USC is expected to hire former Arizona Cardinals coach Cliff Kingsbury as a senior offensive analyst, according to a source on the program. the athlete on monday. NFL Network was the first to report that the Trojans were hiring Kingsbury. Here’s what you need to know:
- A big part of Kingsbury’s role will include game planning, watching a movie with coach Lincoln Riley, and participating in quarterback meetings, according to the source.
- Kingsbury was fired by the Cardinals in January after Arizona posted a 4-13 record in 2022.
- Before spending four years in the NFL, Kingsbury spent six seasons (2013-2018) as the head coach at Texas Tech, going from 35 to 40 years old with the Red Raiders.
the athleteInstant Analysis:
What does this mean for USC?
This is Kingsbury’s second technical assignment at USC. His first came after he was fired by Texas Tech in late 2018, but he only lasted a month before taking the Cardinals job. This was seen as a hit-or-miss lease for then-manager Clay Helton, so there was a real sting when Kingsbury left. This time around it’s a lot less stakes since Riley calls play, but Kingsbury is a good resource in the quarterback room and on the staff. – Morales
What is the status of USC’s quarterback team?
The Trojans obviously bring back Heisman winner Caleb Williams, but they have Miller Moss, a four-star prospect in the 2022 draft cycle, and Malachy Nelson, a five-star participant in this latest cycle, behind Williams. Having Kingsbury in the QB room as well as Riley should help their development. It also gives Williams a former NFL coach to work with. – Morales
background story
Kingsbury, 43, finished his tenure at Arizona with a 28-37-1 record in the regular season and an 0-1 postseason mark.
In the Cardinals’ only winning season under Kingsbury in 2021, they ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in both scoring and total offense. Arizona finished near the bottom of the league in points scored and points allowed in 2022, but played without starting quarterback Kyler Murray for six games during that season.
According to multiple reports in February, Kingsbury met with the Texans regarding the team’s offensive coordinator position before Houston eventually hired Bobby Slowik for the role.
Riley led USC to a last-place finish of 11-3 last season, and was his first assistant with the program. The Trojans’ College Football Playoff hopes were dashed by losing the Pac-12 Championship game to Utah and they suffered a collapse late in the game against Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.
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(Photo: Joe Rondon/USA Today)
