As the coaching carousel heats up across college football, one of the most asked-about names, Lincoln Riley, is looming once again as an exciting option. The head coach of the USC Trojans finally addressed the swirl of speculation Tuesday evening and made his intentions abundantly clear.
After practice, Riley was asked directly if he planned to leave Los Angeles for another job. With no hesitation, he responded to his commitment to the Trojans.
“Oh yeah, 100%. Like I said before, I’m right where I’m supposed to be. So yeah, that’s, I think nothing other than what we’re building, literally, and I love being here. Yeah, that’s really the end of it,” said Riley while speaking to reporters, via Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times.
His remark follows widespread chatter linking him to a number of high-profile vacancies, including the Florida Gators, who recently relieved their long-time head coach, Billy Napier, of his duties.
During Florida’s blowout loss to Tennessee, the rumors began to swirl of Riley being a strong candidate if Lane Kiffin declined the Gators. But Riley’s words undercut that speculation, signaling that he’s fully invested in USC’s current rebuild.
Despite roller-coaster emotions over recent losses, including last weekend’s 42-27 defeat at the hands of Dan Lanning's Oregon Ducks, Riley suggested the Trojans remain focused on their immediate goal, which is ending the regular season on a high note.
“The season is not over,” Riley said, via SI. “We have a game next week. We are going to get ready for UCLA. We have won a bunch of games this year. The ones we haven’t won, we have been right there. We have a great opportunity to get win number nine this week.”
If Riley’s assurances are accurate, the Trojans, currently 8-3 and ranked No. 17 in the latest College Football Playoff standings, still have a shot at salvaging a strong postseason resume. A win over the UCLA Bruins 3-8 in their regular-season finale would offer momentum, improve their league record, and provide a favorable platform heading into bowl season.
