Los Angeles — Rob Ryan, a veteran NFL defensive coordinator, has joined the University of Southern California (USC) staff as the assistant head coach for defense and will also take on the role of linebackers coach. This announcement was made by USC head coach Lincoln Riley on Saturday. Ryan steps in to fill the position left vacant by Matt Entz, who was appointed as the head coach at Fresno State last month.

With an extensive career spanning 35 years, Ryan brings a wealth of experience to USC, including 24 years in various capacities within the NFL across nine different teams. Most recently, he served as the senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders during the past three seasons under the leadership of Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce.

In a statement, Riley expressed confidence in Ryan’s abilities, highlighting that he is one of the most decorated defensive coaches in the history of the NFL. “With over two decades of NFL experience, he will immediately bolster our staff as we continue our climb here at USC,” Riley stated.

Rob Ryan has previously held the position of defensive coordinator for several NFL teams, including the Oakland Raiders from 2004 to 2008, the Cleveland Browns from 2009 to 2010, the Dallas Cowboys from 2011 to 2012, and the New Orleans Saints from 2013 to 2015. Notably, he also earned two Super Bowl championships while coaching linebackers for the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2003.

Ryan’s connection with USC’s defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, dates back to their shared experience in the coaching staff of the Buffalo Bills in 2016 and the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. During their time in Buffalo, they collaborated under head coach Rex Ryan, who is Rob Ryan’s twin brother.

Lynn has emerged as one of the leading coordinators in college football, having successfully led major rebuilds at UCLA and USC. Under his guidance, USC’s defense showed significant improvement during his first year, prompting the university to extend his contract earlier this week.

Interestingly, Rob Ryan’s return to coaching in the college ranks marks a significant change for him, as he last worked in the college system in 1999, when he was the defensive coordinator for Oklahoma State. After both he and his brother faced dismissal from their roles with the Buffalo Bills in December 2016, Ryan took a two-year hiatus before rejoining the coaching world with Washington in 2019.