Lincoln Riley wants last year's disappointing end to be part of this season's team identity

In his inaugural season as the head coach at USC, Lincoln Riley, and the Trojans came up just short of the College Football Playoff. Then USC ended their season badly in the Cotton Bowl. But if you think Riley wants his team to forget about the past and just move on, you’re mistaken.

During a recent interview, the USC headman admitted that he wants last year’s disappointing end to be part of this season’s team identity.

“I definitely want them to think about that. I think about it every day, you know,” said Riley. “I mean, we’re human… like we’re not a computer. You can’t just reprogram us, and we just totally forget everything and move on. Sometimes you’d like that, but it doesn’t work like that.

“And I think that’s part of all of our motivation is we were able to do some great things, and it was a fantastic turnaround. It was a great year, but it was also; we know we left some things out there. And we know we’re gonna have some opportunities upcoming to go back and get it. So absolutely, I want that to be part of the mentality, even for the newcomers that came in. Our new guys, you ought to have that same edge about you too. Like, we’re all Trojans now, okay? And we all own it.”

Riley is all in on being the head coach at USC. He is a Trojan through and through. And that means whether it happens now or it happened in the past, it is a part of this team and their identity. For Riley, if you’re going to be a Trojan, you’re either all the way in or you’re out.

“I told the guys last year; there were times in games last year when I wasn’t a part of the team the year before, but some of the things pissed me off. I’m a Trojan now. Like I own everything before and after. You can’t just, oh well; I wasn’t there for that. No. If you’re in it, you’re in it; you’re all in.

“And so, absolutely, I want us to have that edge. One, it’s an edge, but two, it’s a confidence now that I think they know we can’t do it. And an excitement to go prepare and work harder (and) be even better. So that we can take advantage of some of the same things that we were able to do this last year and hopefully a couple more.”

USC had a rough final two games of the season, losing the Pac-12 championship game to Utah, followed by an upset loss to Tulane in their bowl matchup. Trojans star quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was limited in both games with a leg injury. Still, USC lost, and instead of running away from that, Riley wants his team to build on it and improve on the results of last season.