Rob Ryan makes thoughts clear on his recruiting trips as a college assistant

In January, Rob Ryan was announced as the assistant head coach for defense and linebackers for the USC Trojans. Before this, he had a three-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders as a senior defensive assistant from 2022 to 2024. It is his first college coaching job since he was a defensive coordinator for Oklahoma State from 1997 to 1999.

Since leaving the Cowboys in 1999, Ryan has been in the NFL. Although he has never held a head coaching position, he has been the defensive coordinator for an NFL team on four occasions.

As Ryan returned to the NFL after over 25 years, he was asked at his introductory press conference on Feb. 5 how he would feel about recruiting. Although he has not dealt with recruiting in the NFL, he spoke about it.

"Going out by myself, I would have probably broken every rule. No, I wouldn’t have, maybe a few of them," Ryan said. "I think I’m kind of used to seeing a player, know what he looks like, and when you see a face that you’re used to looking at, you’re like, ‘Oh, I want that kid,’ you know?' So I saw a couple of those on the road, and I’m like, ‘This would be pretty cool.'

And then I got back here and looking at these young kids, you know, he’s 170 pounds. Can you project? I’m like oh, this is where it’s going to be a little different. So, you know, I’m still kind of getting used to that. But, you know, it’s a people business. So back when I was coaching at Tennessee State, 110 years ago, I used to sign a lot of kids, so I’ll be okay. I’ll be good at it, for sure."

Rob Ryan speaks about his goals at USC

Rob Ryan did not hold back when speaking about his goals for his tenure at USC. He wants to win a national championship.

"So obviously, I wanted to come to a place, if I’m going to leave pro football, I’m going to come to a college, you know, I want to win a national championship, and so I wanted to make sure I chose USC, you know, it’s the right place to be," he said. "And so, you know, I chose Lincoln. I’ve been a big admirer of his kind of hard not to like a guy. He’s got all these Heisman Trophy winners, you know?"

USC last won a national championship in 2004, winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.