On “The Dan Patrick Show” Tuesday morning, Dan Patrick said it feels like “a foregone conclusion” that USC coach Lincoln Riley won’t return next season.
Patrick’s comments included speculation about whether the spotlight at USC has become too bright for Riley and whether a change of scenery would be best for the coach.
Patrick brought up the possibility of Riley going to Baylor, which recently fired coach Dave Aranda.
“I talked to somebody in the know yesterday. I said, ‘Could you see Lincoln Riley going to Baylor?’ And he said, ‘No. Absolutely not.’ He goes, ‘But TCU. I could see Lincoln Riley going to TCU.’”
Patrick isn’t the only one hearing speculation about Riley’s future.
After Saturday’s embarrassing 24-7 loss at Wisconsin, USA Today’s college sports insider John Brice reported that someone with “direct ties to the program” believes the relationship between Riley and USC has run its course.
Even Colin Cowherd, a longtime USC defender, seems to have conceded that Riley may not be the coach to return the Trojans to their former glory.
On Monday’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” he echoed the sentiment that Riley and USC may have reached the end of the road.
“I thought Steve Sarkisian was going to work at USC. I thought Lane Kiffin was going to work at USC. I thought Lincoln Riley was going to work at USC. None have.”
Cowherd’s comments add to the growing speculation surrounding Riley’s future in Los Angeles, even with the reported five years and $55 million left on his contract.
USC’s Struggles Go Beyond One Loss
The concern isn’t just that USC lost to a mediocre Wisconsin team. It’s also how the Trojans lost. They got manhandled and out-physicaled once again.
USC rushed for minus-17 yards against the Badgers. The defense wasn’t terrible, holding Wisconsin to 200 total yards of offense and just 58 passing yards, but it failed to come up with stops on several key plays.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw two interceptions in the first quarter after entering the game with just three interceptions all season. The Trojans also missed two field goals, either of which would have cut the deficit to seven points.
Ultimately, the miscues contributed to another disappointing Big Ten road loss for USC, raising further questions about the program’s direction under Riley.
A Difficult Stretch Ahead for Lincoln Riley and USC
Things aren’t getting any easier either for Trojans. Three of their final four regular-season games are against teams currently ranked in the top seven.
Next up is No.2 Ohio State, which remains a formidable foe despite being without starting quarterback Julian Sayin. USC is nearly a touchdown underdog at home, depending on the sportsbook.
After that, the Trojans travel to Bloomington, Indiana, to face the No.4-ranked defending national champion Hoosiers.
USC closes the regular season with its annual crosstown rivalry game against No.7 UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
The emergence of the Bruins under first-year coach Bob Chesney has added another layer to the pressure surrounding Riley. If Chesney leads UCLA to the College Football Playoff in his first season while USC remains on the outside looking in, the heat will only turn up on the Lincoln Riley hot stove.
The next few weeks could go a long way toward determining Riley’s future at USC. While the speculation surrounding his job security continues to grow, the Trojans still have an opportunity to change the narrative.
It starts this Saturday, on Halloween, against the Buckeyes.
Dan Patrick Speculates Lincoln Riley Could Leave USC for Big 12 School