Former Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury to join USC’s coaching staff, reports say

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Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is reportedly headed back to college, taking a position with USC.

Kingsbury will work with the Trojans’ quarterbacks, including potential top pick Caleb Williams, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported on Monday.

His job as a senior offensive analyst will include game-planning, watching film with USC head coach Lincoln Riley and attending quarterbacks meetings, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.

The Cardinals fired Kingsbury on Jan. 9 after four seasons at the helm, replacing him with ex-Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

Kingsbury was hired to be USC’s offensive coordinator after the 2018 season, but he took the Cardinals head coaching job one month later after Arizona fired Steve Wilks.

Kingsbury previously spent six seasons as Texas Tech’s head coach, working with quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield. He was fired following the 2018 season after going 5-7.

Riley is in his second year with the program after coming over from Oklahoma. He was Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s head coach with the Sooners from 2016-18, calling the plays when Murray won the 2018 Heisman.

Kingsbury and Riley competed as opposing head coaches in the Big 12 from 2017-18.

The Trojans went 11-3 last season with a Cotton Bowl loss to Tulane.

Talks between the two sides have gone on for months, and he will join the staff in the near future, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Kingsbury went 28-37-1 (.432) in Arizona, going 4-13 in an injured-riddled 2022 campaign.

Before Kingsbury was fired, he was under contract with Arizona through the 2027 season. His original deal, which included a 2023 team option, was extended in March 2022.

Kingsbury interviewed in Houston to become the Texans’ offensive coordinator earlier this offseason, KPRC’s Aaron Wilson and ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported at the time.

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