USC’s D’Anton Lynn reportedly finalizing deal at Penn State – Orange County Register

Penn State is finalizing a deal to hire USC’s D’Anton Lynn to be the defensive coordinator for new head coach Matt Campbell, according to multiple reports.

Lynn was rumored to be a target for the job last week, and speculation only ramped up when USC decided to cancel a Thursday evening media availability that featured the defensive coach.

It’ll be a return to Penn State for Lynn, who was a three-time Big Ten honorable mention cornerback while playing for the Nittany Lions from 2008-11.

Lynn is reportedly one of college football’s highest paid assistants, with a salary of over $2 million per year from USC.

Hired away from UCLA, Lynn spent two seasons as USC’s defensive coordinator under head coach Lincoln Riley and dramatically turned the defense around in his first season with the program.

The Trojans allowed 34.4 points per game in the 2023 season. In 2024, Lynn helped shrink that number to 24.1 points per game. They ranked second in the Big Ten Conference in third-down conversion percentage defense at 33.5%.

There was a slight improvement again in the 2025 season when USC’s defense gave up 22.42 points per game. The Trojans’ third-down conversion percentage slipped to 38.7%.

Lynn said in late November that the inexperience on defense changed the way he coached this season, and he had to simplify his teachings for younger or less-experienced players.

The Trojans (9-3 overall, 7-2 Big Ten) are slated to play in the Alamo Bowl against TCU on Tuesday in San Antonio. Riley has yet to name an interim defensive coordinator.