After finishing with a disappointing 8-5 record last season, the USC Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley began to assemble a new coaching staff, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.
That project eventually led them to Los Angeles Rams defensive line coach Eric Henderson, who joined the Trojans as the team's new co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach under D'Anton Lynn.
And when meeting with the USC media on Thursday, Henderson revealed exactly what lured him from the NFL to the Trojans this offseason.
"It was a no-brainer for me. ... It just made sense," Henderson said. “It’s natural for me. I love meeting people. I wanted, quote-unquote, all the smoke when you talk about going back to college to get involved in the recruiting process.”
Henderson was a a key figure for the Rams' during his time in L.A., helping the team to a Super Bowl win in 2021, and helping create a solid unit around future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald.
This season, he helped mold rookie defensive tackle Kobie Turner into a defensive rookie of the year candidate. Meanwhile, fellow rookie Byron Young also had a breakout season rushing the passer, with the two combining for 17 sacks.
Henderson will have a bigger role at USC than he did with the Rams alongside Lynn, who is also a new acquisition for the Trojans from UCLA.
And he aims to bring a new 'D.A.W.G. mentality to the Trojans defensive line - which for Henderson, stands for discipline, attitude, work ethic, and grit.
“Being obsessed with greatness, approach, attacking that with a relentless mind-set, and then having that killer instinct about you,” Henderson said. “I think that’s everything we want to stand for, and I’m extremely excited to see how these guys live that out.”
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