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USC Coach Lincoln Riley Returns to Practice Wednesday

Trojans head coach missed two days of practice with pneumonia, but it appears he'll be available for Saturday's game at Cal
Jake Curtis|
USC Coach Lincoln Riley Returns to Practice Wednesday
USC Coach Lincoln Riley Returns to Practice Wednesday

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California Golden Bears

Maybe it was much ado about nothing, but USC head coach Lincoln Riley returned to practice on Wednesday, apparently eliminating thoughts that he might not be available for Saturday's game at Cal.

Riley was absent from the Trojans' practice on Monday and Tuesday for what turned out to be pneumonia, although the illness was not identified until Wednesday.

After Tuesday's practice, there was no report on what the illness was, when he would return and whether he would be able to travel to Berkeley for Saturday's game and call the offensive plays.

All that speculation ended Wednesday with Riley on the field and presumably ready to call the offensive plays against Cal.

Riley did not speak to the media Wednesday, but he is scheduled speak to the media on his regularly scheduled Zoom call on Thursday morning.

Riley's schedule for the rest of the week was not revealed, but it is assumed that since he is back at practice that he will continue to be with the team the rest of the week and at Saturday's game.

Riley, 40, is the architect of a USC offense that ranks third in the nation in scoring, and he calls the offensive plays for the Trojans, who are led by 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.

Wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons conducted USC's practices in Riley's absence on Monday and Tuesday.

Cover photo of Lincoln Riley by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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