D'Anton Lynn - Football Coach

D'Anton Lynn - USC Trojans Football Spring Game

Photo by: John McGillen

D'Anton Lynn

Title:
Defensive Coordinator
Email:
football@usc.edu

D’Anton Lynn, who has experience coaching at both the collegiate and NFL levels, enters his second season USC's defensive coordinator.

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. USC’s defense improved in a variety of other statistical categories including ranking No. 33 in passes intercepted (12) and No. 53 in rushing defense (141.2) in 2024. The Trojan defense ranked No. 58 in turnovers gained by collecting 18 throughout the season and ranked No. 69 in red zone defense (0.830) in 2024. USC finished ranked No. 70 in team passing efficiency defense (132.50), improved to No. 77 in total defense (377.1) and was No. 86 in the nation in first downs defense (262) in 2024.The Trojans concluded the season with a 35-31 victory over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. The win marked the biggest comeback victory in Las Vegas Bowl history. Additionally, it was the largest deficit that USC has ever overcome in a bowl game win, with the previous being a 15-point deficit against Penn State in the 2017 Rose Bowl.

Safety Jaylin Smith earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors. He recorded 59 tackles, including 4 for loss of 5 yards, 2 PBUs and tied for a team-leading 2 INTs.

Prior to USC, Lynn served as the defensive coordinator at UCLA (2023) where he completely transformed the Bruin defense. He elevated UCLA's defense from ranking No. 87 in 2022 to finishing the 2023 regular season ranked No. 10 in the nation.

Lynn's defense finished the regular season ranked first in the nation in rushing defense (69.6 yards per game), second in the nation in yards per rush allowed (2.33) and third in the nation in sacks per game (3.42). Opponents averaged just 299.0 yards per game, which was the lowest by a Bruin team since 1992 (297.8). Additionally, UCLA's 41 sacks rank fourth nationally and are the most by a Bruin defense since 2012. UCLA also ranks fourth in the nation in tackles for loss with 99. The Bruins allowed multiple touchdowns in just 5 games in 2023. UCLA held 9 of its opponents to 20 points or less and only allowed 3 rushing touchdowns all season.

Lynn also tutored Bruin star DE Laiatu Latu, who led the nation in tackles for loss per game (1.8) and was fourth nationally in sacks per game (1.08). Latu won the Lombardi Award and was a finalist for Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

Prior to arriving in Los Angeles, Lynn spent 9 seasons in the NFL. He was the safeties coach for the Baltimore Ravens for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In 2022, the Ravens surrendered just 18.5 points per game, which ranked third in the NFL. Lynn guided a position group that featured Chuck Clark, who piled up a career-high 101 total tackles, and Marcus Williams, who led the defense with 4 interceptions. Lynn also developed rookie Kyle Hamilton, who collected 62 tackles. He was also chosen as East head coach for the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.

Lynn spent 2020 as the Houston Texans secondary coach after spending 2 years as their assistant secondary coach (2018-19). Houston won back-to-back AFC South championships in 2018 and 2019. The 2018 team gave up 19.8 points per game, which tied for the league's fourth-best mark. The Texans +13 turnover differential in 2018 still holds a franchise record and was second in the league. Safety Justin Reid excelled in the defensive backfield under Lynn, tallying 249 total tackles and 5 interceptions in 41 games.

In 2017, Lynn held a defensive assistant role with the Los Angeles Chargers when his father, Anthony Lynn, was the head coach. He worked primarily with a linebacker group that contributed to the NFL's best red zone defense. The Chargers defense gave up the third-fewest points per game at 17.0 and was tied for fifth in sacks with 43. Joey Bosa (12.5, seventh) and Melvin Ingram (10.5, 15^th) were each listed among the league leaders for sacks.

Lynn was an assistant with the Buffalo Bills from 2015-16. He coached a defense that finished fourth in both passing touchdowns allowed with 19 and in opponent completion percentage of 59.9% in 2016. The 2015 squad tied for the league lead with 93 passes defended and held opponents to the third-lowest completion percentage of 57.6%.

Lynn began his coaching career as a seasonal intern for the New York Jets in 2014.

Prior to his coaching career, he worked in the scouting department for the Jets in 2013.

Lynn was signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2012 before finishing his playing career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 2013.

Lynn was a three-time All-Big Ten honorable mention cornerback for Penn State. While playing for the Nittany Lions from 2008-11, he recorded 162 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery in 47 games, while starting 37 of his last 38 played. In 2010, Lynn was second among the Nittany Lions with 75 total tackles and tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions.

Lynn and his wife, Courtney, have two children. His father, Anthony, currently serves as the run game coordinator and running backs coach for the Washington Commanders.