D'Anton Lynn Reveals USC Trojans Defense Biggest Improvement

The 2025 college football season is right around the corner, and the USC Trojans' training camp is underway. USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn revealed where he sees the biggest improvement to the defense, which could make the Trojans a contender in the Big Ten.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season is quickly approaching, and the USC Trojans kick off their training camp this week. The Trojans finished the season with a 7-6 overall record, going 4-5 in Big Ten conference play, and looking to improve this season. 

The Big Ten conference is known to be physical at the line of scrimmage. Ahead of training camp, defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn spoke to the media about one of the biggest areas the team improved, which is across the front seven.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Lynn On Defensive Line Improvement

Lynn is heading into his second season with the USC Trojans. USC’s defense grew tremendously from 2023 to 2024, but it can take a bigger step this season with the depth across the defensive line.

“We felt like this past year we did a good job of piecing together a Big Ten front seven, but we didn’t have Big Ten depth, and you need depth to play in the Big Ten every single week,” Lynn said. “That’s one thing we feel like this year we have. We have more guys that we trust in playing the game.”

“It opens up a lot, because now you can blitz when you want to,” Lynn continued. “You don’t feel like you have to blitz, and it allows you to invest more in your coverage. So that's something that was a big emphasis for us. Obviously, the first thing was stopping the run. You have to stop the run first to earn the right to rush, but stopping the run and affecting the quarterback has been a big emphasis. That's something we still need to continue to improve on.”

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry (18) gestures during the third quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Since Lynn joined the program, the USC Trojans went from allowing 34.4 points per game in 2023 to averaging 24.1 points in 2024. Injuries did play a role last season, but even with that, the Trojans showed a big improvement under Lynn. Between recruiting, the transfer portal, and the returning players, the USC defensive line could be a dominant unit this season. 

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Returning Players

There will be a couple of returning veterans who will have to step up both on and off the field this season. The Trojans lost a couple of seniors last season, but retained some big-time players.

Linebacker Eric Gentry is healthy and returning to the team. After missing quite some time in 2024, there is high anticipation for his return to the field in 2025. Despite only playing five games, Gentry finished the season with 33 combined tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. His return to the team will be a major boost to USC's front seven.

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

One of the top players who has a high ceiling returning on the defensive line is Braylan Shelby. Shelby finished the season with 28 tackles and three sacks. He only started in three games last season, but could be a bigger role player in 2025.

Defensive tackle Devan Thompkins is also returning to the team after seeing an increase in reps last season. He totaled 24 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks. Defensive end Anthony Lucas will be another returning player to watch for after finishing the season with 16 combined tackles and one pass defended.

Incoming Additions

One of the biggest additions to the Trojans’ defense is four-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart. He is one of the top players from the class of 2025 and a top-five recruit across the defensive line. He has the chance to come in as a true freshman and make an impact on the defensive line.

Four-star defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina committed to Georgia over Auburn and UNC. Img 0028 | McClain Baxley / USA TODAY NETWORK

Through the transfer portal, USC gained four-star defensive linemen Jamaal Jarrett and Keeshawn Silver. Jarrett spent two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, but saw limited snaps. The Bulldogs under coach Kirby Smart have had a consistently strong defensive line, and USC is gaining a player with a high ceiling.

Silver has played for both the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Kentucky Wildcats. Though he saw action in 11 games last season, he has had a limited number of snaps. As a four-star player in the portal, the Trojans are gaining a player ready to make an impact on the defense.

Between the returning and the incoming players, the USC Trojans have the depth they need to keep the defense in the game for all four quarters each week. If USC continues to win in the trenches, the defense as a whole will improve throughout the year, as the team will face some tough offenses.