First look at new DC D'Anton Lynn in USC gear, will not coach bowl game
Friday night, USC announced the hire of D’Anton Lynn as the new defensive coordinator of the Trojans.
Now, just two days later, we have our first look at Lynn in USC gear.
WeAreSC has learned that Lynn will not be coaching in the bowl game and will solely work in a recruiting capacity until after the bowl game. Taylor Mays will remain coaching safeties in the meantime.
Trojans freshman wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane went to Twitter/X, posting a photo of Lynn with Lane and fellow freshman wide receiver Duce Robinson.
He captioned the photo, “Warm welcome.”
Along with already spending time with the team, Lynn has also begun recruiting. Yesterday, he extended his first offer as a member of the Trojans staff.
Others comment on the hire
Other USC players have chimed in on the new hire. From everything that has been offered publicly, the Trojans players are in support of Lynn and his arrival.
Lynn before USC
After finishing the 2022 season No. 90 in scoring defense, No. 87 in total defense, No. 36 in rushing defense and No. 118 in passing defense, the Bruins improved dramatically in all four categories. UCLA ended the 2023 regular season with the No. 16 scoring defense, No. 11 total defense, No. 2 rushing defense and No. 71 passing defense. UCLA also finished No. 4 in the nation in both sacks and tackles for loss.
This was Lynn’s first season coaching at the college level, but there is clearly an ability to connect with the players and quickly get them to play his system at a high level. Lynn previously coached safeties with the Baltimore Ravens. Before that, he was the secondary coach with the Houston Texans and a defensive assistant with the Los Angeles Chargers. His father, Anthony Lynn, was the Chargers’ head coach from 2017-2020. He’s now the assistant head coach with the San Francisco 49ers.
D’Anton Lynn was also an extremely talented player. He was a four-star recruit in the 2008 class before earning a starting cornerback job as a freshman and eventually being named an All-Big Ten selection three times.
He’ll be charged with turning around a USC defense that has been one of the worst in the nation under head coach Lincoln Riley and previous defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.
The Trojans finished No. 123 in scoring defense, No. 123 in total defense, No. 117 in rushing defense and No. 118 in passing defense in the 2023 regular season. That represented a fairly sizable step back from a 2022 season in which USC’s defensive struggles cost the Trojans a College Football Playoff berth. Last year, USC finished No. 93 in scoring defense, No. 106 in total defense, No. 80 in rushing defense and No. 112 in passing defense.
