How Penn State's D'Anton Lynn Is Preparing for Former Boss Lincoln Riley and USC

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn gets to play a familiar team Saturday when the Nittany Lions host USC in the annual White Out. Lynn served as the Trojans’ defensive coordinator for the past two seasons before leaving for his alma mater last winter.

Lynn believes he made the right decision to leave USC for Penn State because of the people he’s working with now.

“It feels good to be back,” said Lynn, a Penn State letterman who played cornerback from 2009-12. “I love the players, love the staff. I still love all the people at SC, but since I've been here, me, my wife, my kids, we're extremely happy.”

Lynn now gets to prepare to play against his former boss in USC head coach and offensive playcaller Lincoln Riley in addition to quarterback Jayden Maiava, who was the Trojans’ starter when Lynn was with the Trojans last season. He also has some repairs to make after the Nittany Lions gave up 413 yards rushing in a 34-13 loss to Northwestern.

How Lynn is getting his defense ready

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn talks to reporters during football media day in Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Statistically, USC will have the best passing offense Penn State has faced so far this season. Maiava averages 290.7 passing yards per game, which ranks second in the Big Ten. Wisconsin’s Colton Joseph (226.4) and Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles (225) rank ninth and 10th, respectively.

Beyond the stat sheet, Lynn said Riley is tough to play against because “he doesn't really have a playbook.”

“He just has plays and he's going to do what his guys do best,” Lynn said. “He probably has the best scheme-beaters in the country. If he knows what you’re in, there's times where he'll present things, and it's like, ‘Man, you just don't have an answer for us.’ You have to keep them guessing. You have to be good with your disguises.”

This is the second straight week in which Lynn is facing a former employer. Last week it was Northwestern offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who hired him as UCLA's defensive coordinator in 2023.

That year, Lynn met Riley and USC for the first time. The Bruins earned a 38-20 win over Riley and the Trojans on Nov. 18, 2023.

Lynn said he told his players before that game that they “can't look up at the stats” and “they're gonna move the ball.” Then-USC quarterback Caleb Williams completed 31 of 42 passes for 384 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the Trojans’ loss.

Maiava has completed 68.6 percent of his passes for 1,744 yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. Lynn is focused on preparing for key moments against USC.

“We need to be great on third down,” Lynn said. “We need to be great in the red zone, and we need to stop the run and then don't give them in chunk plays, make them drive all the way down the field.”

‘We don't expect them to be nice to us’

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) passes the ball against the Washington Huskies. — USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) passes the ball against the Washington Huskies during the third quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When asked this week about what stands out in Penn State’s secondary, USC receiver Tanook Hines reportedly said, “nothing much for real,” according to Ahmad Akkaoui of 247Sports.

“When we play somebody, we don't expect them to be nice to us, so at the end of the day, man, he has his thoughts,” Penn State safety Jeremiah Cooper said in response. “At the end of the day, it's only us. We’ve got to go out there and be one team, be one secondary and let all the outside noise, just let it go."

What stands out about Penn State's secondary to you?

USC wide receiver Tanook Hines: “Nothing much for real. Probably just the stadium.”
— Ahmad Akkaoui (@AhmadMAkkaoui) October 7, 2026

Hines is one of five receivers who have caught at least 10 passes for the Trojans this year. He made five receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown in USC’s win over Washington last week. True freshman Kayden Dixon-Wyatt leads USC’s receiving corps with 25 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns.

Cooper said Lynn “knows a lot of personnel” on the Trojans’ offense and is helping his defense practice for the game by “running the scheme off who he knows over there.” While Lynn has experience with Maiava, Dixon-Wyatt and fellow standout freshman receiver Trent Mosley are new threats to prepare for.

Mosley opened the season with a pair of 100-yard receiving games against San Jose State and Fresno State but hasn’t played the last three games. USC listed him as questionable on its first availability report of the week.

“They’ve got great receivers, great athletes on that side of the ball,” Cooper said. “I mean, we can't wait to play them. I have full confidence that we're going to go out there and do our thing, but I mean, it's a great passing offense, a great quarterback, great receivers.”

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