Lincoln Riley is making it clear whether he will stay at USC beyond the 2025 season or leave. originally appeared on Sports news. Add “Sports News” as Preferred source by clicking here.
USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has finally addressed the elephant in the room: his future on the West Coast.
Advertising
Riley's polarizing power is no secret: he wants to win. His team was probably on the verge of defeat. College Football Playoff appearance if the Trojans had not flinched vs. Oregon Ducks last Saturday.
Quality bowling is now on the horizon for the Trojans. They finish the regular season as the UCLA Bruins, but before the final weeks came to an end, Riley set a record during his media appearance on Tuesday.
“Oh yeah, 100%. Like I said, I'm exactly where I need to be.” Riley told reporters about this. “So yeah, I think this is nothing more than what we're literally building, and I love being here. Yeah, this is really the end.”
ESPN's Paul Finebaum said it would be a mistake for Riley to stay with the Trojans, assuming he had maxed out his potential.
Advertising
“I was especially strict with him” Finebaum said on “The Matt Barry Show.” “Ultimately, it really hurts because he won’t make the playoffs again.”
Even without a playoff appearance this year, Finebaum said Riley has value as a stopgap hire.
“SC fans aren't really crazy about, 'Hey, we went 9-3 on the season. We're looking forward to some good bowling.” “Oh, really, where is it? And how many tickets will be eaten? So, I've been saying here for a couple weeks straight that I think Lincoln Riley should get out of Southern California and see if he can get one of these big coaching jobs,” Finebaum said.
Whether Riley keeps her word remains to be seen. However, the proof is already there, and in a few weeks much will become clearer.
At this point, finishing the season is critical.
