Unexpected Shift: Former Oregon Ducks Coach Joins USC Trojans as Analyst—What’s Behind the Move?

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.One of the first coaches to move up after his time with the Ducks is offensive line coach Adrian Klemm, who accepted a job with the New England Patriots after spending one year in Eugene. Klemm has now moved back to the college ranks, where he is reportedly accepting a job as an analyst with Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans.Klemm has a good amount of experience at both the college and NFL levels. He coached with the Pittsburgh Steelers and UCLA Bruins before joining Oregon’s staff. As a former player for the Patriots, Klemm also has a Super Bowl ring to his name.

It’s been fascinating to watch Eugene transform into a launching pad for coaching talent under Dan Lanning’s leadership. Over the past few years, the Oregon Ducks haven’t just been molding athletes—they’ve been crafting some of the sport’s sharpest minds, sending them off to big-time gigs that showcase their hard-earned success. Take Kenny Dillingham, for instance, who leveraged his stint as offensive coordinator to snag the head coaching job at Arizona State. Or Junior Adams, who took his expertise all the way to the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. And let’s not forget Adrian Klemm—one of the earliest departures after a brief but impactful year in Eugene, who headed to the New England Patriots before circling back to college ball, reportedly joining Lincoln Riley’s staff at USC, but with a twist on defense. Klemm’s blend of NFL and collegiate experience, plus a Super Bowl ring to boot, makes his move particularly intriguing. Meanwhile, Oregon keeps turning the page, tapping A’lique Terry to fill the gap and boasting back-to-back Joe Moore Award finalists. The Ducks’ coaching carousel is spinning fast—and it’s a ride worth watching closely. LEARN MOREAccording to LA Times reporter Ryan Kartje, Klemm is working with the defensive side of the ball for the Trojans.After Klemm left Eugene for New England, the Ducks hired A’lique Terry as the new OL coach, and Oregon has had back-to-back years of Joe Moore Award finalists.

A lot of elite coaches have come through Eugene under Dan Lanning’s watch over the past few years, with many of them eventually moving on to prominent roles after finding success with the Oregon Ducks. We’ve seen offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham go on to become the head coach with the Arizona State Sun Devils, while former wide receivers coach Junior Adams moved on to take a job with the Dallas Cowboys this past offseason.