USC will have a major staff change after losing top assistant to Big Ten rival

USC Trojans defensive coordinator Danton Lynn is departing to assume the same role at his alma mater, Penn State.

USC learned of Lynn’s decision on the eve of the Alamo Bowl, making it unlikely he’ll call the defense against TCU. Defensive line coach Eric Henderson is a possible choice to take over defensive play-calling as USC pushes for its tenth win of the season. In all likelihood, USC knew well before this week that Lynn would be leaving and has probably already started or even finished their search for a new defensive coordinator, though no formal announcement has been made.

Lynn’s time at USC was overall a positive experience. While the Trojans’ 2024 record didn’t fully reflect it, the team showed major improvement after Lincoln Riley lured him away from UCLA. Lynn’s defensive concepts and strategies consistently put players in the best possible positions, and he excelled at maximizing the performance of a unit that lacked elite talent.

After the 2024 season, Penn State made a push for him, but USC kept him by making him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the nation. Ultimately, USC could only fend off one attempt, as the chance to return to his alma mater under new head coach Matt Campbell was too good for Lynn to turn down a second time.

While the Trojans are much better from a record standpoint in 2025, the defense did not progress as many would have hoped. It is likely that a mixture of talent available and coaching equally played a part in that frustration. However, USC's defense was nothing short of fantastic in the second half of football games this season and that speaks to Lynn's ability to make adjustments on the fly and as mentioned earlier, put players in the most advantageous position to be successful.

Perhaps my favorite stat of the Danton Lynn era is that after Lincoln Riley hired him away from UCLA, the Trojans went 2-0 versus the Bruins. Lynn was also able to essentially cut USC's defensive rankings in half each year he was there which was vital in finding success in 2025.

Ultimately, Lynn fulfilled his role over his two-year tenure by maximizing the performance of a talent-deficient defensive unit. USC has been proactive in elevating the talent level across the board, particularly with the nation’s top 2026 recruiting class, which includes two five-star defensive commits, Luke Wafle and Elbert Hill.

Former SEC coordinator is name to watch

The USC defensive coordinator position is expected to draw significant interest, with several potential candidates likely to emerge. Early indications suggest that recently dismissed Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatowski is the frontrunner. Kwiatowski has strong West Coast ties, having played at Boise State, coached for the Broncos, and later joined Chris Petersen at Washington.

At that time, Jen Cohen served as Athletic Director, making their familiarity noteworthy. Should USC act swiftly, Kwiatowski would be an outstanding hire, returning a highly skilled defensive play-caller to the region. Although Steve Sarkisian released him, Texas still ranked in the top 25 nationally in total defense this year.