USC has been searching for a new DC for two weeks and has already cycled through several names. Texas DC Pete Kwiatkowski was in the mix along with former Michigan DC Wink Martindale. But a new report has placed Missouri DC’s name at the top.

Missouri’s DC, Corey Batoon, is reportedly in “communications with USC” for its vacant coordinator position. The 57-year-old has been in the coaching game since 1991 and has been Missouri’s DC since 2024.

Throughout his career, Batoon has consistently produced an elite rushing defense and a decent passing defense, focusing his players on stopping big plays. Even before coming to Columbia, the 57-year-old’s defenses were producing high turnovers and showed excellent capability in the red zone. Batoon has a clear track record of immediate impact, a pattern of success that followed him from South Alabama to the SEC. At South Alabama, he transformed a defense ranked 74th in rushing into a top-60 unit in just one year, a feat he later replicated at Missouri.

“Corey has been a part of championship-level teams at every stop along his path,” Eli Drinkwitz said upon his new DC’s arrival. “He’s a veteran coach who’s battle-tested and has an ability to break things down and teach the game at a high level. I’m excited to see him bring those skills and experience to fit with our defensive approach,” the head coach added.

In Missouri, the Hawaiian native produced a 17th-ranked defense in 2024. In the 2025 season, Missouri ranked 8th in total defense, having given up just 277 yards per game. Even in run defense, Batoon’s unit continued to excel, finishing 13th nationally. In terms of producing players, the coach has been instrumental in developing All-SEC honorees such as Josiah Trotter, Zion Young, and Damon Wilson II.

Why is Corey Batoon a perfect fit for USC?

D’Anton Lynn was one of the few success stories of Lincoln Riley’s time at the Trojans. He came to fix a hapless defense and did so instantly. USC improved both in pass and run defenses. However, when his alma mater came calling, Lynn left for Penn State.

To put it clearly, Riley can’t afford to return to a pre-Lynn era, where USC impressed everyone on offense but leaked points on defense. That wasted Caleb Williams’ run at the program, and even Miller Moss and Jayden Maiava could put some blame on the other side of the ball.

In Batoon, Riley will get a person familiar with the region. He is an alumnus of California State University and later attended Saint Mary’s College of California, where he served as an assistant in 1996. Additionally, Batoon’s playing career has also been dominated by Californian roots. He played as a safety for San Diego City Junior College from 1986 to 1987. Thereafter, Corey moved to Long Beach State and stayed there till 1989. Joining USC will potentially reunite the Hawaiian with his Californian roots, and that can serve as a major motivation for Batoon to succeed even more.

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Batoon has over 30 years of experience and 15 years as a DC. His resume is dotted with trophies, which include two conference titles, one divisional championship, and four FCS playoff spots he earned from 1997 to 2003. His salary at Missouri is set to increase to $1.5 million starting in February, which would enable USC to offer him a paycheck comparable to Lynn’s. Notably, D’Anton Lynn was earning $2 million per year in LA.