Report: Kliff Kingsbury Set to Join USC Staff; Will Work With Caleb Williams, QBs

For the second time in his coaching career, Kliff Kingsbury is joining the USC staff.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the former Arizona Cardinals head coach will help develop the Trojans' quarterbacks, a group that includes Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.

Kingsbury originally signed on with USC following the 2018 season but left weeks later to accept the Cardinals' coaching vacancy.

The full extent of the 43-year-old's duties in Los Angeles is unclear.

Assuming he's the quarterbacks coach either in name or spirit, he makes plenty of sense for Lincoln Riley's staff.

Kingsbury played under Mike Leach and had a prolific playing career at Texas Tech. From there, he has worked with a number of QBs who have thrived at the college and pro levels, a list that includes Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

Riley is another Leach disciple and has an equally strong résumé—perhaps an even stronger one—as a quarterback whisperer. Williams' success only burnished his reputation after Murray and Baker Mayfield were Heisman winners with him at Oklahoma.

Williams followed Riley to USC and proceeded to throw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns and run for 382 yards and 10 scores. He's already considered one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft class.

Kingsbury can help he 6'1" signal-caller continue to excel with the Trojans while using his NFL experience to prepare him for what to expect at the next level.

This promises to be a much longer run for Kingsbury in Southern California, but it could nevertheless be a short-term partnership. Although he opted against making an immediate return to the NFL, he'll presumably be in play for high-level assistant jobs at the very least if his Trojans tenure goes well.