013 season, where he guided the Trojans to the best defense in the PAC-12. Many Trojan fans wanted the long time coach to return as part of Steve Sarkisian's coaching staff after the former Washington coach took charge.
However, Sarkisian chose to stick with his own staff and brought Justin Wilcox with him from Washington. Wilcox had an up and down tenure with the Trojans before ultimately being fired following at 41-22 drubbing to the Stanford Cardinal in the PAC-12 Championship Game.
Pendergast has quite an impressive resume. He helped guide the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2008 and later coached some of the best defensive teams in the PAC-12 during his short time at CAL.
Other sources confirming the news included Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, Ian Rapoport of NFL.Com and more:
SOURCE: Clancy Pendergast is returning to #USC as Trojans defensive coordinator - @FOXSports report: https://t.co/1LQnDr0w6R
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 7, 2016
#49ers LB coach Clancy Pendergast will be the #USC defensive coordinator (again), source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2016
#USC official says Clandy Pendergast's hiring isn't official as of now. But all indications are that it will be.
— Adam Maya (@AdamJMaya) January 7, 2016