USC reportedly to hire Greg Burns as defensive backs coach

USC is set to fill another position as it continues to work on improving its coaching staff. Per multiple reports, USC will hire Oregon State defensive backs coach Greg Burns, to the same position, replacing Ronny Bradford who was let go in late November. The report was broken by Scott Schrader of TrojanInsider.com.

Burns should be a very familiar name to everyone, as he was the defensive backs coach on Pete Carroll’s staff from 2002-2005 and coached players such as such as Troy Polamalu, and Darnell Bing to name a few. He was also a part of two national championship teams at USC before moving on to coach in the NFL with John Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a season. After a brief stint in the NFL, Burns returned to college football as defensive backs coach at Kansas State, Arizona State, Purdue, UMass, and Cal. Before the 2018 season Burns was hired by Oregon State.

The Beavers’ secondary didn’t show much improvement during this season as only one of the team’s three interceptions was from a defensive back. At USC Burns will have a better collection of talent at the defensive back position with Greg Johnson, Olaijah Griffin, Isaac Taylor-Stuart, CJ Pollard, Chase Williams, Talanoa Hufanga, and Isaiah Pola-Mao returning along with recruits such as Max Williams coming to USC next season. The downside is that USC will be losing a handful defensive backs to graduation (Iman Marshall, Ajene Harris, Isaiah Langley, Johnathan Lockett, and Marvell Tell).

The Trojans have yet to announce the hire, but recently when reports are made about a hiring at USC, it’s usually followed up with an official announcement the next day. The hire would now leave only one full time job open, which is the wide receivers coaching position.