Trojans' Lincoln Riley has spent the past week trying to slam the door on speculation about his own future before it swallows USC’s football team entire season. With multiple SEC powers circling and fans wondering if he might jump at a marquee opening, Riley finally planted a flag.
Asked directly if he plans to leave Los Angeles after this year, the Trojans coach answered that he is “100%” staying at USC and insisted he is “right where I’m supposed to be,” fully invested in what the program is building under his watch, per Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times.
Coming off an uneven year but still sitting at eight wins with UCLA on deck, Riley framed the focus as simple: finish strong, beat the Bruins, and keep stacking wins and pieces in Los Angeles rather than entertaining outside noise.
That same “one game at a time” mindset is exactly how quarterback Jayden Maiava handled his own future question. Kartje asked Maiava if he currently intends to return to USC next season.
The sophomore did not tip his hand at all. “I’ve been worried about this game,” he replied. “Focused on enjoying this game with my loved ones and my teammates. That’s where I am right now.”
In the meantime, Riley is juggling significant injury issues around his core. As reported by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, USC will be without star running back Waymond Jordan and standout safety Bishop Fitzgerald again for the rivalry clash with UCLA.
Jordan has been sidelined since an ankle surgery following the Michigan game, while Fitzgerald, a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist with five interceptions, remains out after missing the Oregon loss.
Their absences, plus injuries to Eli Sanders and multiple offensive linemen, leave the USC football team leaning heavily on depth pieces like King Miller in the backfield and Kennedy Urlacher in the secondary.
So while fans are already fast-forwarding to 2025 and wondering which veterans and underclassmen will be back, inside the building, the posture is different. Riley is publicly tying himself to USC, Maiava is publicly tying himself to the next kickoff, and the Trojans are trying to grind out a bruising rivalry game short-handed.
