On Super Bowl Sunday The Athletic's Bruce Feldman broke the news that the USC coaching staff would be making further changes. According to his Tweet head coach Clay Helton would be parting ways with inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen, defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a and defensive backs coach Greg Burns.

"SOURCES: Some #USC coaching news.. ILB coach Johnny Nansen; DB coach Greg Burns and DL coach Chad Kauha’aha’a will not be returning to the Trojans staff."

Last Friday USC announced that former Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando would take over the Trojans defense following the departure of Clancy Pendergast. USC also added inside receivers coach and tight ends coach John David Baker and according to reports also added former Texas safeties coach Craig Naivar. Those three additions fill the spots for three departed assistant coaches, Pendergast, John Baxter and Joe DeForest.

With the removal of the remaining defensive assistant coaches it gives Orlando the opportunity to rebuild his defensive staff as he sees fit.

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Inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen spent six seasons at USC, originally coming to the Trojans under then head coach Steve Sarkisian. Nansen served as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator from 2014-15. He was moved to linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator under Helton in 2016 and served as the assistant head coach from 2014-2018.

Defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a spent only one season at Troy, coming in before the 2019 season after Helton fired Kenechi Udeze. 

Secondary coach Greg Burns was also only at USC for one season, replacing Ronnie Bradford after he was let go following the 2019 football season.

Helton and Orlando will now have three open assistant coaching positions to fill over the coming weeks, likely before spring football kicks off sometime in March.

On the defensive side Orlando has coached linebackers throughout his entire career so it is unclear if he would bring in an additional assistant to coach linebackers. According to sources Craig Naivar will focus on safeties so it is likely that Helton and Orlando will bring in an additional secondary coach to handle the cornerbacks. He would then need to add a defensive line coach to take Chad K's spot on the staff.

With those two additions it would allow Helton to use the one final spot on a special teams coordinator for the departed Baxter. Naivar has served as a special teams coordinator before, but according to sources at USC the plan is to bring in a new outside coach to handle special teams.

Stay tuned to USCFootball.com for more updates on USC's off-season coaching moves.