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Ted Gilmore is joining the NFL's Oakland Raiders, less than a week after linebackers coach Joe Barry agreed to terms with the San Diego Chargers. USC Coach Lane Kiffin now has three staff vacancies.
 USC receivers coach Ted Gilmore teaches a blocking technique to wide receiver George Farmer during a team practice session in August. Gilmore has accepted a position with the Oakland Raiders. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times / 12) |
By Gary Klein
Recruiting season is still open at USC . . . only now it's for coaches in addition to players.
Receivers coach Ted Gilmore has left the Trojans to join the staff of the Oakland Raiders, becoming the second USC assistant in less than a week to bolt to the NFL.
Gilmore's departure leaves Coach Lane Kiffin with three vacancies on a staff that will oversee a team expected to be ranked among the top five in the nation at the start of next season.
USC was without a full-time defensive backs coach last season after Willie Mack Garza resigned on the eve of the opener. Graduate assistant Sammy Knight, a former USC and NFL player, handled the position group, but Kiffin said last week that he was still searching for a full-time replacement.
Gilmore replaced John Morton on USC's staff before last season. He oversaw a position group that included All-American Robert Woods and freshman All-American Marqise Lee. The Raiders job will be Gilmore's first in the NFL.
Neither Gilmore nor Kiffin was immediately available for comment.
Linebackers coach Joe Barry, who had coached in the NFL for 10 seasons before joining Kiffin's staff in 2010, agreed to terms with the San Diego Chargers last week. His hiring was officially announced by the NFL team Monday.
"It will be hard to fill coach Barry's shoes," linebacker Hayes Pullard said Tuesday, "but I believe the coaching staff will bring in somebody that's well-trained and will be a good fit for USC linebackers."
Pullard, in describing Barry's departure, said players were initially hurt when informed that their coach was leaving. But they did not begrudge his advancing his career.
"He was just talking about his career goals ? and you couldn't be mad at that," Pullard said. "We always want to have our career goals, to be better. He basically said, 'It's not a goodbye, it's a see-you-later.' So we kind of felt good about that."
gary.klein@latimes.com
Receivers coach Ted Gilmore has left the Trojans to join the staff of the Oakland Raiders, becoming the second USC assistant in less than a week to bolt to the NFL.
Gilmore's departure leaves Coach Lane Kiffin with three vacancies on a staff that will oversee a team expected to be ranked among the top five in the nation at the start of next season.
USC was without a full-time defensive backs coach last season after Willie Mack Garza resigned on the eve of the opener. Graduate assistant Sammy Knight, a former USC and NFL player, handled the position group, but Kiffin said last week that he was still searching for a full-time replacement.
Gilmore replaced John Morton on USC's staff before last season. He oversaw a position group that included All-American Robert Woods and freshman All-American Marqise Lee. The Raiders job will be Gilmore's first in the NFL.
Neither Gilmore nor Kiffin was immediately available for comment.
Linebackers coach Joe Barry, who had coached in the NFL for 10 seasons before joining Kiffin's staff in 2010, agreed to terms with the San Diego Chargers last week. His hiring was officially announced by the NFL team Monday.
"It will be hard to fill coach Barry's shoes," linebacker Hayes Pullard said Tuesday, "but I believe the coaching staff will bring in somebody that's well-trained and will be a good fit for USC linebackers."
Pullard, in describing Barry's departure, said players were initially hurt when informed that their coach was leaving. But they did not begrudge his advancing his career.
"He was just talking about his career goals ? and you couldn't be mad at that," Pullard said. "We always want to have our career goals, to be better. He basically said, 'It's not a goodbye, it's a see-you-later.' So we kind of felt good about that."
gary.klein@latimes.com
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