Recently, Goshen native Lonnie Maddox was named the Associate Director of Football Sports Performance with the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. 

Maddox comes to USC after spending nearly a decade as a strength and conditioning coach at the college level. Maddox grew up in Goshen, though, and was a wide receiver and cornerback for the Goshen Eagles during his high school days.

“I was one of the smallest guys on the team but still wanted to be one of the primetime players just like everyone else,” Maddox remembered. “I just didn’t have the size, strength or speed but I felt like I worked harder than everyone else and was just happy to be there and to represent that Purple and Gold. Goshen has been in my blood for 39 years and it will always be there.”

Maddox went on to attend Troy University, where he initially walked on the football team. After graduating from Troy with a Bachelor’s Degree in sport and fitness management, Maddox was drawn to coaching by his passion for the weightroom.

“I always wanted to play sports and loved football and loved the weightroom and had a passion for it my entire life,” Maddox said.

After being a personal trainer, Maddox became a sports trainer for college and high school athletes in Virginia. He also was an intern with Troy and then South Carolina before jumping into his first full-time coaching position as the head strength and conditioning coach for Alcorn State. During his time with Alcorn State, the school won two conference championships. 

In 2020, Maddox joined the staff at Valdosa State where he served as head strength and conditioning coach for all 14 sports. During that time, the Valdosta State football team made an appearance in the 2021 Division II National Championship. 

In 2024, Maddox joined the staff of Kansas State – his first Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) – coaching job as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. After growing up in “LA” (Lower Alabama), the Goshen native is now in the actual LA (Los Angeles).

“It’s really sort of surreal,” Maddox said with a laugh. “Growing up in Goshen, a lot of people don’t really notice you. They look at you coming from the country and think you won’t be able to accomplish things even as simple as going to college. I really never had any aspirations ever even visiting California unless some crazy coaching opportunity came up and never really thought it would happen. Having grown up in the country and now been all over the nation and in L.A. is so crazy.”

An even more impressive aspect of Maddox’s story is the fact that he was teammates at Goshen with current Dallas Cowboys running backs coach Derrick Foster. After spending time at the college level, Foster has been a running backs coach in the NFL since 2021. 

Goshen has a population of less than 300, yet two former Goshen athletes – just a year apart in school – ended up being coaches at the highest levels of football. They just also happen to be best friends.

“It’s really surreal,” Maddox emphasized. “For two best friends to work at the highest levels of a game that we love is one of the most insane things. I’m so, so proud of him, and I think he’s proud of me. 

“We’ve always been extremely competitive. We compete at everything and that hasn’t changed to this day. We don’t want anyone to beat us at anything. It’s been a part of our lives since we were three years old.” 

Now that Maddox is coaching at USC, he’s bringing one simple goal with him.

“My goal is to win a national championship,” he flatly said. “I’m 0-3 in National Championships in my career and I want one more than just about anything. Nothing would bring me more joy than to do it in this place.”