USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley addressed the rumors regarding potentially leaving the program in favor of coaching in LSU and Penn State. The 2025 college football season has already seen several firings and this also means new coaching openings during the offseason.
Among all the coaches, Riley’s reputation precedes others and that’s why his name has been thrown into the coaching rumors for LSU and Penn State who fired Brian Kelly and James Franklin, respectively.
However, the Trojans head coach has no interest in leaving USC.
“You guys know what I sacrificed to be here,” Riley said Saturday. “I’m where I need to be.”
NEW: Lincoln Riley shuts down rumors that he’s looking to leave USC:
“You guys know what I sacrificed to be here. I’m where I need to be.”https://t.co/TyxpoXiKgm pic.twitter.com/jFS68aRvsj
— On3 (@On3sports) November 8, 2025
Riley’s coaching rumors started after college football analyst Josh Pate raised questions about the head coach’s future with USC beyond this season.
“Can we end on this,” Pate said. “Let’s just keep an eye on Lincoln Riley at USC.”
Former Ohio State HC Plays Down Lincoln Riley rumors
Before coming to West coast and joining USC, Lincoln Riley had a successful tenure at Oklahoma, leading the program as head coach from 2017 to 2021. During this time, the program won four Big 12 championships.
However, Riley took a risk by coming West and joining the Trojans. This is why former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer believes those coaching rumors are nothing more than that.
“That’s one of the places I don’t understand, Colin. That’s got everything,” Meyer said on The Herd. “There’s some places that are hard. I don’t think USC’s hard. My entire career, I recruited out in California. It all comes down to recruiting base, tradition, and you have everything.
“I understand you have plenty of resources in the NIL and they’ve got an excellent coach in Lincoln Riley. I expect Lincoln Riley, when you see the recruiting rankings, what they’ve done recently, I see him not going anywhere and they’re going to have a nice run here coming up in the next couple years. … I refuse to believe that, Colin. I really do. I think he stays and I think they go on a great run.”
Riley isn’t quite having his way in the last two seasons with USC. He went 11-3 in his debut season, but since then, he has registered eight and seven wins.
However, this year, Riley has led the program to 7-2 record so far. They are 5-1 in Big Ten and could make the College Football Playoff if they keep winning.
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