Penn State working to hire USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn

Penn State is working to hire USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, sources tell On3. The former Nittany Lions cornerback has emerged as the top target of the search, and the two sides are working to get a deal done.

He’s turned around the USC defense in the last two seasons. In Lynn’s first season at USC, he led a massive one-season defensive turnaround. USC held opponents to an average of just 24.1 points per game, improving from 34.4 in 2023. The Trojans finished the 2024 season ranked No. 21 in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.335), compared to ranking No. 106 (0.436) in 2023. 

Before USC, Lynn served as the defensive coordinator at UCLA in 2023, where he elevated UCLA’s defense from ranking No. 87 in 2022 to finishing the 2023 regular season ranked No. 10 in the nation.

It’s a move from new Penn State head coach Matt Campbell to bring home a former player and one of the top defensive coordinators in the country. Jim Knowles left State College after one season to take the defensive coordinator job at Tennessee.

A former three-time All-Big Ten honorable mention cornerback for Penn State, Lynn was a longtime NFL assistant before arriving at UCLA.

“I just focus on the players,” Lynn told reporters over the weekend, when asked about his name being linked to the Penn State job. “I just focus on what’s in front of me, their growth, their development and just trying to get their 10th win.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.