USC's Lincoln Riley Weighs Penn State's Pursuit of D'Anton Lynn

The Nittany Lions reportedly have made Lynn a priority for their defensive coordinator position.

USC Trojans defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn reacts against the Utah State Aggies during the fourth quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Penn State reportedly is pursuing USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn for the second consecutive year, this time with a new head coach. In Los Angeles, Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley acknowledged that he's going through the process again of potentially losing Lynn to his alma mater.

"Those things are what they are," Riley told reporters as the Trojans prepare to play TCU in the Alamo Bowl. "Everybody prizes different things. That's why I don't judge that. I get it. But again, last year Penn State hired the defensive coordinator from the team that won the national championship. These things happen. Obviously D'Anton's done a really good job here, and we'll see how it plays out."

Defensive coordinator remains the highest-profile opening on Matt Campbell's 2026 Penn State coaching staff, which has most of its offensive coaches in place. But Campbell still looks to replace Jim Knowles, who left Penn State after one season for Tennessee. Campbell reportedly has made Lynn, a Penn State letterman and USC's second-year coordinator, a priority in his search.

Lynn quickly established himself as one of the top college defensive coaches after transforming UCLA's defense in one season as coordinator in 2023. The Bruins ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense with Lynn in 2023 after ranking 90th the year before.

Lynn led another overhaul at USC. In 2023, the Trojans ranked 12st nationally in scoring defense (34.4 ppg) and 119th in total defense (43.2 ypg). Under Lynn in 2024, USC cut opponents' scoring by about 30 percent this season, allowing 22.4 points per game and improving to 47th nationally.

Lynn also led upgrades in defensive stats such as third-down conversion rate, rushing yards allowed and explosive plays allowed. In 2023, USC allowed 71 plays of 20+ yards. That number was 40 this season.

"This is just what happens this time of year, especially when you have a really good staff and are doing a lot of really positive things," Riley told reporters in Los Angeles. "This is part of what happens, so we’ve seen it, we understand it. We’ll obviously see how it plays out.

"We put ourselves in position here where we’re obviously excited about the opportunity to keep continuity and continue to build, but we’re also honestly at that point where, not just that position, any position, that if there is turnover, these are really coveted jobs."

Prior to landing in Los Angeles, Lynn spent nine seasons in the NFL coaching secondaries in Baltimore and Houston and also working with the Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. Former Penn State coach James Franklin looked toward Lynn, a three-time All-Big Ten cornerback at Penn State, earlier this year after Tom Allen left for Clemson.

Former Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback D'Anton Lynn during the 2012 TicketCity Bowl against the Houston Cougars at Cotton Bowl Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Lynn ultimately remained at USC, and Franklin hired Knowles, whose defense fell into the 30s nationally in scoring and yards allowed after the Nittany Lions ranked in the top 10 in both categories in 2024. Riley certainly sounded like a head coach who wants to retain Lynn on his staff.

"And this job frankly is a lot different than it was four years ago," Riley said. "And Frankly, it’s even a lot different than it was two years ago for any job, not just that [defensive coordinator] job. So it’s part of the world that we live in, and hopefully we can keep as much continuity as we can. But if we do have to make any replacements, then we’re going to try to do what we’ve done. Do it at a high level and find ways to make our program even better."

Anthony Poindexter, Penn State's co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, will serve as defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions when they play Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 27 at Yankee Stadium.

Watch Riley's media availability here, courtesy of the USC Trojans.

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