The Penn State defensive coordinator role turned over quite a bit during James Franklin’s tenure, but this offseason, as the program transitioned to Matt Campbell at the helm, the game of musical chairs intensified.
First, it was assumed that Campbell’s longtime DC, Jon Heacock, would join his Penn State staff, so Jim Knowles, who was hired away from Ohio State by Franklin last offseason, left for Tennessee. Then, Heacock announced his retirement, so Campbell had to scour the open market, and while he didn’t pluck a play-caller away from the defending national champions, he made a significant splash in the Big Ten.
USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has informed USC that he’s accepting the defensive coordinator job at Penn State, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 29, 2025
Massive get for Matt Campbell. Also, set to be a homecoming for Lynn, a former Penn State three-time All-Big Ten DB. https://t.co/mvL1nh38I9 pic.twitter.com/r4lC3vdw1h
Penn State officially hires DC D’Anton Lynn away from Lincoln Riley, USC
It had been rumored for weeks that D’Anton Lynn, a former Penn State defensive back under Joe Paterno, was Campbell’s primary target, even before Heacock announced his retirement. On Monday, those talks reportedly intensified to the point that Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports was able to finally report that the hiring had become official just before 1:00 p.m. ET.
Lynn had spent the last two seasons with Riley, attempting to retool a defense that was lifeless under Riley’s longtime DC, Alex Grinch, for the start of the former Oklahoma head coach’s time in LA. Riley hired Lynn away from Chip Kelly and USC ahead of the 2024 season after Lynn had led the Bruins to finish 14th in scoring defense, allowing 18.4 points per game that season.
Lynn has been unable to replicate that level of success with the Trojans, but the unit has improved from 121st in scoring defense in 2023 to 58th in 2024 and 49th in 2025. The 36-year-old is viewed as a future head coach candidate, and his ties to Penn State likely helped Campbell pluck him away from USC for the final seasons before he makes that leap.
Lynn played for Penn State from 2008-2011 before signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent. The multi-time All-Big Ten honorable mention at defensive back quickly joined the coaching ranks becoming a seasonal intern in New York in 2014 and a defensive assistant for the Buffalo Bills in 2015-16.