Willie Mack Garza Position: Secondary Coach

Willie Mack Garza, who has 16 years of collegiate coaching experience, joined the USC staff in January of 2010 as the secondary coach.

Garza, 40, spent 2009 as the defensive backs coach at Tennessee. The Volunteers were 12th nationally in both pass defense and pass efficiency defense and allowed just 5 passing touchdowns.

Before that, he was at North Dakota State for 4 years (2005-08), handling the defensive backs the first season and then serving as the defensive coordinator the final 3 seasons. The Bison were first nationally in pass defense (116.8) in 2008. He was hired as an assistant at New Mexico after the 2008 season, but was there just 2 weeks before going to Tennessee.

Garza began his coaching career at Texas, his alma mater, as a graduate assistant working with the cornerbacks and special teams for 3 years (1994-96). The Longhorns played in the 1994 Sun Bowl, 1995 Sugar Bowl and 1997 Fiesta Bowl.

He then was the defensive backs coach at Western Michigan for 4 seasons (1997-2000). In 2000, the 9-3 Broncos were 13th nationally in pass defense and played in the Mid-American Conference championship game.

He spent the next 3 years (2001-03) coaching the cornerbacks at TCU. In 2002, 2-time all-league cornerback Jason Goss tied the school season record with 8 interceptions. The Horned Frogs won the 2002 Conference USA title and played in 3 bowls (2001 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl, 2002 Liberty Bowl and 2003 Fort Worth Bowl).

He was the secondary coach at Tarleton State in 2004.

Garza was a 4-year (1988, 1990-92) starter at cornerback and safety at Texas. He was a Freshman All-American and the Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year in 1988. The Longhorns went 10-2 and played in the Cotton Bowl in 1990.

He received his bachelor's degree in social work from Texas in 1993 and is working on a master's degree in the same field. He earned prep All-American and 3-time All-State honors as a running back and defensive back at Refugio (Tex.) High. He was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame in 2000.

He was born on Nov. 16, 1969. He is single.

GARZA SNAPSHOT

BIRTHDAY: Nov. 16, 1969
FAMILY: Single
HIGH SCHOOL: Refugio (Tex.) HS
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, social work, Texas, 1993
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Refugio (Tex.) HS
Texas, cornerback-safety, 1988, 1990-92
COACHING EXPERIENCE: 16 years