Louisiana Tech's Ronnie Bradford expected to join USC coaching staff
Louisiana Tech defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator Ronnie Bradford is expected to join the staff of USC coach Clay Helton, according to a source.
This past season was Bradford's third in his positions at Louisiana Tech. Prior to that, he was Memphis's safeties coach in 2011.
The 45-year-old Bradford was a defensive administrative assistant at California in 2010 after a year as a defensive assistant for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. He worked for the Denver Broncos from ’03–08, first as assistant special teams coach for a season before taking over the unit the next three years.
He was the Broncos' assistant defensive backs coach in 2007 and was in charge of the defensive backs in ’08. A fourth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the 1993 NFL Draft, he was a defensive back in the league for 10 seasons, spending time also with Denver, Arizona, Atlanta and Minnesota.
A Minot, N.D., native, Bradford played at Colorado from 1989–92. His blocking of an extra point in the ’91 Orange Bowl was the difference in the Buffaloes' 10–9 victory over Notre Dame that gave them a share of the national championship that season.
Bradford would join Helton, who was promoted to USC’s permanent head coach in late November after being the program’s interim coach since October when former Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian was fired. Helton began the season as the USC’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, positions he had held since 2013.
USC won the Pac-12 South this season and finished with an 8–6 record, including a 5–4 mark under Helton.
