Former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury has reportedly accepted the offensive coordinator position at USC. Multiple sources confirmed the news to USCFootball.com and TrojansInsider.com on Thursday.
BREAKING: Hearing that former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury has agreed in principle to be #USC offensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/ubSn794Pq9
— Gerard Martinez (@gmartlive) November 29, 2018
Kingsbury was reportedly spotted on USC's campus with head coach Clay Helton early Thursday morning, according to USC Annenberg Associate Professor of Professional Practice Jeff Fellenzer.
From one of my @USCAnnenberg student-athletes: "Can confirm that Kliff Kingsbury is on campus today. He came through the weight room with Clay Helton while I was working out early this morning."
— Jeff Fellenzer (@jfellenzer) November 29, 2018
The former Texas Tech coach is the first new assistant hired to Helton's staff after the Trojans parted ways with defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze, defensive backs coach Ronnie Bradford and offensive coordinator/receiver coach Tee Martin earlier this week.
Kingsbury went 35-40 during six seasons as Texas Tech's head coach, but was the only coach in Big 12 Conference history to win his first seven consectuive games.
However, the 39-year-old has excelled as an offensive assistant and was reported to have interest from several NFL teams, according to Yahoo Sports' Gil Brandy.
Kingsbury worked as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston (2008-09) and Texas A&M (2012) before taking over as head coach of his alma mater in 2013.
He coached several standout college quarterbacks during his career including Case Keenum, who set several NCAA career passing records at Houston, Johnny Manziel, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2012 at Texas A&M and Kansas City Chiefs starter Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech.
Mahomes threw for 11,252 yards, 93 touchdowns and 29 interceptions, while also recording a 152.0 passer rating playing under Kingsbury from 2014-17. He also recorded 845 yards and 22 touchdowns on 308 rushing attempts.
Mahomes endorsed Kingsbury when it was reported that his name was linked to several NFL assistant coaching jobs on Wednesday.
"I am close with Coach Kingsbury," Mahomes said. "He really helped my game and helped me as a person a lot. He is a genuine, good person and at the same time a very smart football coach. I know he will land back on his feet somewhere else and I am excited for the future with him."
Kingsbury was also named FootballScoop.com's National Coordinator of the Year in 2011 and 2012.
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