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Reports: USC hires Clancy Pendergast as defensive coordinator

Clancy Pendergast reportedly could bring the 3-4 defense to USC. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

Clancy Pendergast reportedly could bring the 3-4 defense to USC. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

USC has hired Clancy Pendergast as defensive coordinator Thursday according to a source in an ESPN report.

USCFootball.com posted Pendergast's impending hire Thursday.

Pendergast, 45, most recently was defensive coordinator at Cal under the fired Jeff Tedford. He also served as a USC assistant in 1992 prior to working for several NFL teams including the Arizona Cardinals during their 2009 Super Bowl run.

Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti reportedly turned down an offer from USC on Wednesday.

Pendergast's hire and experience using the 3-4 defense fuels speculation that USC will ditch its 4-3 scheme in favor of a 3-4 alignment that's better suited to defend against the spread offenses that proliferate the Pac-12.

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