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USC and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn have agreed to a contract extension, locking in a key piece to Lincoln Riley’s coaching staff amid interest from other schools, the university announced via social media. Lynn, who just finished his first season with the Trojans, generated some buzz in the assistant coaching carousel with schools like Penn State keeping an eye on him for their defensive coordinator opening, according to 247Sports.
The 35-year-old Lynn, who played defensive back at Penn State prior to turning to a career in coaching, led USC to major defensive improvements during the 2024 season. The Trojans, who moved on from longtime Riley collaborator Alex Grinch in November 2023, allowed 24.1 points and 377.1 yards per game in their first season with the Big Ten.
That’s down from 34.4 points and 432.8 yards per game — the sixth-worst mark among Power Four conference programs — in 2023. USC also held five of its 12 regular-season opponents to 20 points or fewer in 2024. All but two opponents surpassed the 20-point mark against the Trojans during the 2023 season.
Lynn came to USC after one season as the defensive coordinator at UCLA, where he guided the Bruins to the Pac-12’s top overall defense in 2023. UCLA also ranked 11th in the FBS while surrendering 299 yards per game on average.
Prior to making the shift to the collegiate level, Lynn was a longtime assistant in the NFL. He had on-field coaching stints with the Houston Texans (secondary coach, 2020) and the Baltimore Ravens (safeties coach, 2021-2022).
As for Penn State, which…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/usc-extends-danton-lynn-defensive-coordinator-received-outside-interest-after-leading-one-year-turnaround/
Author : Will Backus
Publish date : 2025-01-17 15:18:00
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