USC football: Joe Barry, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebackers coach, to join staff

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Joe Barry, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebackers coach, will join Coach Lane Kiffin‘s USC staff in the same position.

Barry, who played linebacker for the Trojans in 1992 and 1993 and served on USC’s staff in 1995, told the St. Petersburg Times that he was looking forward to returning to USC and working with former Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

‘It was a tough decision, especially leaving Tampa,’’ Barry said. ‘Our family loves living here. The fans have been unbelievable. We’ve had some good times, obviously, with the Super Bowl year. ... Even though last year was difficult, it was still special to be able to walk out onto Raymond James every Sunday.’’

But USC, he said, ‘made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I think SC couldn’t have hired a better head coach to replace Pete Carroll than Lane Kiffin, and with Monte there, and the fact that I played there and my first coaching job was there, it just was the right thing for me and my family.’’

-- Gary Klein