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Lincoln Riley opens up on lessons learned, growth of USC vision

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•02/11/25•

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USC head coach Lincoln Riley on the sideline during the Trojans' game against Notre Dame at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
USC head coach Lincoln Riley on the sideline during the Trojans' game against Notre Dame at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (acscottphotography/WeAreSC)

Lincoln Riley isn’t concerned about the direction USC football is heading. This past week, the Trojans’ head coach opened up on his growth while at the helm of the program and his vision for the future.

“I honestly don’t believe we could’ve hired this same staff when I came in here three years ago,” Riley said. “There’s a time and place for all this. There’s big picture visions of what you want to do, but you can’t always do thing every single thing right away. It doesn’t always fit or work that way.

“I think it shows that we’re not content with any part of this program being average or even being good. Like, that’s not our mentality. Any part of this program we’re evaluating on, ‘Is it at a national championship level?’ If it’s not, is it trending that way quickly? And if it’s not, we need to fix it.”

USC hasn’t been at a championship level the past two seasons. Lincoln Riley put the nation on notice during his first season at USC in 2022, leading the program to 11-3 record.

The Trojans were on the brink of a College Football Playoff appearance but fell to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship, ultimately eliminating them from CFP contention. Despite the loss, Riley had set a clear precedent for the future.

Unfortunately for the 41-year-old head coach, he hasn’t been able to reach the same heights since. In 2023, USC went 8-5 and this past season, the team posted an even worse 7-6 record.

Now, the pressure is on Lincoln Riley to return USC to its former glory. Riley hasn’t shied away from this task and emphasized that everybody involved with the program is on the same page.

“[USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen] and her team coming in a few years ago, have certainly given us the support and share that same mentality,” Riley said. “That’s the same mentality that we want every Trojan to have, both inside the program, outside, everywhere. That’s how it gets better as you go bring in elite people, you go continue to raise the level of all parts of the program, and we’re doing that.

“My experience tells me you continue to do that, you continue to bring in elite people, elite players, then the results on the field are going to take care of themselves, and that’s what will happen here.”