Lincoln Riley provides health update amid bout with pneumonia
After missing practices on Monday and Tuesday while battling with pneumonia, USC head coach Lincoln Riley spoke to the media during his regularly scheduled Thursday conference and provided a health update.
Riley said he began to feel ill last Tuesday as USC prepared to face the Utah Utes. Riley said he pushed through the week and the game with the help of some adrenaline, but that things came to a head shortly afterward.
“Sunday didn’t go too well,” he said. “Thought I’d be a little bit better by that point and wasn’t.”
Riley said it didn’t feel like his health was making any positive progress for “about seven, eight days” before it started “going the other direction.” A strong push from the doctors and an even stronger push from his wife, kept him home and away from practices on Monday and Tuesday.
“First practices I’ve missed in 20 years of coaching, which was not very much fun, pretty excruciating to not be there with the guys,” Riley said.
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Riley maintained connection with his coaching staff throughout both days before returning to practice on Wednesday. His health appears to be on an upward trajectory now.
“I’m definitely a lot better than I was,” Riley said. “But it’s kind of a slow process working your way back. I’ve never had something like this before so I’m kind of learning a little bit as I go.”
Riley said he’s made some big improvements over the past 24 hours but is glad the Trojans don’t have a game today. He’s hoping that the next 48 hours provide those same types of improvements before USC’s game this weekend against Cal on Saturday at 1 pm in Berkeley.
Riley said right now the issue is his energy level and an inability to yell.
“Maybe the players like that,” Riley said with a laugh. “Communication is a little iffy.”
Riley said he’s going to do his best to be completely ready to go and at full speed for Saturday, but the Trojans will have contingency plans in place if he’s limited in any way.
