USC’s latest stumble has put Lincoln Riley back under the microscope, and this time the criticism is coming with real heat.
The Trojans fell to Oregon, 41-27, on Saturday night in Los Angeles, a result that left plenty of questions hanging over a USC program that expected more than this. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore left the game on a stretcher after a late hit from Desman Stephens II, and Stephens was suspended for one game on Sunday because of the play.
But the bigger storyline for USC is the one swirling around Riley. College football analyst Brad Crawford didn’t hold back when asked about the Trojans’ head coach.
"I think he should certainly be on the hot seat. Based on signing the No. 1 class, you got a Heisman candidate at QB.
You were supposed to be better on defense this season, but you haven't shown that," Crawford said. " Lincoln Riley is not getting it done."
"This is not the USC team that I thought it would be," Crawford added.
USC and Oregon were tied at one point before former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola led the Ducks to the win at the Coliseum.
The problem for USC is that moving on from Riley would come with a massive financial hit. Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire reported that Riley’s buyout is somewhere in the range of $70-$72 million, which is a steep number for any school to absorb.
Riley signed a 10-year, $110 million contract before the 2022 season, and that deal is still not even halfway complete. He is 39-19 in his fifth season in Los Angeles, but the expectations were much higher when he left Oklahoma for USC in one of the sport’s most stunning coaching moves.
For now, the Trojans are left with a difficult reality: patience is thinning, but the cost of change would be enormous.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Fans Have A New Reason To Watch Michael Fasusi Closely
Michael Fasusis shoulder injury has lingered long enough to become one more concern in a season where Oklahomas offense has needed every healthy body it can get. Brent Venables said recent scans showed improvement, a small but meaningful step for the offensive tackle, who has not played since the season opener.
No timetable was offered for Fasusis return, so the update is more encouraging than conclusive. Still, it gives Sooners fans a fresh reason to keep an eye on the injury report, especially with the offense searching for stability and depth up front. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Just Added To Oklahoma Fans Miserable Football Season
Baker Mayfields latest setback landed at an especially frustrating time for Oklahoma fans already watching a rough football season unfold. The former Sooners star and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback hurt his throwing thumb in the game against the Minnesota Vikings, and head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield will be sidelined for at least three weeks. Bowles also confirmed the injury does not require surgery, but the timing only adds to an already difficult start for Mayfield and the Bucs.
For Oklahoma followers, Mayfield has always been one of the programs most visible pro links, so news like this tends to hit harder than an ordinary NFL injury update. Tampa Bay is off to an 0-3 start, and now it will have to navigate the next stretch without its quarterback, leaving Mayfield to recover while a season that already felt shaky gets even more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Is Feeling The Loss Of These Transfers Right Now
Oklahomas season has already been shaped by injuries and uneven play, and the ripple effects of roster turnover are showing up in a way that is hard to ignore. A look at four former Sooners now at other programs, Luke Baklenko, Michael Hawkins Jr., Sammy Omosigho and Zion Ragins, underscores how much depth and flexibility can matter when the lineup starts to fray.
Each of those transfers is finding a role elsewhere, and in different ways they are reminders of what Oklahoma could use right now. The Sooners are trying to patch together answers across the roster, and the contrast between those departures and the teams current challenges makes it fair to wonder how different things might look if even a couple of them had stayed in Norman. [Read more 🡒]