Report: Penn State Defensive Coordinator Candidate D’Anton Lynn Agrees to USC Contract Extension

A candidate to replace Tom Allen as Penn State’s defensive coordinator appears to be out of the running. D’Anton Lynn, who played for the Nittany Lions from 2008 to 2011, has agreed to a contract extension to remain the defensive coordinator at USC, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Thursday night.

Lynn revitalized UCLA’s defense as a national force in 2023 before joining the Trojans last offseason. In his first year at USC, Lynn improved a defense that ranked No. 121 nationally in total defense in 2023 to No. 58 this past season. The Trojans also improved from No. 117 in scoring defense to No. 46, and made the same jump in opponent rushing yards per game.

Lynn “received coordinator interest” this cycle, Thamel reported. It appears very possible that Penn State reached out to fill its third defensive coordinator vacancy in four years.

Allen, who joined James Franklin’s staff last year after seven seasons as Indiana’s head coach, was announced as Clemson’s next defensive coordinator on Tuesday. He cited “faith and family” as the primary reasons for his departure. Both of Allen’s daughters live in the Carolinas.

With Lynn staying put at USC, Franklin can cross one coach off his potential wish list to lead what’s expected to be one of the nation’s top defenses next season. 

It remains unclear who will fill Allen’s void, but a meeting scheduled for Monday by Penn State’s Board of Trustees Committee on Equity and Human Resources suggests a decision could be made soon. It’s the duty of Penn State’s HR committee to approve the compensation of any hire or promotion that exceeds that of university president at any point in the contract.

An agenda for Monday’s meeting was published on Thursday and has “personnel matters” as the only order of business. That was the same item labeled to the agendas that preceded the hires of Allen and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki in December 2023.