Lincoln Riley buyout: USC reportedly 'stuck with' head coach due to large amount

After a third straight loss to open Big Ten play, frustration is growing around USC in Lincoln Riley’s third year. As for his future and hot seat status, ESPN’s Pete Thamel indicated the Trojans are not likely to move on from their head coach because of his hefty buyout.

If Southern Cal was to make a change, Thamel reported the school would owe Riley upward of $90 million. Since USC is a private institution, that information is not available to the public. But some have wondered whether Riley would be on the hot seat considering USC’s 3-4 record entering Week 9, including a 1-4 mark in Big Ten play.

Because Riley has such a hefty buyout in his contract, Thamel said it’s not likely USC would part ways with him. To put that $90 million in perspective, Jimbo Fisher received the highest buyout of a sitting college coach last year when Texas A&M paid him more than $75 million upon his firing.

“People are unhappy about USC, right?” Thamel said on the College GameDay podcast. “My sources told me this week that Lincoln Riley would be owed $90 million if you were going to fire him. Right around $90 million. That’s like, Jimbo supersized buyout. So it feels like those two are a little bit stuck with each other right now – Lincoln Riley and USC.”

When Riley was at Oklahoma, there was a thinking he could have a future in the NFL. He put together an impressive run in Norman, amassing a 55-10 overall record and a 37-7 mark in Big 12 play. He also played a key role in the development of Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, who both went on to become Heisman Trophy winners.

Riley brought in another Heisman winner at OU in Caleb Williams, who joined him at USC. But since taking over in Los Angeles, Riley has a 22-12 overall record and a 14-9 mark in league play.

As a result, Thamel indicated the NFL might not be a destination for Riley, after all – at least, if he wants a head coaching job. While it’s worth noting USC’s defense has turned around this year, jumping from 119th in the nation in total defense last year to 69th entering Week 9, Riley’s standing around the league has gone “cold.”

“I don’t want to say the NFL market for Lincoln Riley as a head coach has disappeared, but it certainly isn’t what it was at the end of Oklahoma when he was the bell of the ball, talking to all these folks about his pass game,” Thamel said. “I would think it is dissipated significantly because what he has not proven at USC is that he can build a holistic football team. He’s proven he can move the ball and gain yards.

“And look, their defense is better. I want to say they were in, like, the 1-teens in scoring defense last year, and it’s now – after hiring D’Anton Lynn – somewhere in the [60s]. So they’re actually 12 points per game better on defense. But I mean, look, there’s no other way to say it. Lincoln Riley’s cold right now. An NFL franchise is not going to hire a cold coach who lost four one-possession games, and you could argue had better personnel in most of those games that he lost.”