The rest of the season for USC will set the tone for what to expect in 2026. With one of the most interesting coaching carousels we have seen in quite some time, could Lincoln Riley insert his name in the list as well?
It has not been perfect for Riley and the USC Trojans — far from it. Many fans are calling for Riley’s head, and he also is not the media’s favorite coach. If Riley were to leave USC, there will be many intriguing other options where he can make an impact and get a fresh start.
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Matt Zemek with College Sports Wire broke down a number of the available coaches for this next coaching cycle, and also some coaches who could become available next. Zemek lists Riley as a potential candidate to bolt from his current team with the Florida and LSU jobs available. Here are his thoughts on Riley potentially leaving for the SEC:
“USC will retain Riley for 2026, but maybe Lincoln thinks about an escape hatch with his USC tenure going nowhere. If USC does fail to make the College Football Playoff, an SEC athletic director should consider making a phone call to Los Angeles. Notable: Lincoln Riley’s agent is Trace Armstrong, a former Florida Gator football player who dangled the LSU job as a smokescreen in November of 2021 before Riley went to USC. We aren’t expecting Riley to move, but a flight out of LA would not be absurd or ridiculous.”
Lincoln Riley has a lot to keep him from leaving USC. He has the 2026 recruiting class coming up, and he has a great situation, all things considered, at USC. The Big Ten is arguably the best conference in college football, and USC has a chance to compete in the conference. Florida would be a great job, but there are still a lot of questions surrounding it.
I don’t think Riley thinks about leaving unless the rest of this season goes up in flames. If USC loses to Iowa and Nebraska, then it might be time to look at other opportunities. Coaches are getting short leashes and less time to win in the new landscape of college football. It does not appear that Riley has gotten to that point just yet.
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USC in its second year in the Big Ten has a fighting chance to make the playoff. USC is a real threat, which is a vast improvement from the 7-6 finish last season. I want to see what Year 3 in the Big Ten looks like for Riley before coaches change at USC.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley probably stays at USC football, but big jobs are open
