Rob Ryan Named USC Football Assistant Head Coach for Defense / Linebackers Coach

Football | January 18, 2025

LOS ANGELES—Rob Ryan, a Super Bowl-winning coach with 35 years of experience, has been named USC’s assistant head coach for defense/linebackers coach, head coach Lincoln Riley announced today (Jan. 18). 
 
“Rob Ryan is one of the most accomplished defensive coaches in NFL history,” said Riley. “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.”
 
In his 35 years of coaching, including 24 seasons in the NFL, Ryan has served as the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders (2004-08), Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Dallas Cowboys (2011-12) and New Orleans Saints (2013-15), while also holding coaching positions with the Arizona Cardinals (1994-95), New England Patriots (2000-03), Buffalo Bills (2016), Washington Redskins (2019), Baltimore Ravens (2021) and Las Vegas Raiders (22-24).
 
Ryan most recently served as a senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders from 2022-24.
 
During the 2022 season, Ryan helped guide DE Maxx Crosby to his second Pro Bowl selection after recording career bests in tackles (88), tackles for loss (22) and sacks (12.5). Crosby’s 88 tackles are the most in a single season by a Raiders defensive lineman, and he became only the second defensive lineman in franchise history to record 20+ tackles for loss in a single season. He also worked with four-time Pro Bowler DE Chandler Jones, who finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Under the guidance of Ryan, the defense ranked 19^th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (122.8 yards per game) and saw a slight improvement in tackles for loss (68) and stuffs (39) from the previous year.
 
In 2023, Ryan helped lead a unit that allowed just 331 points, the ninth best mark in the NFL and the fewest points allowed by the Raiders in a single season since 2002 (304). The Raiders defense also recorded 5 defensive touchdowns in 2023, the second most in the league and tied for the third most in a single season in franchise history – the most since 2000 (6). Ryan also helped lead the defense to a major improvement from the first…