USC Trojans Continue To Build Front Office, Set To Hire Baylor Bears' Joe D'Orazio

The USC Trojans have been making moves in building out the front office staff under USC general manager Chad Bowden, who is expected to bring Joe D'Orazio from the Baylor Bears as the director of football strategy and assistant running backs coach.

Oct 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks on the field before a game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

After a disappointing 7-6 season in 2024, the USC Trojans were faced with one of two options. Either make serious changes to the structure of the program, or fall behind in the evolution of college football. The Trojans went with the former, hiring Chad Bowden to become the team's new general manager and tasking him with building one of the best front offices in college football.

USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have reportedly added another member to their revamped front office staff in Joe D'Orazio, who spent last season as a quality coach for Baylor and was an offensive coordinator at Columbia prior to working with the Bears.

USC is expected to hire Baylor’s Joe D’Orazio as director of football strategy and assistant running backs coach, a sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.

Before Baylor, was offensive coordinator at Columbia and worked in the NFL with the Eagles and Chiefs.https://t.co/qOetA1jj8s pic.twitter.com/1pGqzJK6p1

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 3, 2025

D'Orazio's title at USC is expected to be director of football strategy and assistant running backs coach, according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports. He is the latest hire to the front office that Bowden has made as general manager.

In addition to bringing aboard D'Orazio, the Trojans have added Dre Brown as assistant general manager, Zaire Turner, assistant athletic director of recruiting operations, and Max Stienecker, executive director of player personnel.

However, D'Orazio will hold an on-the-field coaching role as well as his front office title. D'Orazio is tasked with assisting running back coach Anthony Jones. The Trojans will feature a new look running backs room after seeing their top two lead rushers, Woody Marks and Quinten Joyner, depart over the offseason.

With Trojans running backs Bryan Jackson and A'Marion Peterson returning for another season, USC wasted no time, reeling in New Mexico transfer Eli Sanders and 247Sports' No. 1 JuCo running back in the country Waymond Jordan.

The Trojans have shown they aren't afraid to spend what is necessary to build the staff needed to win football games. Interestingly enough, D'Orazio will be the only member of the staff to be apart of front office and on-field coaching staff.

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Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC has invested a lot of resources into the program to ensure the success of the team. Along with the recent fron office additions, the Trojans have experienced a bit of turnover within the coaching staff.

Defensively, USC has hired former NFL defensive coordinator Rob Ryan as the new linebackers coach after Matt Entz left to become the head coach at Fresno State. In the secondary, the Trojans brought in former NFL defender Trovon Reed to help assist with the defensive backs.

On the offensive side of the ball, USC did a bit of shuffling around after offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Josh Henson left to become the of offensive playcaller at Purdue. Riley elevated Zach Hanson from tight ends coach to offensive line coach and brought in Chad Savage from Colorado State to become the new tight ends coach.

The new-look USC coaching staff will be given big expectations next season, in what is shaping up to be a big make-or-break year for the Trojans in 2025.