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USC reportedly hiring Houston's Doug Belk as new defensive backs coach

On3 imageby: Andrew Graham12/16/23AndrewEdGraham
DougBelkHouston
(Courtesy of Houston Athletics)

USC is planning to hire Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk as the new defensive backs coach for the Trojans, according to Matt Zenitz. Belk has spent the past three seasons coordinating the Cougars’ defense.

In 2021, Belk was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Belk is reportedly coming in to replace outgoing defensive backs coach Donte Williams.

The well-respected assistant coach posted a goodbye message to his Twitter account on Saturday after four years working with the Trojans. He is expected to be hired on Georgia’s staff.

“I would like to thank coach (Clay) Helton, coach (Lincoln) Riley, and all the amazing coaches I was able to work with and learn from these past four years at USC,” Williams wrote. “I am also thankful for Mike Bohn, Brandon Sosna, President (Carol) Folt, and the administration who were welcoming and extremely easy to work with throughout my time here. I am grateful for all of you. Thank you to the Fans, Donors, Rick Caruso, and the incredible alumni that looked after me and my family. Most importantly, thank you to the players for the memories and allowing me to coach you. When one Chapter closes another one Begins.”

Williams is replacing Fran Brown at Georgia, who is now the Syracuse head coach.

Belk isn’t the only coach taking a title demotion to join the USC staff

North Dakota State head football coach Matt Entz is leaving the school for an assistant coaching position with the Trojans, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported last weekend. He’ll work with the linebackers under head coach Lincoln Riley, and he’ll also be the assistant head coach with the Trojans.

It’s another offseason move Riley has made in attempt to improve the USC defense, which has been among the worst in college football the past few years.

The timing of the news is a bit strange, since Entz and NDSU were in the middle of another successful playoff run in the Division I-AA Playoffs. He will remain with North Dakota State until the end of their playoff run this season. In his five seasons with the Bison as their head coach, Entz has compiled a 60-10 overall record, including a 32-7 record in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Before starting to work with NDSU in 2014, Entz made a number of stops across the college football landscape including: Western Illinois, Northern Iowa, Winona State, Wayne State, and Illinois College.