Hackett Doesn’t Go With Clean House

New USC Coach Paul Hackett said Monday that Hue Jackson will remain as the Trojans’ offensive coordinator and assistant coaches Dennis Thurman and Mike Wilson also will be retained from John Robinson’s staff.

In addition, Larry Petroff has been hired as recruiting coordinator and assistant coach from Ohio State, where he is the Buckeyes’ director of football operations.

Hackett still has five assistant coaching positions to fill--including the key position of defensive coordinator--and said he’ll complete the staff “in the near future.” Some candidates are still involved in postseason play and Hackett is absorbed in preparations for the Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff game against Denver on Sunday.

Hackett, who has made his reputation in the NFL with a variation of the West Coast offense, has said he probably will call most of USC’s plays himself. Jackson, who implemented the West Coast offense at USC for the first time last season but saw the Trojans struggle offensively, made it clear he would stay only if he retained the title of offensive coordinator.

“I’ve been in a similar situation with Steve Mariucci at Cal, and eventually he realized that with the wear and tear of being a college coach, you can’t do it all,” said Jackson, who was offensive coordinator at Cal in 1996 and began calling more plays himself later in the season. “[Hackett] might not feel that way,” Jackson said. “Whatever he wants me to do, I’ll do. This is his football team.”

Thurman, the defensive back coach last season, and Wilson, the receiver coach, both have ties to Hackett. Thurman played at USC when Hackett was an assistant coach, and Wilson played for the San Francisco 49ers while Hackett was an assistant there.

“I know Paul’s quite a coach from when I was with the 49ers,” Wilson said. “He’s a high-energy, detail-oriented coach.”

Petroff, 47, will start at USC after Ohio State’s appearance in the Sugar Bowl. He was the recruiting coordinator under Hackett at Pittsburgh from 1990-92, and at Ohio State was involved in recruiting No. 1 NFL draft pick Orlando Pace.

Hackett said in a statement that Jackson, Thurman and Wilson “will allow us to keep some continuity in the program, and, with the addition of Larry, we’ll be able to get on with recruiting.”

Although Hackett can talk to recruits by phone, it is against NCAA rules for him to make home visits while he is employed by an NFL team, so it is up to the skeleton staff to hold the fort.

“It’s been very uncomfortable trying to talk before,” Jackson said. “You just didn’t know what to say. Now you can tell them you’re coming back.

“Nobody’s been lost and nobody’s been gained until [the Feb. 4 signing date.] We’ll see if we can salvage a great recruiting class.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

USC Football Coaches

WHO STAYS

Hue Jackson: Offensive coordinator

Dennis Thurman: Secondary*

Mike Wilson: Receivers*

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WHO’S NEW

Larry Petroff: Recruiting coordinator and assistant coach*

*1998 assignments TBA

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WHO GOES

Keith Burns: Defensive coordinator (Co-defensive coordinator at Arkansas)

Mike Barry: Assistant head coach and offensive line

Jeff McInerney: Defensive line

David Robinson: Linebackers

Doug Smith: Offensive line

Charles White: Running backs