USC hires ex-Houston DC Belk as DBs coach

USC hired former Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk as its defensive backs coach, the team announced on Saturday.

The Trojans’ addition of Belk comes just over two weeks after they hired former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to run and call the defense and six days after adding former North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz as the school’s linebackers coach and assistant head coach for defense.

“Doug Belk is another tremendous addition to our staff,” coach Lincoln Riley. “His impressive body of work and reputation as a high-level coach and recruiter speak for themselves. I’m excited to welcome him to USC.”

Belk, who had interviewed for multiple defensive back jobs in the SEC over the past two cycles, Power 5 coordinator jobs and NFL secondary jobs, signed a multiyear deal with USC.

He joined Houston in 2019 as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach after leaving West Virginia along with head coach Dana Holgorsen. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021, when his defense finished sixth in the country in total defense (302.2 yards), tied for 13th in turnovers forced (23) and 19th in points allowed per game (20.4). As a result, he was a Broyles Award semifinalist.

Belk was one of three graduate assistants on Alabama’s famous 2015 staff that included offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin (now at Ole Miss), defensive coordinator Kirby Smart (Georgia), position coaches Mel Tucker, Mario Cristobal (Miami) and Billy Napier (Florida) and fellow graduate assistant Dan Lanning (Oregon).

He will now be part of a revamped defensive staff at USC tasked with preparing it for a move to the Big Ten in 2024.