Lincoln Riley didn’t show up at Big Ten media days on Tuesday sounding like a coach hedging his bets. He sounded convinced. In his mind, USC is in a better place now than it has been in the previous few years, and he said as much earlier in the offseason before repeating it again in front of the cameras.
“I do believe we're more equipped than at any point in the previous few years. That's not a hope or a wish, there’s a lot of facts to back that up,” Riley said.
That’s a strong line, especially from a coach whose program hasn’t exactly stacked up the kind of results that make bold declarations feel automatic. Riley framed his confidence as something grounded in evidence, not optimism, and he made it clear he thinks Year 5 of his USC tenure has finally brought the Trojans to the point where something bigger can happen.
He wasn’t interested in the usual coach-speak about uncertainty or unfinished business. Riley didn’t go to Big Ten media days to explain what he still doesn’t know about his team. He went there sounding like a man who believes the pieces are finally lining up.
The story, though, is still about whether that confidence can hold up when the games start. Talk is cheap, and Riley knows it. USC’s line play, Jayden Maiava, Mike Ekeler, Gary Patterson, Jide Abasiri and home-field advantage all sit in the mix as part of the case that this team is better positioned than the ones that came before it.
Now comes the part that matters. Riley has made his belief public.
He has said USC is more equipped than it has been in years. If that’s true, the Trojans have a chance to prove it.
If not, the consequences could be real for Riley.
In Other News...
USC Is In A Real Fight For Elite California Linebacker
Southern Cal has stayed active with Landon Miller, and the four-star linebacker has given the Trojans plenty of reason to keep pushing. The California standout has been on campus for an unofficial multi-day visit, worked out on the field, studied film, toured campus and met with Lincoln Riley, Chad Bowden, Max Stienecker and linebackers coaches AJ Howard and Mike Ekeler, all while remaining one of the nations most closely watched defensive recruits.
Millers recruitment is still wide open, with USC in the mix against several blue-blood programs and more visits on the calendar. He plans to be at the Trojans Sept. 12 game against Louisiana, then head to Oregon for its matchup with UCLA, with additional trips to other contenders still possible as he keeps sorting through a decision that could shape the West Coast linebacker market. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Is Paying The Price For Something He Cannot Fix
Drake Londons name came up again in a familiar kind of conversation this week, the sort that says as much about circumstance as it does about talent. League executives and coaches left the former USC standout just outside the top 10 NFL receivers list, slotting him as an honorable mention instead, even though his profile keeps growing in ways that are hard to ignore.
One NFL coordinator described London as a solid possession receiver who wins contested catches and shows up in the red zone, but also pointed to the limitations around him in Atlanta. For USC fans who watched him develop into a polished playmaker, the frustrating part is how much of his ceiling still seems tied to factors he cannot control, leaving his reputation a step behind his ability. [Read more 🡒]
USC Defender Is Giving Lincoln Riley A Reason To Believe Up Front
Jide Abasiris offseason became one of those quiet USC developments that can matter a lot once the pads come on. The defensive lineman arrived at the 2026 Big Ten Media Days talking less about depth-chart noise and more about the work he put in away from it, stressing personal development, confidence and the kind of day-to-day commitment that coaches notice long before the box scores do. Lincoln Riley has already singled out Abasiris dedication to the program, a meaningful nod for a player trying to carve out a bigger role up front.
Abasiri also offered a glimpse into the mindset that has shaped his path, including the way his Nigerian heritage has influenced his football journey. For USC, that matters because the Trojans are looking for more than just bodies on the defensive line - they need players who can grow into reliable pieces in a demanding league. Abasiri sounds like someone intent on being that kind of presence, even if the bigger test of how far he has come is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]