D’Anton Lynn – Penn State

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Lynn, who has expertise teaching at each the collegiate and NFL ranges, joins the Nittany Lions following a two-year stint as USC’s defensive coordinator.
• Since 2023, Lynn’s solely yr as a defensive coordinator with the UCLA Bruins, he’s fifth amongst defensive coordinators in yards per completions (10.48) and purple zone rush landing proportion (25.0%), eighth in fewest fourth quarter factors allowed per sport (4.74), and tenth in fewest rush touchdowns per season (12.0) and purple zone landing proportion (51.61%).
• During the 2025 season, USC ranks second within the Big Ten in purple zone protection (73.7%; thirteenth nationally) and third down conversion protection (33.5%; twenty first).
• First-team All-American security Bishop Fitzgerald ranks second nationally in interceptions per sport in 2025 (0.5) and is fifth in whole interceptions (5), whereas linebacker Eric Gentry ranks third nationally in compelled fumbles per sport (0.42).
• In Lynn’s first season with the Trojans, USC held opponents to a median of simply 24.1 factors per sport, bettering from 34.4 in 2023. 
• The Trojans completed the 2024 season ranked second within the Big Ten and 21^st nationally in third-down conversion proportion protection (33.5%), in comparison with rating No. 106 (43.6%) in 2023.
• Safety Jaylin Smith earned All-Big Ten third-team honors, recording 59 tackles, together with 4 tackles for loss and a team-leading 2 interceptions. 
• Prior to USC, Lynn served because the defensive coordinator at UCLA in 2023, the place he utterly remodeled the Bruin protection. He elevated UCLA’s protection from rating No. 87 in 2022 to ending the 2023 common season ranked No. 10 within the nation. 
• Lynn’s protection completed the common season ranked first within the nation in speeding protection (69.6 yards per sport), second in yards per rush allowed (2.33) and third in sacks per sport (3.42).
• Opponents averaged simply 299.0 yards per sport, which was the bottom by a Bruin workforce since 1992 (297.8).
• Additionally, UCLA’s 41 sacks ranked fourth nationally and had been probably the most by a Bruin protection since 2012. The Bruins additionally ranked fourth within the nation in tackles for loss with 99.
• UCLA allowed a number of touchdowns in simply 5 video games in 2023, whereas holding 9 of its opponents to twenty factors or much less and solely permitting three speeding touchdowns all season. 
• Lynn additionally tutored Bruin star DE Laiatu Latu, who led the nation in tackles for loss per sport (1.8) and was fourth in sacks per sport (1.08). Latu received 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 within the NFL, the place his remaining stint was because the safeties coach for the Baltimore Ravens for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. 
• In 2022, the Ravens surrendered simply 18.5 factors per sport, which ranked third within the NFL. Lynn guided a place group that featured Chuck Clark, who piled up a career-high 101 whole tackles, and Marcus Williams, who led the protection with 4 interceptions. He additionally developed rookie Kyle Hamilton, who collected 62 tackles.
• Lynn was additionally chosen as East head coach for the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
• He spent the 2020 season because the Houston Texans secondary coach after spending two years as their assistant secondary coach (2018-19). 
• Houston received back-to-back AFC South championships in 2018 and 2019. The 2018 workforce gave up 19.8 factors per sport, which tied for the league’s fourth-best mark. The Texans +13 turnover differential in 2018 nonetheless holds a franchise file and was second within the league. Safety Justin Reid excelled within the defensive backfield below Lynn, tallying 249 whole tackles and 5 interceptions in 41 video games.
• In 2017, Lynn held a defensive assistant position with the Los Angeles Chargers when his father, Anthony Lynn, was the pinnacle coach. He labored primarily with a linebacker group that contributed to the NFL’s finest purple zone protection. The Chargers protection gave up the third-fewest factors per sport at 17.0 and was tied for fifth in sacks with 43. Joey Bosa (12.5, seventh) and Melvin Ingram (10.5, fifteenth) had been every listed among the many league leaders for sacks.
• Lynn was an assistant with the Buffalo Bills from 2015-16. He coached a protection that completed fourth in each passing touchdowns allowed with 19 and opponent completion proportion 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 proportion of 57.6%.
• Lynn started his teaching profession as an intern for the New York Jets in 2014 and previous to that, labored for the scouting division with the Jets in 2013.

PLAYING CAREER

• Lynn was a three-time All-Big Ten honorable point out cornerback for the Nittany Lions.
• While taking part in for the Nittany Lions from 2008-11, he recorded 162 whole tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4 interceptions and one fumble restoration in 47 video games, whereas beginning 37 of his final 38 performed.
• In 2010, Lynn was second among the many Nittany Lions with 75 whole tackles and tied for the workforce lead with three interceptions.
• He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2012 earlier than ending his taking part in profession with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 2013.

PERSONAL

• A local of Celina, Texas, Lynn earned his diploma in communication arts and sciences from Penn State in 2012.
• He and his spouse, Cortney, have three kids, two sons, Anthony and Lonnie, and a lady, Remi.
• His father, Anthony, presently serves because the run sport coordinator and operating backs coach for the Washington Commanders and has coached within the NFL for greater than 25 years.

THE LYNN FILE

Personal

Year at Penn State: 1st

Hometown: Celina, Texas

Education: Penn State, 2012 – B.A. Communication Arts and Sciences

Family: Wife: Courtney; Sons: Anthony, Lonnie; Daughter: Remi

Coaching Career

2026-: Penn State [Defensive Coordinator]

2024-25: USC [Defensive Coordinator]

2023: UCLA [Defensive Coordinator]

2021-22: Baltimore Ravens [Safeties]

2020: Houston Texans [Secondary]

2018-19: Houston Texans [Assistant Secondary]

2017: Los Angeles Chargers [Defensive Assistant]

2015-16: Buffalo Bills [Defensive Assistant]

2014: New York Jets [Coaching Intern]

Playing Experience

2013: Hamilton Tiger-Cats

2012: New York Jets

2009-12: Penn State

Postseason as a Coach

2025: Alamo Bowl [USC; did not coach in bowl]

2024: Las Vegas Bowl [USC]

2023: LA Bowl [UCLA; did not coach in bowl]

2022: AFC Wild Card [Baltimore Ravens]

2019: AFC Divisional [Houston Texans]

2018: AFC Wild Card [Houston Texans]

Prominent Players Coached

Chuck Clark [Baltimore Ravens]: 33-game starter 2021-22

Kyle Hamilton [Baltimore Ravens]: Named to PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2022

Marlon Humphrey [Baltimore Ravens]: Named to the Pro Bowl in 2022

Laiatu Latu [UCLA]: Indianapolis Colts; 2024 first-round decide

Tyrann Mathieu [Houston Texans]: 16-game starter in 2020

Kain Medrano [UCLA]: Washington Commanders; 2025 sixth-round decide

Darius Muasau [UCLA]: New York Giants; 2024 sixth-round decide

Oluwafemi Oladejo [UCLA]: Tennessee Titans; 2025 second-round decide

Marcus Peters [Baltimore Ravens]: 13-game starter in 2022

Justin Reid [Houston Texans]: 40-game begin 2018-20

Carson Schwesinger [UCLA]: Cleveland Browns; 2025 second-round decide

Jaylin Smith [USC]: Houston Texans; 2025 third-round decide

Jay Toia [UCLA]: Dallas Cowboys; 2024 seventh-round decide

Marcus Williams [Baltimore Ravens]: 10 begins and 4 interceptions in 2022