mymotherlode
Southern California's pursuit of a College Football Playoff spot is once again on shaky ground, and head coach Lincoln Riley's tenure appears to be under increasing scrutiny. However, Riley made it clear on Tuesday that he has no intentions of walking away from either challenge.
Speaking at USC's $225 million Bloom Performance Center, Riley voiced his affection for the university and his belief in the trajectory of the football program as the Trojans (6-2) gear up for a pivotal showdown against No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday night. "My job is to stay steady," Riley said. "If I didn't want to be at this place, I wouldn't have come here in the first place. If I didn't want to be at this place, 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."
Riley's comments come after USC's embarrassing 24-7 loss at Wisconsin last weekend, which marked the worst offensive performance of any team he has coached. The Trojans are currently unranked midway through Riley's fifth season, and he has yet to secure a conference title or a playoff berth. USC shelled out big money to lure Riley away from Oklahoma in hopes of reviving a program that had languished in mediocrity for a decade, but that level of success has yet to materialize on the West Coast. Nevertheless, Riley insists it's still attainable this season and beyond.
"I love it here," Riley said. "There's not too many people in college football history that gave up what I gave up to come here, so I don't care if it's 15 years down the line, that never should be taken lightly. I came here because this is where I wanted to be. I came here because I believe in this place, and none of that has changed whatsoever."
Riley, a Texas native who had never coached west of Lubbock before arriving at USC, also pushed back against the notion that he hasn't been a good fit in Los Angeles. He described his relationship with athletic director Jen Cohen, who took over in 2023, as "fantastic." "She's a tremendous AD," Riley said. "Even though she's not the AD that I came here with and I'm not the head coach that she hired, (it's a) fantastic relationship. She's been a huge part of the progress that we've made and has been incredibly supportive."
USC hired Riley to replace Clay Helton, the longtime assistant who took over in unusual circumstances and held the job for a surprisingly long time before being fired in 2021. But Riley's record with the Trojans stands at 41-20, while Helton was 39-22 at the same point in his widely criticized tenure. And USC would need something extraordinary to secure the school's first playoff berth over the next four games: three of the Trojans' final four opponents are currently ranked in the top seven of the AP Top 25, with a combined record of 20-2.
After facing Ohio State and a bye week, USC travels to defending national champion Indiana before closing out the regular season against Maryland and No. 7 UCLA. The crosstown Bruins' success this season under first-year coach Bob Chesney is particularly irksome to Trojans fans who see their own aspirations being fulfilled in Westwood.
But Riley isn't giving up, and neither are his players. "I know he's the right guy," left tackle Elijah Paige said. "Coach Riley is actually the reason I came here. I believe there's not a better leader in the country, and I love going to war for Coach Riley. I believe everybody in this locker room and this entire building thinks the same thing."
Key Analysis
Riley's reaffirmation of commitment comes at a critical juncture for USC, which faces a daunting schedule that could define its season. While the coach's optimism remains unwavering, the pressure to deliver results is mounting, especially with rival UCLA thriving under a new regime. The Trojans' ability to navigate this challenging stretch will likely determine whether Riley's faith in the program's direction is justified.
Originally reported by mymotherlode.