Helton announces final 2019 coaching staff with final hire and new assignments

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Los Angeles – – USC Trojans head football coach Clay Helton (photo above) has announced his revamped 2019 coaching staff by promoting last season’s Trojans’ staff defensive analyst and former Kansas Jayhawks special teams coach Joe DeForest, 53, as outside linebacker coach and naming Johnny Nansen as inside linebacking coach, Keary Colbert as wide receivers coach, Tim Drevno as offensive line coach, and John Baxter as tight ends coach in addition to remaining as special teams coach.

Earlier this month, Helton announced the hirings of Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Chad Kauha’aha’a as defensive line coach, Mike Jinks as running backs coach and Greg Burns as secondary coach.

Inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen will continued as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. Johnny is generally considered a key cog both as a linebackers coach and highly successful recruiting coordinator.

Keary Colbert, one of the great wide receivers in recent Trojans’ history, moves from coaching tight ends and slot receivers, to full-time wide receivers coach. It is known that Trojan players are very receptive to Colbert as a coach, and giving Keary the wide receiver unit figures to be a major plus. Colbert replaces Tee Martin who was fired after the regular season.

Tim Drevno, who began last season as running backs coach and later assumed both the running backs coaching position along with the offensive line when Neil Callaway was fired near the end of the season, is now placed in his coaching strength position. This will be Drevno’s second tour of duty as the Trojans’ offensive line coach after holding that position in 2014 before departing to Michigan.

Special teams coach John Baxter now returns to the tight position that was manned by Keary Colbert last season. Baxter will have two standout prep tight ends entering the program in Jude Wolfe and Ethan Rae, both of whom signed during Wednesday’s early signing period.

No other coaching positions changes or additions are expected at the present time.

The 2019 USC football coaching staff

Head coach:Clay Helton

Offensive coordinator/QB coach: Kliff Kingsbury

Running backs coach: Mike Jinks

Wide receivers: Keary Colbert

Tight ends: John Baxter

Offensive line: Tim Drevno

Defensive coordinator: Clancy Pendergast

Defensive line: Chad Kauha’aha’a

Inside linebackers: Johnny Nansen

Outside linebackers: Joe DeForest

Secondary: Greg Burns

Special teams: John Baxter