USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn takes Penn State defensive coordinator job
USC DC D’Anton Lynn on the sideline against NEB on Nov. 16, 2024. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
Ryan Kartje (LA Times) — Last January, D’Anton Lynn was given the chance to trade in his defensive coordinator job with the Trojans to lead the defense at his alma mater, Penn State. But Lynn turned Penn State down, and USC, in turn, gave its rising star coach a significant raise.
Now, with the same offer on the table less than a year later, Lynn has decided to change course.
Lynn is leaving USC after two seasons to become the defensive coordinator at Penn State under new coach Matt Campbell, a person familiar with the decision but not authorized to speak on the matter told The Times.
What changed in the 11 months between those two offers, outside of new leadership at Penn State, remains unclear. The Nittany Lions entered last season as presumed national title contenders before bottoming out in the first half of the season under James Franklin, who was fired in October. Campbell was hired earlier this month, but has no known ties to Lynn.
At USC, Lynn engineered an impressive turnaround of a Trojan defense that completely unraveled under previous coordinator Alex Grinch. USC gave up 10 fewer points per game under Lynn last season, leaping from 121st in the nation (34.4 points per game) to a respectable 56th (24.1). The defense improved considerably against the run, giving up nearly 50 fewer yards per game, and with its tackling, missing three fewer on average per game.
But the progress was less apparent in his second season as coordinator. USC allowed fewer points per game during the 2025 regular season, but struggled especially to stop the run and prevent big plays. Those issues proved particularly glaring in USC’s road losses to Illinois, Notre Dame and Oregon.
Still, when UCLA’s head coaching job came open in September, Lynn, who previously led the Bruins defense, was seen as a potential candidate for the job. After turning down the Nittany Lions in January, many viewed Lynn’s next logical step being the NFL, where he spent his entire coaching tenure prior to joining UCLA.
His departure leaves USC to look for its third defensive coordinator in four years.
It is notable that Penn State was able to pry Lynn, a former Nittany Lion player, away from a fellow hopeful Big Ten contender in USC. After going a combined 15-11 in 2023 and 2024, USC enters Tuesday’s Alamo Bowl matchup with TCU with a 9-3 record. Next year figures to be a pivotal one for Riley’s tenure with the Trojans.
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As if we all didn’t know, getting this new DC hire right is massively important to USC’s immediate football future in 2026, and beyond. I can’t wait to see who Bowden, Cohen and Riley settle on. This is such a big deal. We’ve all read the names of the possible Lynn-replacement candidates. But big names don’t always translate into big success. When you look long and hard under the hood at each, I have no idea who fits best at USC. And “fit” has to be emphasized because sometimes resumes don’t show whether someone is gonna fit or not, regardless… Read more »
Possible replacements per Google AI Top Candidates (External) Pete Kwiatkowski: A strong contender from the Chris Peterson coaching tree, known for CFP defenses at Washington and Texas; he’s available after his Texas departure.Jim Leonhard: A popular former candidate and successful NFL assistant (Broncos), though an NFL return is a challenge.Mark Stoops: Recently fired from Kentucky, Stoops could bring major motivation and experience to the Trojans, say Sports Illustrated.Corey Hetherman: Miami’s DC, another name mentioned in discussions for the Trojans. Internal/Co-Coordinator Possibilities Eric Henderson & Rob Ryan (Co-DC): USC could promote from within, with DL coach Henderson and LB coach Ryan… Read more »
I would think nobody is going with Lynn to PSU. PeteK is known to most of the staff already and would meld right in. A new LB coach would be great and Pete K is a LB coach himself. Tony White is the guy they pursued previously but couldn’t put it together.
Hopefully, USC football has already done its own extensive, focused homework here and is ready to make this huge move based on availability, demands, previous experience, strong connections, and defensive scheme prefs. It would also be nice if he has any strong recruiting talent whatsoever and is a good evaluator of talent.
Lincoln Riley calls out Notre Dame and blames the Irish for pausing rivalry with USC Dan Morrison (on3.com) — The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are two of the iconic brands in college football and have one of the game’s premier rivalries. However, they’re now taking at least a brief hiatus from playing one another, with plenty of finger pointing going around. Recently, USC head coach Lincoln Riley pointed his finger squarely at Notre Dame for pausing the series. At his press conference before the Alamo Bowl, Riley called out the Irish and said that the Trojans had a policy of… Read more »
Here’s a Notre Dame counter argument (SlaptheSign.com) Oliver Vandervoort — Give Lincoln Riley credit; he knows his audience. He knows that all he had to do was offer some defense for canceling the longest-running rivalry series in the game, and the easily misled USC faithful would echo it as fact. However, if someone really listens to what Riley said, it belies his true intention, which was always to kill the rivalry at some point. “With a scenario and a proposal that would extend the series for the next two years. We took Notre Dame at their word that they would play us… Read more »
I read the ON3 Notre Dame board and they are calling Riley every name in the book. When ND comes back down to earth perhaps something can be worked out with them, but right now they are assuming they are so far above everyone else they do not have bend in the least.
It is notable that Penn State was able to pry Lynn, a former Nittany Lion player, away from a fellow hopeful Big Ten contender in USC. After going a combined 15-11 in 2023 and 2024, USC enters Tuesday’s Alamo Bowl matchup with TCU with a 9-3 record. Next year figures to be a pivotal one for Riley’s tenure with the Trojans.
As if we all didn’t know, getting this new DC hire right is massively important to USC’s immediate football future in 2026, and beyond. I can’t wait to see who Bowden, Cohen and Riley settle on. This is such a big deal. We’ve all read the names of the possible Lynn-replacement candidates. But big names don’t always translate into big success. When you look long and hard under the hood at each, I have no idea who fits best at USC. And “fit” has to be emphasized because sometimes resumes don’t show whether someone is gonna fit or not, regardless… Read more »
If they are not going to hire Pete K, then the first call should go to Tony White.
Keep LR away from the DC hire. Let Bowden and Jen handle it.
74-yr Pete Carroll is now 2-14 as HC of the brutally bad Raiders. How much longer can he last in Vegas? Would you bring him back?
I think he would make a great AD at SC!!!
Possible replacements per Google AI Top Candidates (External) Pete Kwiatkowski: A strong contender from the Chris Peterson coaching tree, known for CFP defenses at Washington and Texas; he’s available after his Texas departure.Jim Leonhard: A popular former candidate and successful NFL assistant (Broncos), though an NFL return is a challenge.Mark Stoops: Recently fired from Kentucky, Stoops could bring major motivation and experience to the Trojans, say Sports Illustrated.Corey Hetherman: Miami’s DC, another name mentioned in discussions for the Trojans. Internal/Co-Coordinator Possibilities Eric Henderson & Rob Ryan (Co-DC): USC could promote from within, with DL coach Henderson and LB coach Ryan… Read more »
Looming questions for USC football now?
1) Will a new DC be comfortable retaining multiple USC defensive coaches?
2) Will LR look to elevate current USC secondary coach Doug Belk, who has DC experience after being HOU’s defensive play caller?
3) Will other USC coaches follow Lynn to PSU, or decide to coach elsewhere?
I would think nobody is going with Lynn to PSU. PeteK is known to most of the staff already and would meld right in. A new LB coach would be great and Pete K is a LB coach himself. Tony White is the guy they pursued previously but couldn’t put it together.
USC should be able to do better than Lynn.
Who are the great replacements?
Hopefully, USC football has already done its own extensive, focused homework here and is ready to make this huge move based on availability, demands, previous experience, strong connections, and defensive scheme prefs. It would also be nice if he has any strong recruiting talent whatsoever and is a good evaluator of talent.
If Nua takes the DC job at BYU that would leave an opening for Ed O to come in and take on the line, and he recruits great also.
Lincoln Riley calls out Notre Dame and blames the Irish for pausing rivalry with USC Dan Morrison (on3.com) — The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are two of the iconic brands in college football and have one of the game’s premier rivalries. However, they’re now taking at least a brief hiatus from playing one another, with plenty of finger pointing going around. Recently, USC head coach Lincoln Riley pointed his finger squarely at Notre Dame for pausing the series. At his press conference before the Alamo Bowl, Riley called out the Irish and said that the Trojans had a policy of… Read more »
Here’s a Notre Dame counter argument (SlaptheSign.com) Oliver Vandervoort — Give Lincoln Riley credit; he knows his audience. He knows that all he had to do was offer some defense for canceling the longest-running rivalry series in the game, and the easily misled USC faithful would echo it as fact. However, if someone really listens to what Riley said, it belies his true intention, which was always to kill the rivalry at some point. “With a scenario and a proposal that would extend the series for the next two years. We took Notre Dame at their word that they would play us… Read more »
I read the ON3 Notre Dame board and they are calling Riley every name in the book. When ND comes back down to earth perhaps something can be worked out with them, but right now they are assuming they are so far above everyone else they do not have bend in the least.