USC hires UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to same position as Trojans poach from rival

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USC is turning to its crosstown rival to fill a key vacancy as the Trojans have hired UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to the same position, the school announced on Friday. Lynn oversaw a Bruins defense that ranked atop the Pac-12 and finished 11th among all FBS teams during the 2023 regular season, holding opponents to 299 yards on average. 

“We are thrilled to welcome D’Anton and his family to USC,” Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said. “We simply couldn’t ask for a better addition to our staff. His successful experiences in both college and the NFL make him the perfect fit for our program. I hope you will join me in welcoming him to the Trojan Family.”

USC plans to double Lynn’s salary from UCLA, according to The Athletic, with the Trojans set to pay Lynn $2 million annually after he earned $1 million with the Bruins this season. Lynn, 34, was in his first season on coach Chip Kelly’s UCLA staff after spending much of the past decade as an NFL assistant for various franchises, most recently the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. 

Lynn fills a position on Riley’s USC staff that opened midseason when the Trojans fired second-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch amid ongoing issues with the defense letting them down in key games. 

USC ended the regular season outside top 100 nationally among FBS teams both overall and in scoring, allowing 438.8 yards and 34.92 points per game on average. It negated a potent offense that was headlined by quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner…

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Author : Dean Straka

Publish date : 2023-12-02 04:07:44

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