Lincoln Riley Dismisses HC Rumors, Confirms Commitment to USC
On Saturday, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit stirred up speculation by suggesting that Florida might be targeting USC head coach Lincoln Riley. While it was purely hypothetical, the rumor caused some anxiety among Trojans fans. However, Riley quickly put the doubts to rest with a strong statement about his future at USC.
When asked if he planned to stay at USC, Riley responded with certainty: “100 percent,” he told USC insider Chris Treviño on X (formerly Twitter) on November 25. “I’m excited about what we’re building here at USC.” Later, speaking to the LA Times, Riley reaffirmed his commitment: “I’m right where I’m supposed to be. I’m focused solely on what we’re building, and I love being here. That’s really the end of it.”
Riley has solid reasons to feel anchored at USC. The Trojans are on the verge of unveiling their best recruiting class in years, including several top-tier players like 5-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe. Additionally, USC’s move to the Big Ten provides Riley with a national stage he didn’t always have in the Big 12. But perhaps most importantly, Riley is supported by one of the strongest infrastructures in college football, including athletic director Jen Cohen, who has earned national recognition, as well as elite assistants like offensive line coach Zach Hanson and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
Riley has stability at USC that he didn’t always have at Oklahoma, and coaches tend not to leave when everything finally clicks into place. While the Trojans have faced criticism for not making the College Football Playoff (CFP) during Riley’s tenure, he remains confident in the program’s trajectory.
“This has been a very good year — right on the verge of being a great year,” Riley said, as reported by LA Times’ Ryan Kartje. “But it’s been a very good year.” With a potential win over UCLA, USC would finish the season 9-3, which would be one of the best records for the Trojans since Pete Carroll’s era. The team’s preseason win total was set at 7.5, and they surpassed that with games to spare.
Although USC fell short of the CFP again, Riley pointed out that the team has been making progress. The Trojans defeated all the teams they were expected to beat and secured a road win against a .500 team for the first time since 2022. They also improved in closing out games, blowing only one fourth-quarter lead this year, compared to five in the previous season. These are steps in the right direction, and Riley believes they are building a strong foundation.
However, next season will bring greater expectations. With a more challenging playoff path ahead, the pressure will be on to deliver results. As Riley has repeatedly said, USC is “right there.” By this time next year, it will be clear whether that statement becomes a reality.
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