USC Football part ways with three defensive assistant coaches

The staff overturn continues at USC as three defensive assistant coaches were let go. Defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a, defensive backs coach Greg Burns, and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen will not return to the Trojans staff per Bruce Feldman of the Athletic Sunday afternoon.

This move means that new defensive coordinator Todd Orlando will bring in his own guys to the staff. Last week Craig Naiver was hired onto the Trojans coaching staff as their new safeties coach. Naiver served as co-defensive coordinator next to Orlando during their time at Texas.

Both Burns and Kuaha’aha’a were brought on to the staff during the offseason last year as USC underwent staff changes on defense. You can make the case that both helped their units improve this season, more essentially Burns. During his second stint with the team, Burns has helped answer the Trojans question in the secondary and played a huge factor in the development of cornerbacks Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Chris Steele, and Olaijah Griffin.

The Trojans secondary was 4th in the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed giving up 246.2 yards per game. However they only had 9 interceptions on the year. It was believed that Burns would stay on the staff and takeover as cornerbacks coach, but Orlando has other plans for his staff.

Nansen on the other ends his 6 year tenure with the Trojans coaching staff. He was brought on when Steve Sarkisian was hired as the Trojans head coach in 2013. Nansen served as running backs coach/special teams coordinator before being moved to linebackers coach when Clay Helton took over the program. Orlando will likely assume the role of linebackers coach to fill the void or hire someone and have a huge hand in coaching the linebackers.

USC will now be in the market for someone to take over the cornerbacks coach spot and defensive line coaching position. Helton and Orlando will likely have that figured out before the team begins spring camp in March. USC also have yet to fill their special teams coordinator position. According to Ryan Abraham at USCFootball.com, Helton is looking for a new coach outside the program to take over.