What are you smiling about, Coach Riley? That's a clever way to start discussing Lincoln Riley. The offensive guru left Oklahoma for the bright lights of L.A.. He was brought in to help restore the past glory of the USC Trojans. So far, that hasn't been the case. USC has seen a regression of wins in each year during the time Riley has been at the helm of the historic collegiate powerhouse.
The Trojans went from 11 wins in 2022 to eight in 2023, and then to seven last season. What is going on? The common theme amongst all these coaches has been a lack of progress. Some of the other coaches discussed earlier haven't been able to increase the win total and have stayed stagnant over the last few seasons. But USC has been worse.
How do you go from a double-digit win team in your first season with a new coach to a team that's posting a record of another run-of-the-mill squad in Conference USA? As is the case with Riley-coached teams, the defense is his team's biggest weakness. USC ranked 77th in the nation in 2024, allowing 377.1 yards per game.
USC brought in 15 transfers, seven of them are on the defensive side of the ball. Their top get was former Kentucky defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver. Silver was a four-star transfer, according to On3. Coaches from major programs that are used to winning have already been discussed. Programs like Florida, Auburn, and Oklahoma expect to win every year. USC fits into that category.
Winning and success are always expected at USC. Riley needs to do that this year. If their defense can improve under second-year defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, USC will improve its underwhelming win total from a year ago. If the unit continues to struggle, it will likely mean another mediocre year for the program.
You can't outscore your problems. USC will not tolerate another middling year from its football program. Riley will certainly be watched heavily and will be fired if the Trojans disappoint once again.