D'Anton Lynn on the USC staff, spring goals and what he learned from last season

USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn appeared on the Trojans Live radio show Monday night and touched on several topics as the Trojans are one week into spring ball.

Here’s a look at what was covered and what Lynn had to say.

Working with this USC coaching staff

After two years of keeping an entire staff together, head coach Lincoln Riley had some decisions to make this offseason. The Trojans wound up bringing in a new defensive coordinator in Lynn as well as defensive position coaches in defensive line coach Eric Henderson, linebacker coach Matt Entz and secondary coach Doug Belk.

Lynn said it wasn’t only about bringing in the best staff. The Trojans wanted to make sure they had the right staff.

“It’s a staff that complements each other well,” Lynn said. “You have experience in the NFL. You have experience in college. You have guys who have been coordinators. You have guys who have been head coaches. So it’s a very versatile staff.”

The other side of the ball factors into how Lynn has to coach defense. He said during his introductory press conference that Riley’s ability to put points on the board was a draw. While there was chatter this offseason about defensive coordinators potentially being hesitant to take a job with a program that featured an explosive offense due to how much time their side of the ball could be on the field, Lynn said he had zero reservations.

“I love an aggressive offense,” Lynn said. “I think that definitely changes the way you have to call a defense at times. But I’m never going to complain about an offense that scores points. Never going to complain about that.”

It’s still very early in spring, but this staff just had its first major opportunity to host a recruiting weekend and it’s safe to say the defensive staff delivered. USC secured five commitments, including a flip of a five-star defensive lineman previously committed to Georgia and four four-star prospects.

Lynn can’t speak publicly about any of the commitments, but he did talk about what he saw from recruits and why defensive players might be more attracked to USC now.

“With us going into the Big Ten, it’s a new era, a new defense,” Lynn said. “I think players are excited. I think we have a great coaching staff and I think everyone is really getting a chance to see that on display.”

Three pillars of a Lynn defense

Lynn spoke about it during his opening press conference, but he reiterated the three things his defense absolutely must do.

“Obnoxious communication,” Lynn said of the first key. “We want guys talking a lot — pre snap, post snap, whether it’s about our call, checks, overcommunicating that. But any information about the offense, too — back location, tight end, splits.

“We put a big emphasis on effort,” Lynn said of the second thin. “I know everyone does that, but it’s something we really emphasize. All 11 guys every single play.

“And then attacking the ball,” he continued. “We want to attack the ball off the quarterback, off the ball carrier, in the air. We’re always trying to attack the ball because we know if we can get the ball to our offense, they’re going to do good things with it.”

Spring goals and learning from last season

Lynn has said a few times the Trojans won’t have the entire defense installed this spring. But he definitely has some goals for the players.

“We’re not going to get the entire playbook in spring, but at the end of spring you want to feel like you have a good, strong foundation as far as your pillars, as far as your main fronts, your main coverages, your core pressures,” Lynn said. “You want those guys to not just know it but you want those guys to understand it. Because I think when they understand it, now when we add the piles in camp, it makes it easier. We want to somewhat find an identity. We’re going to be multiple, but as far as, what is our calling card, what’s our go-to? That’s based off of the players. I’m not the type of coach where I’m going to say we’re this type of team and we don’t have those type of guys, and I sit there and wait until we get those guys. No, we’re going to figure that out in the spring and we’re going to find a way to put these guys in the best position.”

Lynn has shown that he can get the best out of what he’s given. But the entire USC staff and roster worked hard this offseason to create the body types — especially in the defensive front — that can turn this defense into a force. Lynn talked about the need for a certain body type at each spot. Again, being versatile was key.

“You definitely want certain body types,” Lynn said. “You have marks that you’re trying to hit. But there’s certain guys that just have something in them that they might be a little undersized, they might be a little short, they might be a little light, but it’s the way they play. So there’s definitely that combination of both. I don’t think you want to take a risk on too many of those.”

The pass rush is going to be key for USC this season. The Trojans started out strong there last season, but couldn’t find the same success against the better offenses they faced.

“The more you can affect the quarterback with four, the more that opens up everything,” Lynn said. “You always want to be ina situation where you pressure because you want to, not because you have to. That’s definitely our goal at the end of the spring.”

Lynn worked wonders with the UCLA defense last season, shooting the Bruins up the national defensive statistical rankings in just one season. He’ll be asked to do the same thing at USC. And while the results aren’t exactly guaranteed, Lynn does feel better about how he’s starting.

“Coming into this year is a huge difference,” Lynn said. “Last year everything was completely new. There were some formations that were completely new. There were some unbalanced looks that were like, I didn’t know you could do this. Toward the end of the year, we were always tweaking some things as we went. But when the season ended, there was a list of things that I was like, man, if I could go back, I would do this, this, this and this. So to come here, it was, alright, that’s our starting point now. But now you’re getting ina room with guys who have been doing it for a long time, too. Trying to get ideas from everywhere, just trying to find the best way.”