USC awards scholarship to kicker Denis Lynch
USC head coach Lincoln Riley announced during his appearance on Trojans Live that kicker Denis Lynch has been awarded a scholarship.
Lynch earned the starting kicker spot for the Trojans during the 2022 season and has held that down in 2023. He made a significant impact in the win at Arizona State this past weekend, drilling a career-best 53-yard field goal. He also connected on a 36-yard attempt in that game. Lynch is 3-for-3 on field goals this season and has hit all 28 of his extra point attempts. He leads the Trojans with 37 points scored this season.
The 53-yard kick is tied for the third-longest in USC history.
Riley was asked about Lynch during the program and spoke at length about his growing confidence this season. He ended it by matter-of-factly announcing the scholarship.
“And by the way, we put Denis on scholarship today,” Riley said. “Which was a cool moment. The team just erupted. It was awesome.”
The 5-foot-8, 190-pound kicker has been a favorite of his USC teammates since he walked onto the roster for the 2021 season out of Newbury Park (Calif.) High School. The lefty kicker didn’t play in 2021, but grabbed the starting placekicker position under Riley in 2022. He finished No. 10 in the nation in scoring last season, hitting all 74 of his extra points and connecting on 15-of-22 field goals. He went 8-for-8 on attempts between 40 and 49 yards, including a season-long 49-yarder just before halftime against UCLA.
“Denis has been consistent really since the day I walked in the door,” Riley said. “And now his confidence is really starting to grow. Being able to take what he does on the practice field to the game field, and I think that’s been the biggest change in Year 2. Denis kicked well for us last year, but he’s a lot more confident.”
