Rob Ryan, the 62-year old former NFL defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints as well as several other teams, has joined the USC Trojans as assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach. The former Oklahoma State Cowboys defensive coordinator is re-entering the college ranks for the first time since 1999.
Rob Ryan to Take Over Trojans’ Defense
Trojans’ head coach Lincoln Riley had nothing but praise for his new hire. He is hoping Ryan can fix a defense that has been extremely benevolent to the opposition over the last several seasons.
We got our guy🤝
NFL veteran coach and 2X Super Bowl champion @flowlikerob has been hired as Assistant Head Coach for Defense/Linebackers coach🏈 pic.twitter.com/qX8OgT3oro
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) January 18, 2025
“Rob Ryan is one of the most accomplished defensive coaches in NFL history,” Riley said in a statement. “With over two decades of NFL experience, he will immediately bolster our staff as we continue our climb here at USC. He has coached some of the NFL’s top players, including numerous Hall of Famers and All-Pro selections. We’re thrilled to welcome Coach Ryan and his family to our program.”
Ryan has a previous relationship with USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. The two coached together with the Buffalo Bills in 2016 and Baltimore Ravens in ’21. Lynn and Riley added Ryan to take the place of Matt Entz, who left the program this offseason to become the head coach of the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Lynn’s relationship with the Ryan family goes back to when Rob’s brother, Rex Ryan, was head coach of the New York Jets. Rex Ryan signed Lynn as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
Lynn lasted only one season with the Jets, but made a lasting impression, hiring Lynn as a scout in 2014. When Ryan left the Jets to coach at Buffalo in 2015, he brought Lynn along as an assistant coach.
“[Rex Ryan] kind of got me into the league, and a lot of things that I do, a lot of the way I see the game always comes back to him,” Lynn said earlier this year.
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