USC Football News: Lincoln Riley Lands in CFB Experts Top 25 Coaches List
After the USC Trojans got hit with their sanctions from 2010-2012, they had difficulty recovering to where they were. USC is among the best that college football has to offer, so to see them struggle as much as they did was painful to watch, especially for their fans.
However, many knew this wouldn't last, and their fortunes turned in November 2021 when the school hired 39-year-old Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma University. At that moment, everyone knew the Trojans would be back on the map, and it didn't take them long. USC turned from non-threat to back to being a force to be reckoned with. It's all thanks to Riley, the school's athletic department, and his staff. Because of this, CBS College Football columnist Tom Fornelli put Riley at number four of the top 25 coaches in College Football.
Lincoln Riley: I had Harbaugh and Kelly ahead of Riley on my ballot, but it's hard to find fault with his final ranking. Riley won four Big 12 titles and reached the playoff four times in his first four seasons at Oklahoma but has failed to reach the playoff in the last two years. My theory is that, had he remained at Oklahoma and missed the playoff last year, he'd have fallen in the rankings. However, taking the Trojans to an 11-3 record -- a seven-win improvement from 2021 -- with a Heisman Trophy winner and revamped roster is a major improvement in one season. So, there should be no surprise he remains fourth behind three coaches with multiple national titles. 2022 rank: 4 (+0)
The three coaches in front of him are Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Georgia's Kirby Smart, and Alabama's Nick Saban.
Riley deserves to be in the conversation, and it's not up for debate. He's easily the best offensive coach in the nation, and the numbers show that. In 2022, he led USC to 5th in points per game, 3rd in yards per game, 6th in points per play, and 3rd in yards per play. On top of that, he's led three different QBs to Heisman trophy winners, including USC's own Caleb Williams.
We're fortunate to have Riley lead the Trojans for years to come, and hopefully, by the end of the year; he'll be number one on the list.
