Rob Ryan goes on epic monologue about relationship with D’Anton Lynn, favorite stories

New USC linebackers coach Rob Ryan went on an epic rant about Trojans’ defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, whom he’s worked with before.

Lynn was a defensive assistant with the Bills while Ryan was the assistant head coach to his brother Rex back in 2016. So, to emphasize their work ethic, Rob Ryan told a story about the 2016 World Series.

“All right, this is no lie. All right. So you know me and Rex were Cubs fans, you know,” Ryan began. “So the Cubs make it to the World Series. They’re playing Cleveland for the World Series game seven. So Rex, being the head coach, he’s like, ‘Well, let’s go get a van and load it up a bus and take it over there to go watch game seven. This is no lie. This is Tuesday during the season. I’m like, we can’t do that. Well, he did. 

“He took everybody but two coaches, me and D’Anton. We can’t leave. We got work to do. We got to coach this team up. We got to get all these cards. And we did all that. But that’s the work ethic we had, like, sometimes, you know, the good don’t go with the bad. You know, we had to stay and work and but that’s what I admired about him. We were always going to work.” 

Ryan used that example to say him and Lynn can certainly turn around a USC defense that’s been much maligned during Lincoln Riley’s tenure.

“I think it might have been my training from Belichick or whatever,” Ryan said. “I’m not leaving hell, but, you know, he’s been great. And, you know, we’ve also taken over reclamation projects. I took over the worst defense in the history of the National Football League. When the great Steve Spagnola was coordinator, you know, dead last in the history of the National Football League and I went to New Orleans. We were fourth. That was pretty good. And then I did the same thing in Oklahoma State, they were 120 something in the country, we were top 10 that year.”

Ryan made sure to point out Lynn was very good at UCLA, turning the Bruins defense around before going to USC.

“D’Anton did the same thing at UCLA,” Ryan said. “They had a garbage outfit, and they went in the top 10. Now he came here. Program was a little bit down, clearly on the upside now. You know, watch where we finish this year. This guy is special. He’s special. He knows how to get it done. He’s a great communicator, great teacher. He’s fun to be around. He makes everybody better, including the coaches. And you know, we’ll see. You know, I’m looking forward forward to, what do you call it, spring ball, or whatever? I can’t wait.”