USC hires former NFL assistant Rob Ryan as linebackers coach

USC is hiring former NFL assistant coach Rob Ryan to become the Trojans’ new assistant head defense and linebackers coach, the school announced Saturday.

“Rob Ryan is one of the most accomplished defensive coaches in NFL history,” said USC head coach Lincoln Riley. “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.

Two days after USC agreed to a contract extension with D’Anton Lynn to remain the program’s defensive coordinator, Riley added another assistant with NFL experience to his staff, which also includes the former coach Los Angeles Rams and Chargers defensive line Eric Henderson. Ryan was most recently the lead defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders from 2022-2024.

The 35-year veteran coach, who has 24 seasons of NFL experience, is the son of Buddy Ryan and the twin brother of former NFL head coach Rex Ryan. He spent time with nine different NFL teams as a defensive coordinator or defensive position coach. Ryan also served as the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots during the franchise’s first two Super Bowl victories under Bill Belichick during the 2001-02 season and the 2003-04 season.

The last time Ryan coached in college was in 1999, when he was the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. There, Ryan revamped a unit that had given up more than 400 yards per game the year before he arrived. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Cowboys allowed just 302.7 yards per game and ranked among the top 20 defenses in the sport that year.

Prior to his time at Stillwater, the Western Kentucky grad spent time at Ohio State as a graduate assistant and at Tennessee State as running backs coach, linebackers coach and coach of the defensive line.

Ryan will replace former North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz, who was the Trojans’ assistant head defensive coach and linebackers coach last season. Entz was hired as Fresno State’s head coach last month.