The USC Trojans had a bounce-back season in 2025. They finished with a 9-3 record, with one game remaining, after going 7-6 last year and 8-5 the year before.
This marks the second-best season for head coach Lincoln Riley since he took over before the 2022 season. In his first year, he led USC to an 11-3 record and had the team in contention for the College Football Playoff. However, they haven’t come close to that success since then.
A major factor in this has been the defense. Following the 2023 season, Riley fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who had come with him from Oklahoma. They replaced him with D’Anton Lynn, the former defensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins.
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In Grinch’s two seasons at USC, the defense ranked No. 106 and No. 119 in total defense. However, in Lynn’s two seasons, the defense turnaround finishing No. 77 in 2024 and No. 48 this season. But Lynn’s run in Southern California might be coming to an end.
According to Pete Nakos from On3, Matt Campbell is targeting Lynn to become the defensive coordinator for his alma mater, the Penn State Nittany Lions. Lynn, a former three-time All-Big Ten honorable mention cornerback for Penn State, addressed these rumors over the weekend, stating that he is focused on the upcoming bowl game against the TCU Horned Frogs, which is set to take place on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
“I just focus on the players,” Lynn said. “I just focus on what’s in front of me, their growth, their development and just trying to get their 10th win.”
Lynn’s rise has quickly altered the trajectory of USC’s program and, potentially, Penn State’s defensive future. After Riley moved on from Grinch, the Trojans showed steady defensive improvement under Lynn, a shift that directly contributed to USC’s 9–3 bounce-back season.
For Penn State, the interest signals an aggressive attempt to reshape its defense with a coach who understands the program’s culture. Lynn’s history as a former Penn State defensive back gives the potential move added significance, especially for a Nittany Lions team seeking consistency and physicality in the Big Ten. If Lynn departs, USC would face another pivotal offseason decision, balancing continuity against the risk of losing a key architect of its defensive progress.
In the short term, Lynn remains locked in on USC’s bowl matchup against TCU. Longer term, his next decision could ripple across two major programs, shaping defensive identities and expectations heading into the 2026 season.
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