Football Hires D'Anton Lynn as Defensive Coordinator
February 27, 2023 | Football
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA head football coach Chip Kelly announced Monday the hiring of D'Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator. An NFL coaching veteran, Lynn most recently served as safeties coach for the Baltimore Ravens. He replaces Bill McGovern, who will remain on staff as director of football administration.
"We are excited to add D'Anton to our staff as defensive coordinator," said Kelly. "His energy and enthusiasm, along with his experience, will make an immediate impact. I look forward to watching him develop our players both on and off the field.
"We are grateful to Billy and his family for their commitment to our program. We have the utmost respect for his leadership and character and we look forward to having him continue to help us in his new role."
In 2022, the Baltimore defense surrendered just 18.5 points per game, good for third in the league. Lynn guided a unit that featured Chuck Clark, who piled up a career-high 101 total tackles, and Marcus Williams, whose team-best four interceptions came in 10 games. Lynn also aided in the development of rookie Kyle Hamilton, who made 62 stops.
With Lynn overseeing the defensive backs in 2021, the Ravens recorded a third-down defense rate of 34.8% that ranked third overall. Lynn was chosen as East head coach for the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
"I'm excited to welcome D'Anton Lynn and his family to Westwood," said Martin Jarmond, UCLA's Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics. "He comes highly regarded for his character, values and commitment to developing young men. He joins a talented staff dedicated to providing an elite experience for our student-athletes."
After two years as assistant secondary coach, Lynn was promoted to secondary coach by the Houston Texans in 2020. Houston won back-to-back AFC South championships in 2019 and 2018. The 2018 team gave up 19.8 points per game, tied for the league's fourth-best mark. The Texans' +13 turnover differential in 2018 still represents a franchise record and was second overall. Safety Justin Reid was a stalwart in the defensive backfield under Lynn, logging 249 total tackles and five interceptions in 41 games.
Lynn served as a defensive assistant under his father, head coach Anthony, with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017. He worked primarily with a linebackers group that contributed to the NFL's best red zone defense, allowing opponents to score at a clip of just 36.1%. The Chargers defense gave up the third-fewest points per game at 17.0 and was tied for fifth in sacks with 43. Joey Bosa (12.5, seventh) and Melvin Ingram (10.5, 15th) were each listed among the league leaders for sacks.
A Buffalo Bills assistant for two years, Lynn supported a defense that finished fourth in both passing touchdowns allowed with 19 and opponent completion percentage at 59.9 in 2016. The 2015 squad tied for the league lead with 93 passes defensed and saw opponents record the third-lowest completion rate at 57.6%.
Lynn began his coaching career as a seasonal intern for the New York Jets in 2014. He previously worked for the team's scouting department in 2013. Lynn was signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2012 before landing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 2013.
A three-time honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection as a cornerback, Lynn played for three 10-win teams at Penn State from 2008-2011. He recorded 162 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions and one fumble recovery across 47 games โ starting 37 of his last 38 played. In 2010, Lynn was second among the Nittany Lions with 75 total tackles and tied for the team lead with three interceptions.
Kelly also announced Monday title changes for three members of the coaching staff.
โข DeShaun Foster โ Associate Head Coach and Running Backs Coach
โข Ikaika Malloe โ Defensive Line Coach and Outside Linebackers Coach
โข Brian Norwood โ Assistant Head Coach, Passing Game Coordinator and Safeties Coach
Kodi Whitfield was previously addedย to the staff as cornerbacks coach.