Last offseason, former Penn State defensive back D’Anton Lynn left his defensive coordinator role at UCLA to take the same post at USC. Then, after the Trojans unit improved in 2024, Lynn emerged as a candidate to replace now-former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who left for the DC job at Clemson. However, USC head coach Lincoln Riley was quick to lock him up.
On Thursday, Lynn signed a contract extension with USC to remain as the program’s DC. The 35-year-old up-and-coming coordinator didn’t fix the Trojans defense, but he did allow 10 fewer points a game from the 2023 unit that was led by long-time Lincoln Riley assistant coach Alex Grinch. Penn State scored 33 points against Lynn’s defense in a three-point overtime win out in LA this season.
Lynn had not interviewed for the open DC position at Penn State, but likely used the leverage of an opening at his alma mater to secure a big money deal as Riley faces pressure to win entering his fourth year at USC. Now, he’s off the board in Penn State’s search for Allen’s replacement, one that appears to be leading toward an internal candidate.
So far, the only reported interview for the position was Cleveland Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda. Banda is a Manny Diaz disciple, who coached with Allen’s predecessor at Texas, Mississippi State, and Miami. However, Banda became the DC at Utah State while Diaz was in Happy Valley.
If the external options like Lynn intend to remain at their current schools, and Penn State decides against hiring Banda, the most likely candidate is Franklin’s own safeties coach, Anthony Poindexter. Poindexter took over in an interim fashion in 2023 after Diaz became the head coach at Duke and was the DC for the Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss. He has been with the program since 2021 in the role of co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.