USC LB coach Rob Ryan names "best offensive coaches" in football world

The USC Trojans hired Rob Ryan as an assistant head coach for defense/linebackers on Jan. 21. Ryan, known as a defensive mastermind, won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.

Following his hiring, Ryan praised USC head coach Lincoln Riley and some other top-notch offensive coaches in football.

According to On3 Sports, Rob Ryan compared Lincoln Riley to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay:

"I am joining the best coaching staff in the country. Lincoln Riley is right there with McVay. They are the best offensive coaches, the best guys in the country. I do not care what league it is or whatever it is; that is just the truth.

Ryan went on to buttress his point:

"I have been around some pretty great ones. I have been around Bill Belichick, I have been around Al Davis, been around Sean Payton, all these guys. These are the best offensive coaches in the country.”

Those are impressive coaches, and it says a lot about Riley's prowess to be put in that bracket.

What will Rob Ryan add to the USC Trojans?

Rob Ryan has worked with nine different NFL teams and achieved great success in the pros. His last role was as a senior defensive assistant coach with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Ryan joins a USC Trojans team fresh off a 7-6 record. He will be tasked with improving their defensive organization, as that was a department where they regularly fell short in 2024.

The Trojans gave up 20 or more points in 10 out of 13 contests in 2024. Such a record is unacceptable for a team with national championship aspirations. So, Ryan's addition should help shore up the defense and make it more focused on the basics, such as tackling, interceptions, and coverage.

Rob Ryan will look to improve the Trojans' defense as that could be his ticket to another coordinator job in the NFL or collegiate football. He could follow in the footsteps of another veteran assistant coach, Chip Kelly, who impressed so much in his brief stint at Ohio State that he got employed as the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of the 2025 NFL season.