Rob Ryan debates whether his hair matches up with Troy Polamalu

Brothers Rex and Rob Ryan are incredibly similar looking, expect for the distinctive long silver hair that Rob dons in comparison to Rex’s much shorter cut. It’s hair that Rob Ryan would compare to anyone, including Troy Polamalu.

A legendary player in USC‘s history, Polamalu would go on to make it to the Hall of Fame for his on-field play, but for many, he became iconic for his long, curly black hair. It’s hair that now that Ryan is an assistant coach at USC, he can compare himself directly against.

“I’d have to say Troy [has better hair] there,” Rob Ryan joked. “That’s a close one. Mine’s a little grayer but he’s getting a tint to his. A little tint of gray, now. Bot of us, ironically, married Greek women. It’s tough. That’s tough. So, I’m sure that she’s in charge of his house like mine’s in charge of me.”

Rob Ryan is joining the coaching staff at USC as the linebackers coach and as an assistant head coach for the defensive side of the ball. There, he’ll be tasked with leading the Trojans defense back to the top of the college football world, the way that Troy Polamalu would like to see it.

This won’t be Ryan’s first college job, but it is his first since the 1999 season. In the time he’s been away from coaching in college, a lot has changed. However, for Ryan, the fundamentals of people and football players haven’t changed.

“You know what, that’s the biggest overrated thing there is. People are people. The only people that are gonna survive in football are guys that are the alphas, that are tough, that love contact, that enjoy running to the ball, competing at the highest level. That’s what you still see. This guy, well he’s on social media, and I get it, but at the end of the day when they’re looking back at you, they’re the same guys. They’re the same guys. That’s who’s successful, smart, tough, competitive, hard-working, selfless, and football’s important. That’s the only people that make it, and when you’re on this level, it’s the same as professional football,” Ryan said.

“We’ve got to win. Up there, that’s what we’re shooting for, and it’s the same. I haven’t even seen a difference and I’ve been coaching for 40 years or whatever it is. They’re great. You could put any one of our kids in front anywhere. He’s going to stand out and the eyes will go to him because that’s just who they are. They’re alphas who are the best people in the world. I don’t know. I haven’t seen the difference and I enjoy them. I love being around them. They keep you young, they keep you excited, they keep you happy. Like, I don’t know, I like teaching and coaching young people like that because they’re so easy to be around. They’re the best people in the world. You could land them in any business in the world and they’d be successful.”

Rob Ryan and his hair will have their opportunity to begin molding the USC defense this spring in what should be an interesting offseason for the Trojans.