We at Trojans Wire do not think — and will not say — that Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat at USC this season. Even if this year is a failure, Riley will not be fired. He will coach the Trojans in 2025, no matter what. However, after the disaster of 2023, it is fair to at least discuss how Riley’s seat could get warm heading into next season. It reinforces the pressure Riley faces to, at the very least, improve USC heading into 2025. If we see a repeat of 2023 in 2024, it’s going to get very uncomfortable at USC.
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The thought was that Riley left Tornado Alley and the oppressive humidity of Oklahoma for the beaches of Southern California because he wanted to avoid the SEC. That rumor continues to rear its ugly head, depending on the day and who you believe. Well, the Trojans are headed off to another moneymaking conference where you actually have to play some semblance of defense to compete for titles. Riley’s leash may be longer than the rest of the coaches on this list, and if he isn’t producing a Heisman finalist this year or in Indianapolis in December at the very least, the couch (or the NFL) might be his next destination.
The NFL flight risk is minimal … unless one thing happens: Jerry Jones fires Mike McCarthy as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. That’s the one NFL job Riley might spring for. Otherwise, he’s coaching USC next year.
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