USC Football: Lincoln Riley Addresses Rumors He Might Ditch Trojans To Follow Caleb Williams To NFL
It felt like a decade ago that the USC Trojans hired head coach Lincoln Riley. It felt like the tide was turning that the USC Trojans were back on the map, and the return to glory was on the horizon. That feeling was only two years ago, and just a year ago, that's how the program and its fans felt.
How fast things change in a year. Now, as we sit in late November of 2023, the Trojans sit on the outside looking in once again, with a 7-5 record and zero chance to play for a Pac-12 title game or a college football playoff game.
The mighty have fallen; however, there's only one way to go, and that is up, folks. No matter how you feel about Riley, he will be back to coach the Men of Troy, no matter what you've heard, and it came from the man himself.
Hell no. No. I’m coaching at SC. Period. I didn’t come here for some short-term thing and as long as SC continues to give us the support and the things we need to continue to build this, this was not a two-year rebuild. No. I’m going to be the coach at SC. Period. End of discussion. I’m so committed to this place because I know what it can be. And if that commitment continues to get matched around us, we’re going to do what we’ve got to do in here and make the adjustments, make the tough decisions, push on the good, own the bad, fix the bad. We’re in it through all the twists and turns and I wanted to make sure people knew that and the more people we have with that same attitude, the faster this thing’s going to get back to normal.
He hasn't announced, but by all indications, USC star quarterback Caleb Williams will declare for the NFL Draft and be selected number one overall.
Rumors are swirling that Riley will leave USC to coach the team Williams ends up with, but you heard the man, he is going nowhere. Riley completed the second year of a 10-year deal worth $110 million. If he were to leave, his buyout is estimated somewhere between $80-$90 million if the school were to fire him anytime soon, according to DraftKings Network.
The program gave Riley the keys to the program; his job is to bring this team back to where they belong. The job has not been done for two years, and it won't be any easier from here on out. Still, the Trojans have the resources to get the job done, and we'll see if Riley and company can do what he's paid for.
Don't forget to join our community at LA Sports Report, where we celebrate all things Trojans!
