In 2022, Coach D’Anton Lynn served as the safeties coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore’s defense surrendered just 18.5 points per game, good for third in the NFL. Lynn guided a unit that featured safety Chuck Clark, who compiled a career-high 101 tackles and Marcus Williams, who led the Ravens with four interceptions. In 2023, Coach Lynn has enjoyed a high level of success in his first year as a collegiate assistant coach while serving as the defensive coordinator of UCLA’s No. 13 ranked defense (294.3 yards per game). He has produced results that have not been seen in Westwood in decades on the defensive side of the ball. The Bruins currently rate second in the nation in rushing defense (70.4 yards) and have held three opponents to less than 30 yards of rushing for the first time since the 1993 season. UCLA is allowing 16.3 points per game which ranks 13th nationally. The last season in which a UCLA team held opponents to an average of less than 17 points per contest for a season was in 1991. UCLA currently is second in the nation allowing just 2.31 yards per rush this season and is tied for first nationally with just one rushing TD allowed on the season through nine games. The Bruin defense has given up just 13 TDs to date which leads the Pac-12 and is tied for fourth in the nation. Opponents have scored those 13 touchdowns on a total of 113 drives. Compared to the 2022 season, UCLA’s 2023 defense, through nine games, has generated 77.0 TFLs compared to 46.0 at this time a year ago. It has totaled 34.0 sacks compared to 20.0 in 2022. UCLA is allowing 60 less rushing yards per game than in 2022, 1.5 less yards per carry and 1.1 less yards per play compared to a season ago. UCLA has been credited with 11 tackles for loss in two games this season which is the most by a Bruin team since 2011. The defense is tied for first or first in the Pac-12 in the following defensive categories — passes intercepted (10), rushing defense (70.4), team sacks (3.78), team tackles for loss (8.6), yards per play allowed (4.8), defensive TDs allowed (13) and yards per rush allowed (2.3). This is a year after not leading the Pac-12 in a single defensive category. The Bruin defense ranks among the nation’s top-20 in nine categories — team sacks (2nd), passes intercepted (19th), rushing defense (2nd), scoring defense (13th), team tackles for loss (3rd), turnovers gained (19th) and total defense (13th). This is a year after not ranking among the top-20 in any defensive categories. In his own words, Coach Lynn says, “I did not know, coming from the NFL to college, how the players would respond to the scheme we would implement and how quickly they would pick it up. So far, so good, they have picked up more than I expected and done it sooner than expected.” “He makes complex things seem very simple,” says UCLA head coach Chip Kelly. “But he also can make the simple seem complex to opposing offenses.”“Coach wants obnoxious communication, shocking effort and taking the ball away,” says defensive tackle Jay Toia.“He loves to go slow and make sure all of this is perfection,” says safety Kenny Churchwell III. “We gain confidence from his style of teaching.”“Everyone knows what everybody is doing,” says edge rusher Laiatu Latu. “He is trying to get us all on the same page. That is what I love about him.” Individually, UCLA features the Pac-12 leader in interceptions per game (0.4) and total interceptions (4) in Alex Johnson (10th nationally) and in tackles for loss Laiatu Latu (1.8 – third nationally).
