The hire of coach Rob Ryan has already had a tremendous impact on the USC program. A longtime NFL journeyman, coach Ryan has done well to adapt to the college game. Particularly from the defensive players, the Trojans tend to go out of their way to say something positive about the linebackers coach.
Coach Ryan has brought an added level of intensity and passion to the team that has been needed. Yet, when a former NFL-level coach takes a job in college, it often comes with the assumption of the college gig being used as a springboard to get back into the pros.