Two Reasons Why Next Season Could Be Lincoln Riley’s Best at USC

With the 2026 season on the horizon, it seems that the USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley could be ready to take a step forward and become one of the top teams in the Big Ten.

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2026 season, the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley do appear to have a significant amount of pressure to perform. However, after what seems to be a strong offseason, Riley and the Trojans could be in a great position to silence the critics.

Next season will feature several tough tests for USC against some of the top competition in the Big Ten. However, the roster does seem to be in a good position, as USC was able to retain several key players and coaches in addition to bringing in great talent across the board. So heading into next season, here are three reasons why this could be Riley‘s best season at USC.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and head coach Lincoln Riley react after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Quarterback Jayden Maiava’s Potential

One of the biggest reasons that Riley and the Trojans could be successful next season is the potential that quarterback Jayden Maiava has. Last season, Maya took a crucial step forward and showed that he could develop into one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten with another solid off-season.

In Maiava’s 2025 campaign, he recorded 3711 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 receptions, and completed 65.8 percent of his passes. Maiava also added a rushing element to USC‘s offense as he totaled 157 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

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

To compete in a conference like the Big Ten, having a consistent quarterback is critical, and it seems that the Trojans have that kind of quarterback in Maiava. Looking ahead at USC’s 2026 schedule, there are several tough opponents, including Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana, who all have great quarterbacks. For the Trojans to be able to win those games, Maiava must prove that he can play well when his best is required, but also perform consistently throughout the season.

Throughout Maiava’s collegiate career, he has been able to improve every season, and if he can take another step, he may be in a position to make a run at the Heisman Trophy. While Maiava has put the work in, there’s no doubt that Riley has also played a crucial part in his development and has shown the ability to develop quarterbacks who have found great success at the collegiate level.

If the duo of Maiava and Riley can take another step forward, Maiava could become the crucial piece that enables USC to compete near the top of the Big Ten and potentially earn a College Football Playoff berth.

Oct 16, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Gary Patterson’s Experience

This off-season, USC made one of them more crucial additions as they brought in Gary Patterson to take over as the defensive coordinator.

As a coach at the Division I level, Patterson may be one of the more experienced names that USC could have hired. Patterson spent most of his coaching career with the TCU Horned Frogs, as he was there from 2000-2021 and posted a record of 181-69, which resulted in a winning percentage of .696. While having the success that Patterson had, he was able to lead TCU to 16 bowl game appearances and a 10-6 record in those bowl games.

In terms of Patterson’s scheme, he has become known for running the 4-2-5, which replaces two linebackers with two safeties and allows the defense to match up with the modern-day spread offenses. With the defensive personnel that Patterson uses, his defense should translate well to the Big Ten, with many teams running heavy pass offenses. 

Sep 4, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson yells to his team during the second quarter against the Duquesne Dukes at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Patterson‘s scheme has also been successful against the run with the four defensive linemen, two linebackers, and the two extra safeties all having the ability to clog rushing lanes. In the Big Ten, being able to shut down the run is critical, and after last season, USC needs to improve against the run. 

During the 2025 season, in the Trojans losses against Illinois, Notre Dame, and Oregon, the run game played a critical role. Over the course of last season, USC allowed 143.23 rush yards per game, which ranked 58th in the nation. If the Trojans do want to become a solid defense in the Big Ten, this must change. 

With Patterson now calling the defense, USC should be able to become a much better run defense, with the heavy front that could force opposing offenses to become one-dimensional and give the Trojans’ defensive line and secondary opportunities to make big plays against the pass. 

Heading into next season, Patterson’s play-calling should help USC’s defense to take a step forward against the run and the pass, and could be the difference in helping Riley to get over the top and compete for a College Football Playoff Appearance.

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