Amid mounting questions about his future, USC head coach Lincoln Riley delivered a firm message on Tuesday: he is not going anywhere. “This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I’m the right person to be here,” Riley told reporters, shutting down speculation about his position with the Trojans.
Riley’s comments came as USC sits at 6-2 on the season in his fifth year in charge, with the Trojans on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff picture and four regular-season games remaining.
Lincoln Riley (Credits: ESPN)
Lincoln Riley Addresses USC Future Amid Hot Seat Talk
Riley did not dodge the speculation. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, he acknowledged the pressure that comes with leading a blue-blood program and made it clear he still believes in what USC is building.
“If I didn’t want to be at this place, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place,” Riley said. “I’ve had plenty of opportunities to leave. This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I’m the right person to be here. That’s as honest and transparent as I can be with you guys.”
He added that he gave up a great deal to come to USC, and that his belief in the program has not changed. “I came here because I believe in this place, and none of that has changed whatsoever,” Riley said.
USC’s Season So Far: 6-2 and Playoff Hopes Fading
The pressure on Riley has intensified after a disappointing 24-7 loss to Wisconsin, the fewest points a Riley-led team has ever scored. At 6-2, USC’s lofty goals of reaching the College Football Playoff are fading, and questions about whether Riley’s time is nearing an end have grown louder.
USA TODAY Sports reported on Tuesday that Riley and USC are in an “unhappy marriage,” with both sides aware the fit is not ideal, according to people with direct insight into the program. Riley’s response on Tuesday evening was clearly aimed at that report and the wider hot-seat chatter.
Riley arrived at USC in 2022 after five seasons at Oklahoma, where he won four Big 12 titles and reached three College Football Playoff appearances. Since taking over the Trojans, he has led them to a 96-30 overall record and a 27-14 mark in conference play across the Pac-12 and Big Ten. However, he has not won double-digit games in a season since his debut year, and has finished in the postseason Top 25 just once in the past four years.
Players Back Riley as USC Pushes Forward
Riley is not facing the scrutiny alone. USC players publicly defended their coach, with quarterback Jayden Maiava pointing to the work done behind closed doors, while offensive lineman Elijah Paige called Riley the “right guy” and said there is “not a better leader in the country.”
“I believe that everybody in the locker room and this entire building thinks the same thing,” Paige added.
Riley also said he has a “fantastic relationship” with athletic director Jennifer Cohen, who has been “incredibly supportive” of him. Cohen took over the role after Mike Bohn, the athletic director who hired Riley, was dismissed in May 2023.
With four games left in the regular season, Riley’s message is clear: he believes USC is still the right place, and he believes he is still the right person to lead it. Whether the results on the field back him up will decide how long that belief holds.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
