FOOTBALL

D’Anton Lynn To Penn State

USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn is going to Penn State, per Matt Zenitz.

It should be fairly easy for USC to upgrade here. Can someone else allow 500 yards of offense to Illinois? Or more than 400 yards to Oregon and Notre Dame? Well, no more Notre Dame.

So who leaves with him? Is he taking Dawg Work? Does Rob Ryan want to move to State College? Frankly, I think USC should start from scratch and hire a new defensive staff. Who really developed at any position?

Riley didn’t hire any of the assistants other than perhaps Lynn (where he got help), so Chad “Charmin” Bowden will probably run this search.

This is a real chance to improve the program. Let’s see if USC can seize it.

Former Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski will get mentioned as a replacement but that is because he isf not currently employed. USC can afford to look around and see who else is available.

There are some former USC players out there who could be candidates.

Kris Richard, who has been defensive coordinator, who has been defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints, might be worth a phone call. Another former Trojan is Ryan Nielsen, who was defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.

19 thoughts on “D’Anton Lynn To Penn State”

      1. I really admire LSU. They fire Brian Kelly paying him $54 million contract buyout and then sign Lane Kiffin to a 7-year 91 million contract. Obviously, LSU has shown that they are totally committed to having a successful football program unlike USC…disappointing!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Everyone refers to those buyouts as if they are lump sums. They are not. They merely remain on the payroll for the remaining length of their contract. In Kelly’s case through 2031.

        Not only that, but as most coaches do, Kelly has a mitigation clause. He must make a good-faith effort to find another job (coaching or media); Any earnings from a new role will reduce the nearly $800K per month LSU will be paying him. (They’ll still be on the hook for at least half.)

        As others have said, I believe 2026 will be a make it (CFP) or break it year for Riley. We may not be as committed as LSU, but we won’t see the type of patience we saw with Helton.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. Even with that being said, where is USC’s committment to winning a national championship? Since the Pete Carroll era, USC has never had a strong defense. Under Lincoln Riley he has shown a strong defense is not possible and consequently we have gotten no closer to a championship. USC can’t continue to believe they can outscore every opponent and win a championship

        Like

    1. EVERYONE should be. I just watched Lynn’s pre-Alamo Bowl presser and both he and his players looked totally lost. He actually said “it’s not my defense, it’s the players’ defense —they operate the defense.” What the phuck is he talking about? This guy has been playing both ends against the middle since the day he arrived. Bad choice from the beginning.

      #IfWeLoseThisBowlGame,It’llBeOnTheDefense…

      #…AsUsual….

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. So Cal –If you find the time please watch that presser —it’s a joke. Any successful CEO who watched an executive vice-president answer questions the way Lynn answered them yesterday would fire him via email.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Cohen will hire Pete Kwiatkowski her former DC when she was AD at Washington. She will likely hire Jimmy Lake, a defensive backs coach for the Rams who also coached at Washington. Riley will have no say in the hiring decision. Cohen has lost confidence in his ability to assemble a quality defensive coaching staff.

    This is a good development for the Trojans. With the incoming recruits, we have the talent to be a top 5 defense in two years.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Probably right on all counts, Plow. But what happens in tomorrow’s bowl game?

      #Lynn&PlayersLookedLostAtPreGamePresser

      #btw, Huard[ForTheOffense]Didn’tLookMuchBetter

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Just look at it as an exhibition game MG because that is what the non CFP bowl games have become. Embrace it. Play the young players and see what they can do under pressure.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. I’d be okay with that if the Alamo Bowl were advertised that way — “Late Fall Scrimmage Bowl”…..On ESPN, December 30th…

        Like

  4. Scott: Any word on whether Penn State paid USC to cover Lynn’s contract buyout. Supposedly, that has been the hang-up for the past few weeks with Penn State refusing to cover it because they knew USC wanted Lynn gone and had already hired Kwiatkowski as his replacement.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. I wonder how many of these revolving door DCs will result in buyer’s remorse?

    USC lets Lynn walk to Penn State, which is a top program. Some of the USC defense efforts this year and last were awful, yet Penn State wants Lynn – why? They couldn’t do better?

    Texas fires Pete K., assuming they can do better, and so many are hoping USC will hire Pete K.

    It may be the case that for whatever reasons, Lynn will be a lot better at Penn State than USC, or Pete K will be better at USC than at Texas.

    But with only a few exceptions, a lot of hiring successful coaches comes down to rolling the dice, as was the case with Pete Carroll. He had been fired, he was USC’s third choice, and he goes on to become one of college football’s greatest coaches.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      1. Michael, exactly,

        I don’t want Pete to go out like Chip, having failed in the NFL, failing at UCLA, then failing in the NFL again as an OC.

        Perhaps it would have been the case of Thomas Wolfe, and “You can’t go home again”, if Pete had come back, as second acts rarely deliver as we hope for.

        But this year has been an awful one for Pete. His ego is too big to have come back to USC to have been a consultant/DC, or whatever. Maybe he can turn it around next year for the Raiders, but I suspect he will need to get to .500 to continue coaching there for a third year. And if he doesn’t, then it is probably the color booth for him.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Errol Flynn —“Robin Hood” [1939] to “Cuban Rebel Girls”[1959]

        Muhammed Ali –KO’s Foreman, gets KO’d by Holmes in 5 years

        Pete Carrol —-Wins N.C. & Super Bowl –Gets Fired By Riders

        #Wish These Guys Read Sophocles –“Pride Before the Fall”

        #In Other Words, Listen to Spencer Tracy….

        #….”In A Guy Named Joe”: “Know When Your Number Is Up”

        Like

    2. I think Pete Kwiatkowski will be a good hire. Did well with Washington and then spent some time in the NFL. Hired by Texas and had a great 2024 defense, top 3, and a Broyles candidate. Texas’ defense gave up a lot of points in the last half of the season and Sark pulled the trigger. Surprised a lot of people. The Texas players were not happy about it.

      One of the advantages of Pete K. is that he runs the same defense as Lynn which should help the players. Texas has some good players. Maybe a few will go with him.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment