Heading into his fourth season at USC, Lincoln Riley has no real response to the bitter truth– the Trojans have declined each season under Riley. From 11-3 in 2022 to 8-5 in 2023 and a 7-6 mark in 2024, USC has fallen to an extent which is all but guaranteed not to go over well in Los Angeles. Here are five questions that Riley and the Trojans will have to answer in 2025.
What are Five questions USC and Lincoln Riley face in 2025?
1. What does Riley need to save his job?
First things first– stopping the USC slide has to be the first order of business for Riley. Even a rebound to 8-5 would be a positive step for the Trojans. Given the jump into the Big Ten, any sign of improvement would be a positive move. USC posted a 4-5 mark in its first year in the Big Ten, and an improvement there would likely help out Riley’s cause.
2. Is Jayden Maiava ready to be the leader of the USC offense?
The biggest question mark has to be quarterback. Miller Moss was considered the heir apparent at QB heading into last year, but after an uneven season, he’s now Louisville’s QB in 2025. Maiava came in from UNLV after 2023 and did play well enough to take the job down the season’s stretch last year. But whether he’s the answer or frosh Husan Longstreet gets a shot will be a major story.
3. Can the defense continue to improve, or will the personnel losses be too much?
A season ago, new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn led the Trojans to a significant defensive improvement. USC went from allowing 34.4 points per game in 2023 to just 24.1 per game a season ago. They also trimmed from 433 yards per game allowed to 377. But Lynn frankly lost a ton of talent. If Lynn can even keep USC at similar levels from last year, that would be a massive cause for celebration.
4. Who will step up at running back?
A season ago, USC rushed for 145 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry. Most of the work came from Mississippi State transfer Woody Marks, who rushed for 1,133 yards and nine scores at 5.7 yards per carry. But Marks finished his eligibility, and top backup Quinten Joyner (476 yards) is also gone. The top returnee, Bryan Jackson, had 36 carries for 188 yards last year. Iowa State transfer Eli Sanders is probably the top prospect at the spot.
5. Will the Trojans be better in close games than they were a year ago?
The biggest bugaboo for USC is close games. Yes, they best LSU by a touchdown in Week 1. But after that, USC lost to Michigan by three points, to Minnesota by a touchdown, to Penn State by three, to Maryland by one, and to Washington by five. Yes, five of the six USC losses were one-score losses. So the difference between 7-6 and 12-1 was just 24 total points.
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