Lincoln Riley recalls the moment he realized USC was capable of going on a run in 2022

Lincoln Riley always suspected USC had a chance to be special last season. Nonetheless, the Trojans’ head coach remembers the precise moment he knew he was in for a fun ride.

“We beat Oregon State on the road, up in Corvallis, early in the year; what ended up being a really good Oregon State team. And that was a tough game. We played really well defensively,” Riley told ESPN’s Greg McElroy. “We certainly didn’t play our best as a team, but to be able to find a way to win a really tough game on the road that early made me think we may have a chance to make a little bit of a run here.

The Trojans faced off against the Beavers in Week 4 of the 2022 season. As Riley indicated, it was a grueling battle. USC entered the fourth quarter down 14-3 before rattling off 14 unanswered points to secure a narrow 17-14 victory.

While the nation knew USC’s offense was talented, the Trojans’ defense established itself in the win, recording a season-high four interceptions. The performance was even more impressive, considering the tight timeline Riley faced when building the roster.

USC hired Riley on Nov. 28, 2021. Due to his time constraints, Riley brought in just the No. 47 recruiting class in the nation in his first season, per On3 Industry Rankings. Nonetheless, the Trojans fought on.

“I was excited about the team the whole way. I really was [excited] with the way that guys really bought into what we were doing and the way they bonded even though we put the team together in a little bit of an unconventional way. It was cool to see that kind of synergy with the group that quick,” Riley said.

That synergy especially shined through on offense. The 2022 Trojans hold the program record for most passing yards in a single season (4,696 yards in 14 games), most passes attempted in a single season (515) and most touchdown passes in a single season (43).

USC’s electric offense ultimately led to the Trojans finishing with an 11-3 record and falling just short of the College Football Playoffs in a loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship. Despite the season’s disappointing conclusion, Riley is proud of his debut campaign at USC.

“We just got on a run. We started playing some good football. I think the team gained confidence. There was a lot of momentum and excitement around the program, and it was a really fun run for year one. [We] certainly made a lot of progress,” Riley said.

Watch Riley and Co. attempt to build on that momentum on Aug. 26 when the team takes on San Jose State in its season opener.