USC is hiring former NFL assistant coach Rob Ryan to be the Trojans' new assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach, the school announced Saturday.
"Rob Ryan is one of the most accomplished defensive coaches in NFL history," USC head coach Lincoln Riley said. "With over two decades of NFL experience, he will immediately bolster our staff as we continue our climb here at USC. He has coached some of the NFL's top players, including numerous Hall of Famers and All-Pro selections. We're thrilled 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 has added another assistant with NFL experience to his staff, which also includes former Los Angeles Rams and Chargers defensive line coach Eric Henderson. Ryan was most recently the Las Vegas Raiders' senior defensive assistant from 2022 to 2024.
The 35-year coaching veteran, who has 24 seasons of NFL experience, is a son of Buddy Ryan and twin brother of former NFL head coach Rex Ryan. He has spent time with nine different NFL teams as either the defensive coordinator or as a defensive position coach. Ryan was also the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots during the franchise's first two Super Bowl wins 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 for 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 as one of the best 20 defenses in the sport that year.
Prior to his stint in Stillwater, the Western Kentucky graduate spent time at Ohio State as a graduate assistant and at Tennessee State as a running backs coach, linebackers coach and defensive line coach.
Ryan will replace Matt Entz, the former North Dakota State head coach, who was the Trojans' assistant head coach for defense and linebackers coach last season. Entz was hired to be Fresno State's head coach last month.