Lincoln Riley hasn’t had the start he may have wanted with the USC Trojans. He took over for the Trojans after leaving Oklahoma in 2022, and since then, it’s been a rocky ride.
In his three years at USC, Riley’s record is 26-14, which is not what Trojans fans expected when he was hired. Riley has a revival plan, though, and it starts in the quarterback room.
Lincoln Riley’s USC Revival Plan
Lincoln Riley has long been known as a quarterback whisperer and perhaps an even better quarterback recruiter. The list of guys that Riley has coached includes many NFL names, such as Baker Mayfield, Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray, and more.
I asked Lincoln Riley about how Jayden Maiava has attacked this offseason, as USC’s presumptive starting QB.
He talked about Maiava being his “own toughest critic” and how he’s finding that balance of also keeping positive. pic.twitter.com/Mu4kOfFBFg
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) March 26, 2025
However, since Caleb Williams’s departure in 2023, Riley hasn’t found his next great quarterback, which is the biggest reason for the Trojans’ struggles in 2024.
Heading into next season, Lincoln Riley has multiple options, which gives him the flexibility throughout the spring to decide on his starter for next season.
Riley brought in four-star transfer Jayden Maiava from UNLV last offseason to compete for the starting role. Maiava ended up starting for the Trojans down the stretch and showed promise, but that did not stop Riley from bringing in more talent.
In November 2024, Riley landed five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet to compete for the starting role. According to 247Sports, Longstreet is the 32nd-best player in the class of 2025 and the fourth-best quarterback.
While it’s not clear who the starter is going to be for the Trojans in 2025, what is clear is that Riley is not shying away from bringing in young talent to ensure that USC gets on the right track next season.
FIGHT ON: USC HC Lincoln Riley Sends Stern Warning About His Trojans
Riley could find himself on the hot seat at the end of next year if the Trojans don’t see success, so either Mailava or Longstreet will have to be the key to USC’s revival.
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