Lincoln Riley Gives a Clear Assessment on USC's Potential

Heading into a crucial season with the USC Trojans, coach Lincoln Riley makes a strong statement on what USC could accomplish in 2026 and beyond.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

With the 2026 college football season quickly approaching, the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley have an opportunity to prove they belong in the conversation with some of the most elite teams in the country. 

With the desire to make a run at the College Football Playoff, coach Riley made a strong statement about USC and the Trojans' potential to be a successful program now and in the future. 

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) handles the ball during the game against the Oregon Ducks during the first half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Key Improvement

“We have absolutely taken steps now. Honestly, now it’s just time to go do it,” Riley said in an interview with ESPN and CBS at Big Ten spring meetings. 

With the Trojans, Riley has helped the program significantly progress each season by developing the roster and improving output year-round. While the team record has fluctuated in Riley’s tenure with USC, that does not mean the Trojans have lacked development. 

One of the biggest things that Riley brings is how he has been able to develop players, especially on the offensive side, with receivers and quarterbacks finding great success. At USC, one of the biggest examples of Riley’s development includes quarterback Caleb Williams, who has worked his way into being a successful NFL quarterback.

In addition to Riley’s quarterback development, he has also been able to help receivers improve throughout their career and become reliable targets. This past draft, wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane were drafted and are, without a doubt, two of the best receivers to play under Riley. 

In the current state of USC’s roster, two of the more important players for the Trojans are quarterback Jayden Maiava and wide receiver Tanook Hines. 

With Maiava, Riley has done a great job in developing him each season, which could lead to Maiava having his best season yet and potentially becoming one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Hines also showed flashes of being a solid player for USC after a great freshman season. After the departure of Lemon and Lane to the NFL, there is definitely an opportunity for Hines to assert himself as the top option for Maiava and become a crucial piece in the offense. 

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Fixing Issues

Regardless of how USC performs in 2026, the pressure will still be there for Riley and the Trojans to perform consistently. However, before Riley was able to elevate the roster to what it is now, there were definitely a few struggles.

"I've told people, there was almost like a feeling when you first got here, you're standing in front of a dam and there's just leaks, and you plug one leak and another one pops. It's not perfect, but there's not many leaks anymore,” Riley told ESPN and CBS. 

As Riley talked about, there were several areas where the Trojans had problems, but they were only able to find temporary fixes. However, in the current state of the roster, it seems that USC is in a much better position to compete in the Big Ten and nationally.

The biggest reasons for USC fixing these issues are primarily because of the strong recruiting classes, the ability to retain key parts of the roster, and Riley’s ability to consistently develop talent on the offensive side of the ball. 

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leads the Spirit of Troy marching band in a rendition of Tribute to Troy after teh game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Challenges

Even with a strong roster on a normal basis, there are still plenty of challenges for Riley to overcome as a play caller and as a leader.

“The years here, going through all we've gone through, and the challenge here, the opportunity, it's made me a lot better coach. I'm a lot better coach than at any point during the years in Oklahoma. I've definitely learned and grown a lot, and there's a lot of things that I've learned now that I wish I had known back then, or been better at,” added Riley in the interview with ESPN and CBS Sports.

To continue to improve as a coach, it often requires the ability to overcome adversity and show growth over time. Riley has shown that ability with USC and during his time at Oklahoma, which could be a major reason why next season could be his best season yet with the Trojans.

Aside from the playcalling, Riley has also been able to learn how to prepare his team mentally and physically after USC has played two full seasons in the Big Ten. Being able to compete in the Big Ten is very difficult to do, but with the success USC was able to find last season, the Trojans may be in store for one of the better seasons under Riley and potentially fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

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