Will Johnson pens goodbye to USC after taking job at NDSU

On Friday, USC graduate assistant and former Oklahoma defensive back Will Johnson accepted an offer to become the next defensive backs coach at North Dakota State. Johnson posted a heartfelt message to social media about his decision to move on from USC.

“Extremely grateful and fortunate for my time at USC,” Johnson wrote on X. “So thankful for every staff member that I was fortunate enough to work with. Thank you to Coach Riley for the opportunity to grow as a coach and person. USC is truly 1st class.

“Last but most importantly, thank you to every player that I encountered there. I loved every second of our journey together. The highs and the lows. I only joined the profession with you guys in mind. The opportunity to develop and transform is my purpose and appreciate you all for letting me into y’all’s life. Love you boys and I hope that you all continue to operate in your passion of life. Thank you USC!”

Johnson earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2017 playing defensive back for the Sooners before going on to coach there. He was a graduate assistant for several seasons and even served as the interim defensive backs coach for the Alamo Bowl in 2021. 

He joined the USC staff in January 2022, spending two seasons working under then-defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. He worked primarily with defensive backs.

While USC’s defense wasn’t always its strength, eventually leading to Grinch’s dismissal, the secondary stayed consistently solid. The group was integral in capitalizing on mistakes in 2022, boosting USC to one of the best turnover margins in the country.

Johnson is not the first coach who has moved between USC and NDSU this offseason, as Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley brought in Bison head coach Matt Entz to coach linebackers on USC’s revamped defensive staff.

Despite Entz’s decision to join USC, Johnson will be joining a top-notch staff at NDSU. North Dakota State has an FCS-leading nine national championships, winning all nine since 2010, including five in a row from 2011-15. The most recent national title for the Bison came in 2021.

Entz remained with North Dakota State until the end of their playoff run. In his five seasons with the Bison as their head coach, Entz has compiled a 60-11 overall record, including a 32-7 record in the Missouri Valley Conference.