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USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn stands on the sideline during a win over Louisiana State in Las Vegas on Sept. 1. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
After transforming USC’s struggling defense in a single season, rising star defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has signed a contract extension to remain at USC, the university announced Thursday.
The deal comes after Lynn rebuffed advances from his alma mater, Penn State, which had pursued him for its coordinator opening, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.
USC had already made Lynn one of the highest-paid coordinators in college football when it hired him away from UCLA last December. That original contract, a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly told The Times at the time, paid Lynn upward of $2 million per year.
The terms of Lynn’s extension were not known, but the move to retain him was a critical one, considering how far the Trojans defense had come during his only season as coordinator.
Lynn was believed to be a leading candidate for the open coordinator job at Penn State, where he once played cornerback, after the Nittany Lions’ last defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, took the open job at Clemson. Lynn was also expected to receive interest from NFL teams, given his previous experience as an NFL assistant.
Read more: Former employee sues USC for allegedly letting Mike Bohn harass her, then firing her
Instead, he’ll remain at USC, after the school’s leaders moved quickly to secure the prized assistant.
After bottoming out under previous coordinator Alex Grinch, USC allowed 10 fewer points per game under Lynn in 2024, leaping from 121st in the nation in points allowed last season (34.4 per game) to a respectable 56th (24.1). The run defense took a major step forward,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/usc-signs-defensive-coordinator-danton-012620998.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2025-01-17 01:26:00
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