Report: UCLA finalizes deal with D'Anton Lynn to become defensive coordinator

Chip Kelly has made a big-time switch on his coaching staff. After UCLA’s defense just finished within the Top-100 last season, they’ve now added a pro-level name to take over as their next defensive coordinator.

Per Tom Pelissero at the NFL Network, Kelly and the Bruins are finalizing a contract with D’Anton Lynn to take over as DC. He will come to LA from Baltimore after spending time on the Raven’s staff as their safeties coach.

UCLA finalized a deal with #Ravens safeties coach D’Anton Lynn to become the Bruins’ new defensive coordinator, per sources. Lynn is only 33 and highly regarded; last year, he was selected as a head coach in the Shrine Bowl. He was a three-time All-Big Ten DB at Penn State.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 27, 2023

Lynn spent four seasons as a player at Penn State where he totaled 159 tackles, five pass deflections, and four interceptions. He then started his current nine-year coaching career in 2013 with the Jets, Bills, and Chargers along with a college stop in Houston from 2018 to 2020.

Lynn will replace Bill McGovern after one season with UCLA. In that one season, they finished 92nd in the nation at 29 points per game.

Now, with Lynn’s hire, Kelly and the Bruins will hope to have a defense that comes closer to the top offensive unit they’ve had over the last few seasons. If they can add that next dimension to their team, especially with how highly regarded he comes to them, it would go a long way in helping them compete in either of their conferences as well as on a national level.

UCLA wins Pac-12’s regular season title

UCLA has been one of the nation’s best teams all season long with a 25-4 record. Now, with two games left on their schedule, the Bruins have accomplished something they haven’t done in a decade.

With their close 60-56 win over Colorado in Boulder, UCLA won its first regular season title in the Pac-12 since 2012-2013. The current No. 4 team in the nation has won 16 games in the league so far which has earned them their 32nd conference championship in school history.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐒 … 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐏𝐀𝐂-𝟏𝟐 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒.

UCLA has won the @pac12 regular-season title in outright fashion with today’s win at Colorado. That’s the 32nd conference championship for the Bruins.#GoBruins 🏀 🏆 pic.twitter.com/kfblKcFwVw

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 26, 2023

All of the pieces, with experience and talent combined, have come together for Mick Cronin’s program to have the best Pac-12 season of his tenure so far. However, UCLA could make it even better in his fourth season out in Los Angeles depending on what they do in the postseason.