As USC Welcomes Lincoln Riley, New Trojans Coach Says 'The Pieces Are in Place'
As USC welcomed Lincoln Riley to Los Angeles on Sunday night, Riley expressed gratitude to Oklahoma and sounded eager to embrace the challenge of a significant rebuild at Troy.
However, Riley says “the pieces are in place” for a quick return to glory at Southern Cal.
“I am truly excited to come to USC and join the Trojan family as its new head football coach,” Riley said in a USC statement. “USC has an unparalleled football tradition with tremendous resources and facilities, and the administration has made a deep commitment to winning. I look forward to honoring that successful tradition and building on it.
“The pieces are in place for us to build the program back to where it should be and the fans expect it to be. We will work hard to develop a physical football team that is dominant on both lines of scrimmage, ands a dynamic balanced offense and a stout, aggressive defense.”
At USC, Riley takes over a program that hasn’t had a 10-win season since 2017 and has only had four since 2009.
After Pete Carroll left for the NFL following the 2009 season — and left the Trojan program strapped with significant NCAA sanctions — the Trojans have cycled through Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Clay Helton, with an interim stay from Ed Orgeron and two interim stops by Helton.
Helton was fired just two games into the 2021 season this year and was replaced by interim coach Donte Williams.
Helton’s record as head coach at USC was 46-24 and produced five bowl trips, including the Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl.
Riley, 38, comes to USC with a 55-10 career record.
After issuing a statement through OU, Riley said his goodbyes again through USC.
“I want to thank the administration, coaches and players at Oklahoma for five incredible years as their head coach,” Riley said. “We accomplished some great things there and I will always cherish my time as a Sooner.”
