Lincoln Riley Assesses Gary Patterson’s Coaching Against Washington

USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson made a drastic change to his coaching on Saturday against Washington.

Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive coordinator Gary Patterson during the game against the Fresno State Bulldogs at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson was notably absent from the sidelines during the No. 19 Trojans matchup against Washington. That’s because the College Football Hall of Famer was coaching his defense from the booth.

It was a move that none had seen Patterson do before, as he was always seen instructing his defense from the sidelines, even before as the coach of the TCU Horned Frogs.

Oct 23, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson reacts during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The Trojans were desperate for an improved performance after losing a tough home game to No. 14 Oregon a week before. And after holding off Washington and quarterback Demond Williams Jr. from potentially winning the game on their final drive, it seems the move paid off.

USC Trojans Defense Showed Up When It Mattered Most

USC coach Lincoln Riley was the first to admit that a lot went into the decision to put Patterson in the booth.

“I thought it was good, and it was something we talked about on Sunday. So, we test drove it a little bit throughout the week and felt good about it,” Riley said. “And give credit to him. He called a really good game.”

Sep 19, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley on the field during warm ups before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trojans had given up 506 yards of offense to the Ducks, even without starting quarterback Dante Moore. Against Washington, however, the story was much different.

Even with a few mistakes, including facing criticism for bad tackling efforts in the third quarter, the Trojan defense managed to contain Williams to just under 200 yards passing.

Patterson kept pressuring the Huskies junior quarterback multiple times, leading to a five-sack game by his defense. Freshman defensive end Luke Wafle came away with Big Ten honors after his five-tackle performance against the Huskies, being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. He also recorded his first collegiate sack.

“Again, there’s nobody who knows defense quite like him. When he can get up there and get that vantage point, we felt that we could be at an advantage and I felt it was there on Saturday,” Riley said.

The pressure from the defensive front also led to defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart to recover a fumble and return it for a 45-yard touchdown.

THE SCOOP AND SCORE FOR THE USC LEAD! 😱

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It was the first fumble recovery for a touchdown since defensive lineman Stanley Ta’ufo’ou’ 23-yard touchdown in 2023.

As Washington was seeking the potential game-winning touchdown on their final drive, USC defensive end Kameryn Crawford sacked Williams. The play set up the final fourth down attempt for the Huskies that ultimately ended all hopes for a win for them.

A Tough Road Environment

Sep 19, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) stands on the field following the game against the Buffalo Bulls at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Five different Trojans recorded sacks against Washington, and if they are hoping to do that against Penn State, previous road game struggles must be corrected. Their last game against Rutgers on the road was a close one.

It’s still undetermined whether Patterson will call that game from the booth again, but certainly communication between him and his defense will be a major key. USC is traveling to rowdy Beaver Stadium for their annual White Out game and it’s expected to be a challenge on both sides of the football for USC.

Penn State is desperately searching for a win against the Trojans after dropping two in a row. The biggest goal for Patterson and his defense will be their ability to push quarterback Rocco Becht to make mistakes.

Over their last two games, Becht has thrown three interceptions. But he has shown that he can throw the football. Against Northwestern a week ago, Becht threw for 243 yards and was sacked just once.

If Patterson can dial up blitzes and pressure Becht, the Trojans defense has a good shot at getting some big highlights.

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