7-2, on track for 8-4 in the regular season.
Now
Career arc
Bowls and playoffs: 3-5
2017 semiRose BowlL 48-54
2018 semiOrange BowlL 34-45
2019 semiPeach BowlL 28-63
2020Cotton Bowl ClassicW 55-20
USC2022Cotton Bowl ClassicL 45-46
2023Holiday BowlW 42-28
2024Las Vegas BowlW 35-31
2025Alamo BowlL 27-30
This week Wed Nov 4
- Last gameW 30-18 vs. Ohio State Sat Oct 31
- This season7-2
- On track for8-4 regular season
- Nextat Indiana Sat Nov 14 (no game this week)
- Stature13th of 138 FBS programs
What the result changed
- AP poll unranked → #18 into the poll
- Playoff odds 18% → 34% CFB Zeitgeist forecast, before and after
Saturday: at Indiana
No game this week · Sat Nov 14, time to be announced · Indiana is 8-1 · First meeting between Riley and Curt Cignetti as head coaches · USC’s chance to win: 24% (the site’s model)
His week
It’s a non-issue”
USC’s Lincoln Riley on heated exchange with Ohio State AD
The New York Times headline · Tue Nov 3Dozens of stories this week →
The headlines, Nov 1–4 from many outlets
- The New York TimesUSC’s Lincoln Riley on heated exchange with Ohio State AD: ‘It’s a non-issue’Tue Nov 3
- The New York TimesLincoln Riley addresses USC future with prepared statement after upsetting Ohio StateSun Nov 1
USA TodayLincoln Riley was left for dead at USC. Then he stunned Ohio StateSun Nov 1
CBS SportsUSC shocks No. 2 Ohio State in landmark win for Lincoln RileySun Nov 1
Yahoo SportsUSC’s Lincoln Riley takes different tack regarding blowup with Ohio State ADTue Nov 3- Yahoo SportsUSC HC Lincoln Riley downplays viral dust-up with Ohio State AD after beating BuckeyesTue Nov 3
Sports IllustratedLincoln Riley’s Comments After Ohio State Upset Spark Mixed ReactionsTue Nov 3- Sports IllustratedLincoln Riley Identifies USC's Path Forward After Upsetting Ohio StateTue Nov 3
On3Lincoln Riley issues powerful statement with Ohio State win, postgame commentSun Nov 1
247Sports8 takeaways from Lincoln Riley's appearance on Trojans Live after Ohio State upsetTue Nov 3- 247SportsDan Weber's Just Sayin': Lincoln Riley says it with a snarl and that's a good lookMon Nov 2
- Reign of TroyWhen USC looked to be slipping from his grasp, Lincoln Riley stood tall and fought backTue Nov 3
On the podcasts
- Locked On College FootballUSC Trojans prevail vs Ohio State as Lincoln Riley Secures Must-Win Game...Is Anyone Good?Sun Nov 1
Offense: 16th of 138 per play. Defense: 88th.
3 games left
- Sat Nov 14at Indiana (8-1)24%
- Sat Nov 21vs. Maryland (2-6)91%
- Sat Nov 28at UCLA (8-0)33%
Percent: USC’s chance to win, from the site’s model. Records are through today.
How the season got here
USC has held at 13th of 138 FBS programs by stature after every game this season.
- Oct 26–Nov 1W 30-18 vs. Ohio State97 headlines · 1st of 138Lincoln Riley addresses USC future with prepared statement after upsetting Ohio State The New York Times
- Oct 19–25L 7-24 at Wisconsin26 headlines · 17th of 138Wisconsin shuts down USC, exposing Lincoln Riley’s Trojans as CFP pretenders The New York Times
- Oct 12–18No game18 headlines · 23rd of 138Does Lincoln Riley have USC back on track? What spoiling Penn State’s White Out means The New York Times
- Oct 5–11W 31-23 at Penn State22 headlines · 18th of 138Does Lincoln Riley have USC back on track? What spoiling Penn State’s White Out means The New York Times
- Sep 28–Oct 4W 25-21 vs. Washington83 headlines · 1st of 138USC football wins, but shaky performance doesn't quiet noise around Lincoln Riley USA Today
- Sep 21–27 · rebuiltL 27-41 vs. Oregon41 headlines · 9th of 138Oregon outlasts USC. Did the Ducks save their season? Will Lincoln Riley ever get over the hump? The New York Times
Each week as this page showed it at the time. Weeks marked rebuilt came before this page existed: they were built afterward from only what was known by the end of that week.
Watch the biggest plays from USC’s games, ranked by how much each moved the chance to win.
Report card
Offense carries it: 95th percentile offense, above the median defense at 52nd.
USC, every completed season graded against the whole field, then averaged.
Offense
Defense
Each season is his team’s percentile among every team with that stat (the share it beat), averaged over his completed seasons here; a mid-season takeover year and the season in progress aren’t graded. Letters: A+ 90th percentile and up, A 80, B+ 70, B 60, B− 50, C+ 45, C 40, C− 30, D 15, F below.
Hot seat
See every job →This season
Our hot-seat model, on his record so far, the win chances for every game he has left, and his contract (a bigger buyout, relative to pay, makes a change costlier). Ranked against the 132 FBS head coaches with 3+ games this season.
All four of his finished seasons here ended Cool. Now right where 2025 was at this point.
How his seat has moved, and why
His hot seat, week by week
The chance he’s out by the end of that season, as it stood after every week of his tenure here, by today’s model.
Earlier seasons price the games left with power ratings rebuilt after those seasons ended.
What drives his number
The biggest factors, each against the typical FBS job today.
- ▼ Cooler7-2, outscoring opponents by 74 · AP-ranked
- ▲ HotterYear 5 · tenure, which this model overrates
(why?)
Tenure is one of this model’s strongest inputs, but its weight was set when retirements like Nick Saban’s and Bob Stoops’ still counted as being pushed out, so it overstates how much tenure matters.
- ▼ Cooler$52.5M buyout (imputed from pay) · 4.5× his pay, a multiple among the largest in FBS — costly to move on
What happened to coaches like him, 2004–2025
A different comparison: past coaches, not today’s, grouped by one fact at a time. Neither line knows the games he has left or his contract, so they can sit above or below his chance.
- Were 7-2 after 9 games
- 1% pushed out over results · of 321 coaches
- Were in years 5-9, after 9 games
- 13% pushed out over results · of 695 coaches
How good is this number? Checked on every FBS coach from 2010 to 2025, with its percentages calibrated each season on earlier years only: they track what happened — coaches it put near 25% were out about a quarter of the time — and a version pricing the games left with the previous season’s ratings ranked jobs as well as the ranking this page used before. Each week it learns from coaches who were still on the job at that point, so a firing during the season counts. In the Boiling zone it has run a few points high. Every job, and the method.
Poach watch
This winter
Our poach model, on his record so far, the win chances for every game he has left, his program, his pay and his background. Ranked against the 132 FBS head coaches this season. The zone words describe the market’s interest; none of them says he is leaving.
What drives his number
The biggest factors in his profile, each against the typical FBS head coach today. The games he has left are priced into the number, not listed here.
- ▲ HigherAge 43 · neither at his alma mater nor in the state he was born in
- ▼ LowerPaid $11.5 million in 2025, the 98th percentile of published FBS head-coach pay · up 15% on the season before
- ▼ LowerA Power Four program · 91st percentile of FBS in program stature last season
How good is this number? It ranks a head coach who leaves for another head-coaching job ahead of one who stays 78 to 82% of the time, and its average came within a point of the share who actually left. What it can’t do
Tested on every FBS head coach from 2012 through 2025, each season scored by a model fit only on the seasons before it. From three games on, given one coach who left for a head-coaching job elsewhere or an NFL coordinator job and one who stayed, it ranked the one who left ahead 79 to 82% of the time; in a season’s first two games, 78%. Its average chance came within a point of the share who actually left. It counts a move a coach makes while he still holds the job; when his school ends it, that doesn’t count, even if another school then hires him.
- The live number prices the games he has left with the power model’s ratings from this season. The test priced them with each team’s rating from the season before, because ratings made during past seasons were not kept, so this live version could not be replayed.
- Programs new to FBS have no FBS record before this season in the data it reads, so their coaches are scored without one.
- It is frozen: it learns nothing from 2026 until a deliberate refit.
- A coach hired in December needs his background (age, alma mater, the state he was born in) added before his first game, or he shows as not rated.
Fans
Fan chatter
- Oct 31W 30-18 vs. Ohio State
Lincoln Riley FIRED UP by the hot seat he's been sitting on
USC fan - Oct 24L 7-24 at Wisconsin
$500k fine for storming the field, use that towards Lincoln Riley’s buyout
USC fan - Oct 10W 31-23 at Penn State
I can’t tell if it’s a good thing or bad thing that this was the most fire I’ve ever seen from Lincoln Riley
USC fan
Earlier weeks
- Oct 3W 25-21 vs. Washington
Don't let that td distract you from the fact that Lincoln Riley should be fired tonight
USC fan - Sep 26L 27-41 vs. Oregon
"The play that got lincoln riley fired"
USC fan - Sep 19W 42-35 at Rutgers
the problem with lincoln riley is I can’t imagine him yelling at our team. sometimes you need a little saban fire
USC fan - Sep 12W 49-30 vs. Louisiana
Lincoln Riley is wearing, by far, the stupidest shirt I’ve ever seen in my life. it’s honestly impressive how dumb it looks
USC fan - Sep 4W 39-0 vs. Fresno State
We are not gonna spend $140 million to reload if we fire Riley, it’s just not gonna happen
USC fan - Aug 29W 42-26 vs. San José State
Don't forget, Lincoln Riley brisket!!!
USC fan
Dozens of stories about him this week
Bye week. Next: Indiana, Sat Nov 14
1st of 104 FBS head coaches · from dozens of outlets and r/CFB
USC’s Lincoln Riley takes different tack regarding blowup with Ohio State AD
New York Post +1 Nov 3 · a few outlets
All 2 articles
Job talk is up: dozens of stories in the last two weeks, from several stories the two weeks before.
What they’re talking about
The headlines for each topic are on the News tab.
Dozens of stories about him this season
from dozens of outlets and r/CFB
Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here'
ESPN +4 Oct 27 · several outlets
All 6 articles
What they’re talking about
The headlines for each topic are on the News tab.
What was said at each stop
Stories we tracked, by school.
USCDozens of stories2022 to now
Most about: press conference and quotes, win, hot seat.
- ESPN +4Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here'Oct 27
All 6 articles
On3Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here'KNBRLincoln Riley, on USC hot seat: ‘I’m the right person to be here’ReutersLincoln Riley, on USC hot seat: 'I'm the right person to be here'Yahoo SportsLincoln Riley: USC 'is where I want to be. This is the right place for me'ESPNRiley says USC 'right place for me' and 'I'm the right person to be here'On3Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here' - AP News +3No. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans’ first CFP berthAug 18
All 4 articles
AP NewsNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans’ first CFP berthThe Tribune-DemocratNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berthBozeman Daily ChronicleNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berthThe Killeen Daily HeraldNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berth - kdhnews.com 
Saturday Down South +2Lincoln Riley 6-word reason why Desman Stephens stayed on sideline after Dante Moore hitSep 27All 3 articles
USA TodayLincoln Riley 6-word reason why Desman Stephens stayed on sideline after Dante Moore hitSaturday TraditionLincoln Riley explains why Desman Stephens was on USC sideline after ejection for hit on Dante MooreSaturday Down SouthLincoln Riley explains why Desman Stephens was on USC sideline after ejection for hit on Dante Moore
Los Angeles TimesCommentary: USC didn't just lose to Oregon. Lincoln Riley fumbled away the Trojans' integrity.Sep 27- CBS SportsLincoln Riley's USC future in doubt after Oregon loss despite roughly $70 million buyout, sources saySep 28
OklahomaMany stories2017 to 2021
Most about: press conference and quotes, quarterback and depth chart, game preview.
- “Holy cow. Lincoln Riley won't say which position group it is, but says he had one group essentially wiped out -- all but one -- by a COVID test. He said it's a position group that needs "multiple" guys on the field together. #Sooners”Aug 25
- Oklahoma Head Football Coach Lincoln Riley Discusses the 2019 SeasonAug 2
- Lincoln Riley is the QB whispererSep 5
- [Fox CFB] "If your system is not a quarterback-friendly system, you need to find a new system" - Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley explains how his innovative offense has evolved and credits Hal Mumme and Mike LeachOct 3
- Lincoln Riley on Horns Down: "Our players won’t do it"Oct 7
Could another school hire him? What has he said?
Across his career
553 stories about him across 10 seasons
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Stats
Big games
Pick a job to see its years on their own.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
8-1 against his rivals at Oklahoma. Nobody he faced three or more times there has a winning record against him.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
4-4 against his rivals at USC. Winless in 3 tries against Dan Lanning.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
The big-game ledger
How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.
12-5 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against Dan Lanning.
Signature games
Tags describe each game; they aren’t scores. The weighting that picks these games is still being tested.
ATS is his record against the spread: did his team beat the closing betting line, winning by more than it or losing by less? Lines start in 2013; a dash means fewer than 6 of those games had one. One-score games carry no spread record: a big favorite that wins a close game has almost always failed to cover, so that number would say nothing about the coach.
Defining games during this era
From our list of the 50 most defining games of the Playoff era, ranked by how much each game mattered, not by date.
How he plays
Run/pass mix, by field position
Passed more than the situation called for under Henson and Huard.
3,503 run and pass snaps at USC, 2022–2025, his own games, one row per offensive coordinator. Each cell is how much more often he passed than the rest of FBS did in the same situation (field zone, down, distance, score, quarter, same season), in percentage points.
Pass rate, stint by stint
Where each stint’s offense sat between run-first and pass-first, and how far it moved from one season to the next, against the FBS-wide average of 41% pass. The band is that stint’s real season-to-season range, not a fixed-width box.
Season-to-season pass-rate range for all 449 FBS coaching stints with at least three covered seasons, 2004–2025.
Building the roster
Six numbers on how he actually stocks a roster, from signing day to draft day.
His recruiting, really
His 5 ranked USC classes of his own have averaged #22 nationally — best #1, worst #70.
OklahomaUSCAcross every program: 9 ranked classes of his own, averaging #16 nationally.
His class — he had the full signing cycle
Rank is each signing class’s national recruiting rank (#1 is best). Only a class he had a full signing cycle to build counts as his.
Followed him here
Oklahoma→USC2022- Latrell McCutchin DB
Players who transferred from his old program to his new one through the portal in the same year he made the move. Name-matching across data sources misses some, so every count is a floor, not an exact number.
Roster ownership
Roster ownership
of his 2026 roster arrived on his watch — 126 of 127 players. The other 1 is a holdover from before he was hired.
Of his own players on this roster, 14% came through the transfer portal; the rest are non-portal arrivals (high-school signees, JUCO transfers, walk-ons).
25% of his 260 new players since 2022 came through the portal (FBS programs, same seasons: 23%). His share was 37% in 2022 and 12% in 2026.
Graded on the players who arrived and the players who left together, his portal seasons came out better than most FBS programs’ in 1 and worse than most in 2 of the 5 seasons graded. our read
Each player counts once, in the season he arrived. 2021, the first season of portal tracking here, is left off because its arrival records look incomplete (about 31 new players per FBS team, against 52 in 2022). Portal grade: the site’s position-value-weighted scoring (the same engine as the Portal Heat feed and the “Who won the portal” grade): the value of the players who came in minus the value of the ones who left, ranked against every FBS program’s grade that same season. A season with fewer than 4 transfers in and out is not graded.
“His own” means the player arrived while he was head coach; “inherited” means a predecessor brought him in.
Size up front
Size up front
Offensive linemen on his USC rosters have averaged 8 lb heavier than the FBS average (2022–2026) — heavier than 92% of FBS coaching runs since 2010. In the three seasons before he arrived, USC’s line averaged within a few pounds of the FBS average.
Average listed weight of every offensive lineman on each season’s roster, holdovers included, against every FBS roster that season (2010 on; a program needs 3+ seasons under him to appear). Weights are the ones programs publish, and programs list differently. This describes size only — not scheme, and not quality.
Where he recruits
is his biggest recruiting state: 58 of 126 signees (46%) across his 2022–2026 tenure, drawn from 25 states in all. Next: TX (15).
52% of his signees come from CA and its 3 border states (NV 4, AZ 3, OR 1).
- median hometown distance
- 330 mi
- within 100 mi
- 42%
- within 500 mi
- 57%
- beyond 1,000 mi
- 35%
The map counts signed recruits across his tenure; the distance figures cover his current roster, transfers and walk-ons included. Two different groups, kept separate on purpose.
The NFL pipeline
The NFL pipeline
players drafted into the NFL off his teams here. He brought in 11 of them himself; 6 arrived under Donte Williams (3), Clay Helton (3). 3 went in the first round.
| Year | Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | R1.20 | Makai Lemon | Wide Receiver |  Philadelphia Eagles | |
| 2026 | R3.16 | Ja'Kobi Lane | Wide Receiver |  Baltimore Ravens | |
| 2026 | R5.01 | Kamari Ramsey | Safety |  Houston Texans | |
| 2025 | R3.33 | Jaylin Smith | Cornerback | Houston Texans | recruited under Donte Williams |
| 2025 | R4.14 | Woody Marks | Running Back | Houston Texans | |
| 2025 | R7.05 | Jonah Monheim | Center |  Jacksonville Jaguars | recruited under Clay Helton |
| 2024 | R1.01 | Caleb Williams | Quarterback |  Chicago Bears | |
| 2024 | R3.14 | Calen Bullock | Safety | Houston Texans | recruited under Donte Williams |
| Year | Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R3.25 | MarShawn Lloyd | Running Back |  Green Bay Packers | |
| 2024 | R6.39 | Jarrett Kingston | Offensive Guard |  San Francisco 49ers | |
| 2024 | R7.05 | Brenden Rice | Wide Receiver |  Los Angeles Chargers | |
| 2024 | R7.18 | Solomon Byrd | Defensive Edge | Houston Texans | |
| 2024 | R7.21 | Tahj Washington | Wide Receiver |  Miami Dolphins | recruited under Donte Williams |
| 2023 | R1.24 | Jordan Addison | Wide Receiver |  Minnesota Vikings | |
| 2023 | R2.23 | Tuli Tuipulotu | Outside Linebacker | Los Angeles Chargers | recruited under Clay Helton |
| 2023 | R3.39 | Mekhi Blackmon | Cornerback | Minnesota Vikings | |
| 2023 | R7.12 | Andrew Vorhees | Offensive Guard | Baltimore Ravens | recruited under Clay Helton |
A pick counts toward his tenure when the player’s final college season was one he coached, a checkable rule rather than a claim about who developed the player. A blank note means the player is on a verified roster and arrived on his watch. “Estimated” means no roster record, so the final season is assumed to be the year before the draft.
News
Stories about him
Headlines, grouped by what they are about. Each is the outlet’s own.
This week
Win
Sporting News +1USC's stunning upset over No. 2 Ohio State saves Lincoln Riley from Halloween disasterNov 1
Fox News +1Lincoln Riley read prepared statement after USC’s statement win over Ohio StateNov 1- Saturday Down SouthThursday Thoughts: Could Lincoln Riley end up at Texas? Is this a must-win for Mizzou?Oct 29
- Dan Patrick ShowHour 1 – Packers Survive the Panthers on TNF, Lincoln Riley Under the GunOct 30
- Sporting NewsHow USC, Lincoln Riley turned Big Ten, CFP race with complete victory against No. 2 Ohio StateOct 31
Press conference and quotes
- Buckeyes Wire +1What USC coach Lincoln Riley said about Ohio State before SaturdayOct 29
All 2 articles
- [CSOonX] Ohio State AD Ross Bjork says something while passing Lincoln Riley on the way into the L.A. Coliseum tunnel, Riley responds: "F*ck you! F*cking p*ssy..."Nov 1
Eleven WarriorsAcross The Field: USC Writer Ryan Kartje Says Everything Went Wrong In Loss To Wisconsin, Lincoln Riley's Tenure Has Been A “Huge Disappointment”Oct 29
Locked OnUSC Players And Lincoln Riley Explain Trojans Trust Issues On The FieldOct 30- The HerdColin Cowherd Podcast Prime Cuts- Giants Resurgence, Can Chiefs Bounce Back? Are The Browns… Good? Lincoln Riley’s Time Is Running OutOct 31
Game preview
- Yahoo SportsNo excuses for Lincoln Riley and USC versus Ohio State | OpinionOct 29
- The New York TimesLincoln Riley’s future, the Ohio State matchup and more: 5 thoughts on USC footballOct 30
A to Z SportsUSC Trojans Rooting Guide: Lincoln Riley’s squad still has slight College Football Playoff hopes ahead of Ohio State gameOct 30- Trojans WireLincoln Riley improved vs Ohio State but must now beat IndianaNov 1
- Locked On College FootballUSC Trojans prevail vs Ohio State as Lincoln Riley Secures Must-Win Game...Is Anyone Good?Nov 1
Hot seat
- Locked OnUSC And Lincoln Riley Have A Lot At Stake When They Host Oregon This SaturdayOct 29
- Yahoo SportsLincoln Riley Shuts Down Hot Seat Rumors After RG3 Calls Him Baylor Dark HorseOct 29
- Locked On College FootballLincoln Riley, USC Trojans must Beat Ohio State in Big 10 Clash or Hot Seat Talk Intensifies--BYU?Oct 30
- Fox NewsLincoln Riley addresses speculation about his future at USC ahead of huge game against Ohio StateOct 30
- Fox NewsCollege football coaching carousel could explode as Lincoln Riley and Deion Sanders face mounting pressure | OutKickOct 30
Profile and feature
Orange County Register +1Why Lincoln Riley enters USC’s football games with the strength coachOct 29All 2 articles
Orange County RegisterWhy Lincoln Riley enters USC’s football games with the strength coachPasadena Star NewsWhy Lincoln Riley enters USC’s football games with the strength coach- Los Angeles TimesWhy NBC is betting big on Lincoln Riley orchestrating a USC turnaroundOct 29
- Trojans WireUSC is losing a Price Is Right game with Lincoln Riley | OpinionNov 2
This season
Press conference and quotes
- Sports Illustrated +2College football writer says Lincoln Riley has run out of time at USCOct 26
All 3 articles
Santa Cruz Sentinel +1USC coach Lincoln Riley has everything needed for a CFP berth; now, he needs to deliverAug 23All 2 articles
- Fox News +1Texas Tech head coach blasts USC, Lincoln Riley, for poor attendance at LA Coliseum in Week Zero | OutKickAug 31
- Sports Illustrated +1Fresno State's Matt Entz Gets Real On Experience Coaching For USC Trojans, Lincoln RileyAug 31
All 2 articles
- Trojans Wire +1Lincoln Riley addresses attendance at USC-San Jose State gameSep 1
All 2 articles
Win
- New York Post +1USC holds off Washington amid calls for Lincoln Riley’s jobOct 3
All 2 articles
- Sporting News +1USC's narrow win over Washington will not silence Lincoln Riley's criticsOct 4
All 2 articles
- Trojans Wire +1USC wins as Lincoln Riley outcoaches D'Anton Lynn and Matt CampbellOct 10
All 2 articles
- Sporting News +1USC's stunning upset over No. 2 Ohio State saves Lincoln Riley from Halloween disasterNov 1
- Fox News +1Lincoln Riley read prepared statement after USC’s statement win over Ohio StateNov 1
Hot seat
- ESPN +4Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here'Oct 27
All 6 articles
On3Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here'KNBRLincoln Riley, on USC hot seat: ‘I’m the right person to be here’ReutersLincoln Riley, on USC hot seat: 'I'm the right person to be here'Yahoo SportsLincoln Riley: USC 'is where I want to be. This is the right place for me'ESPNRiley says USC 'right place for me' and 'I'm the right person to be here'On3Lincoln Riley addresses future at USC: 'I'm the right person to be here' - Sports Illustrated +1Why Lincoln Riley Isn't on the Hot Seat With USC TrojansSep 6
All 2 articles
Yahoo SportsWhy Lincoln Riley Isn't on the Hot Seat With USC TrojansSports IllustratedWhy Lincoln Riley Isn't on the Hot Seat With USC Trojans - Sports Illustrated +1Lincoln Riley Up For Prestigious Award Amid Hot Seat RumorsOct 20
All 2 articles
Yahoo SportsLincoln Riley Up For Prestigious Award Amid Hot Seat RumorsSports IllustratedLincoln Riley Up For Prestigious Award Amid Hot Seat Rumors - ESPNLincoln Riley, addressing future at USC, says 'This is where I want to be'Oct 28
- The HerdThe herd – hour 3 – Urban Meyer: Make or Break for Lincoln Riley & USCAug 3
Game preview
- Trojans Wire +1USC season preview: Lincoln Riley gets extra prep time for big gamesAug 25
All 2 articles
- USA TodayLincoln Riley facing now or never moment with USC football | OpinionSep 23
- Yahoo SportsLincoln Riley is up for the challenge as USC faces tough scheduleAug 1
- Trojans WireUSC versus Ohio State is a Lincoln Riley-Arthur Smith comparisonAug 3
FishDuckLincoln Riley Faces Make-or-Break Year as USC Enters Big Ten Race With OregonAug 19
Loss
- Los Angeles TimesCommentary: USC didn't just lose to Oregon. Lincoln Riley fumbled away the Trojans' integrity.Sep 27
- Los Angeles Times +1USC loses to Oregon in yet another broken promise of the Lincoln Riley eraSep 26
All 2 articles
- Yahoo SportsMisery Index: Lincoln Riley, USC come up short yet again — and it's fair to ask how much more Trojans fans can bearSep 27
- New York Post +1USC suffers humiliating Wisconsin loss as Lincoln Riley’s seat heats upOct 24
All 2 articles
FanSided +15 Lincoln Riley replacements USC should have on speed dial after brutal loss to WisconsinOct 25
Conference and schedule
- AP News +3No. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans’ first CFP berthAug 18
All 4 articles
AP NewsNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans’ first CFP berthThe Tribune-DemocratNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berthBozeman Daily ChronicleNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berthThe Killeen Daily HeraldNo. 14 USC has everything in place for Lincoln Riley to chase Trojans' first CFP berth - kdhnews.com - Los Angeles Times +1Commentary: Lincoln Riley's latest defensive reboot at USC is nowhere close to playoff-readyAug 29
- New York Post +1USC football has 3 pathways to CFP that could save Lincoln RileyOct 13
All 2 articles
- Sports Illustrated +1Lincoln Riley Gets Honest About the Pending 24-Team Playoff, USC's ChancesOct 20
All 2 articles
ForbesLincoln Riley Eyes First College Football Playoff Berth As USC’s CoachAug 1
What others say about him
Every quote, back to August 2026
What others say
Riley taught me how to [hurdle]. He’ll telepathically tell me [to do it]
There’s a story today that Baylor just fired their coach. They’re interested in Lincoln Riley
I thought Steve Sarkisian was going to work at USC. I thought Lane Kiffin was going to work at USC. I thought Lincoln Riley was going to work at USC. None have
So I think this week the most interesting game is obviously Ohio State at Southern Cal. I was reading some pieces today after the Wisconsin loss that Lincoln Riley is finished
Lincoln Riley, who is now 5-14 against AP ranked teams, that’s not number one teams, that’s 5-14 against teams that are ranked anywhere
In his own words
Really fun win tonight. Great atmosphere in the Coliseum
You grab momentum right away, [the] crowd went nuts
I’ve got one other thing I want to say here
Teams that are going to be there in the end are the ones [that] overcome it and move on, whether it’s a big win, whether it’s a tough loss
If I didn’t want to be at this place, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place
Listen, the first loss that I ever had at Oklahoma, one, I didn’t even think I was going to be able to get out of bed the next morning
When you’re the head coach of a blue blood school, you have to be ready to weather the storms, the overly positive and overly negative
Really disappointing game
Really disappointing game. Just flat out didn’t play good enough on any three sides of the ball
[Wisconsin’s] a good football team
Our ability to adapt in game to how [opponents] are attacking us, our awareness of how we’re being attacked and how we want to attack back is really starting to show up
We came in here, against the odds, everybody in the country counting us out, saying we weren’t going to come win a tough road game
This will be a big game for us, a big opportunity, especially when you look ahead at some of the bye weeks and opportunities here
It’s a hard-fought win … defensively, on some of the steps we took and some of the clutch plays we made
To put ourselves in that position to win it and not capitalize on it, I mean, it guts you
You play in a heavyweight battle like this, and you trade punches the whole night to put yourself in position to win
Desman’s actions in last night’s game are unacceptable and are not reflective of USC Football nor of his personal character
I’ll be disappointed if this isn’t the worst team that we have in our entire tenure here
It’s going to be an electric atmosphere
It’s two good teams, two really good programs going at it
We had contributions from all three sides that certainly contributed to the win, and we’ll build on those
[This was] a little bit of an up-and-down win. … We’re excited about the win, [but] we got a lot to clean up
He got us going a little bit offensively and did some good things
He’s got a pretty strong ability to be very focused and in the present, whether it’s a meeting, a walk-through, a practice, he just does not make very many mental mistakes
I know [Patterson’s] pissed right now about the fourth quarter, as you can imagine
The safeties, those are hard to get. I don’t know that as long as I’ve been a coach, we’ve ever had two in a game
[A] bunch of guys got opportunities, and we had several that did not play the way that we anticipated
I don’t buy into the false narrative
This is USC, right? People are going to pay attention
During my years here, attendance has gone up every single year — as has our play in the Coliseum, including running the table last year in front of a lot of epic atmospheres
They came out here, and they let it rip
He just does what he does in practice. I mean, I don’t think anybody here is very surprised
I think [in] first games you’re always excited to see how we block, how we tackle, how we run out of tackles, how we destroy blocks, play live, being able to disrupt the ball and take care of the ball
We are more equipped than at any point in the previous few years
Of all the guys that I’ve been fortunate enough to coach, I don’t know that I’ve had any that have improved from day one to this point as much as Jayden has
Career
Coaching career
The arc of his career is on Now.
Inheritor inherited a power and neither built it higher nor let it collapse
13th-best USC tenure of 17 by the numbers.
Followed Donte Williams (2021).
| Season | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | ||||||
| Record | 11-3 | 8-5 | 7-6 | 9-4 | 7-2 | |
| Postseason | L bowl | W bowl | W bowl | L bowl | — | |
| Coordinators | ||||||
| OC | Josh Henson | Josh Henson | Josh Henson | Luke Huard | Luke Huard | |
| DC | Alex Grinch | Alex Grinch / Brian Odom / Shaun Nua | D'Anton Lynn / Eric Henderson | D'Anton Lynn / Eric Henderson | Gary Patterson | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | ||||||
| Offense | 99 | 97 | 71 | 91 | 89 | |
| Defense | 0 | 10 | 40 | 33 | 31 | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | ||||||
| 1st-down pass% | 48.9 | 51.6 | 52.5 | 43.9 | 44.5 | |
| Red-zone pass% | 48.3 | 44.1 | 53.0 | 42.3 | 46.7 | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | 39.5 | 36.7 | 31.1 | 45.5 | 42.9 | |
Outperforms his recruiting talent on offense and underperforms his recruiting talent on defense.
Typical size for position, once adjusted for position mix.
Recruits older, more experienced transfers than most.
7 player-seasons honored (All-America / national award): Caleb Williams (2022), Tuli Tuipulotu (2022), Andrew Vorhees (2022), Zachariah Branch (2023), Eddie Czaplicki (2024), Bishop Fitzgerald (2025), Makai Lemon (2025)
AI Narratives — “USC's Offseason Rebuild” and 3 more on the team page.
9th-best Oklahoma tenure of 15 by the numbers.
Followed Bob Stoops (1999–2016) · succeeded by Brent Venables (2022–now).
| Season | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record & result | ||||||
| Record | 12-2 | 12-2 | 12-2 | 9-2 | 10-2 | |
| Postseason | CFP loss | CFP loss | CFP loss | W bowl | W bowl | |
| Coordinators | ||||||
| OC | Bill Bedenbaugh / Cale Gundy | Bill Bedenbaugh / Cale Gundy | Bill Bedenbaugh / Cale Gundy | Bill Bedenbaugh / Cale Gundy | Bill Bedenbaugh / Cale Gundy | |
| DC | Mike Stoops | Mike Stoops | Alex Grinch | Alex Grinch | Alex Grinch | |
| Outcome — opponent-adjusted efficiency percentile | ||||||
| Offense | 100 | 100 | 97 | 95 | 97 | |
| Defense | 49 | 4 | 44 | 89 | 36 | |
| Tendencies — play-by-play, neutral script | ||||||
| 1st-down pass% | 41.5 | 37.4 | 34.9 | 37.5 | 42.6 | |
| Red-zone pass% | 43.2 | 35.7 | 37.4 | 40.7 | 44.1 | |
| 4th-down go%opp. territory | 40.5 | 43.8 | 28.6 | 19.4 | 29.7 | |
Outperforms his recruiting talent on offense and underperforms his recruiting talent on defense.
A typical amount of portal roster-building.
Brings in smaller-than-position-typical players than most.
Recruits older, more experienced transfers than most.
28 NFL Draft picks: Baker Mayfield (2018), Orlando Brown (2018), Mark Andrews (2018), Obo Okoronkwo (2018), Kyler Murray (2019), Marquise Brown (2019), Cody Ford (2019), Bobby Evans (2019) + 20 more
2 player-seasons honored (All-America / national award): Baker Mayfield (2017), Kyler Murray (2018)
Was he good?
A mixed record — ahead of expectations by some measures here, behind by others. The honest read is that it depends which lens you use.
+5.5 pts at Oklahoma · #368 of 1290 · middle halfModel fit as of 2026-09-04.
Coordinator years
Offensive coordinator across 2 programs, 2 stints, before and after wearing the head-coach hat — every season measured on the same axis, whether he personally ran the unit or someone else did.
How to read this. Coordinator seasons come from our coordinator career records; head-coaching-era seasons are the same unit's FBS-relative percentile for those years, regardless of who coached it, read directly from the staff assignments record. A role change (a “hinge”) is a fact, never a performance verdict — only the season-by-season data itself is colored by outcome.
Lincoln Riley in History
- Lincoln Riley leaves Oklahoma for USCCoach change · Nov 28, 2021