Rob Ryan is returning to college football.
The longtime NFL assistant coach and brother of former Jets and Bills head coach Rex Ryan was named the new linebackers coach at USC on Saturday. USC was in need of a linebackers coach after former North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz was named head coach at Fresno State following the 2024 season.
“Rob Ryan is one of the most accomplished defensive coaches in NFL history,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said in a statement. “With more than two decades of NFL experience, he will immediately strengthen our team as we continue our rise here at USC. He has coached some of the best players in the NFL, including numerous Hall of Famers and All-Pro selections We are excited to welcome Coach Ryan and his family to our program.
The job at USC will be Ryan’s first in college football since 1999, when he was in his final season of a three-year tenure as Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator. Since then, he has been a defensive assistant for eight different franchises and was the defensive coordinator for the Raiders, Browns, Cowboys, Saints and Bills during that time.
Ryan has been a defensive assistant for the Raiders for the past three seasons. This was his second stint with the Raiders after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2004-08.
Ryan’s hiring comes days after the school signed defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to a new contract. Lynn was hired at UCLA to lead the Trojans’ defense following the 2023 season.
Lynn took over for the fired Alex Grinch after USC’s defense was abysmal during the 2023 season. Although USC finished the 2024 season at 7-6, the defense improved over to 2023. Two seasons ago, USC allowed 71 plays per game and 6.1 yards per play while opposing teams scored 34.4 points per game. In 2024, USC has allowed 65 plays per game for 5.8 yards each and allowed 24.1 points per game.