D’Anton Lynn of USC appears to be a football coach who knows his Xs and Os inside and out, forward and back. His raw football acumen is undeniable, and that’s the main reason Lincoln Riley hired him away from the UCLA Bruins. However, there’s something else about Lynn which stands out.
USC football analyst Josh Webb explained this to us:
“There’s something Lynn told L.A. Times reporter Ben Bolch that really stood out to me. When talking about his relative lack of experience in college football and how UCLA head coach Chip Kelly hiring him as the Bruins’ defensive coordinator truly ‘came out of the blue’ and was a huge but daunting opportunity. Lynn knew it was something far beyond anything he’d done, but that wasn’t a deterrent. It was a motivation.
“’I just felt like I was ready to take that step, and I needed to get uncomfortable. No matter what’s going to happen after this, I’m only going to grow,’ Lynn said to Bolch.
“That mentality is exactly the position he’s putting his players in as we speak. Lynn’s scheme relies on big bodies up front to apply pressure while the secondary is given a bit more leeway with their zone coverage. It’s that same healthy mix of absurd pressure and quality coverage that took UCLA to the top of the NCAA in many defensive stats under Lynn. USC is hoping he can perform the same magic with them. USC hiring him despite a relative lack of credentials says a lot.”
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