Matt Leinart doesn’t sound like someone who thinks Lincoln Riley is short on belief. If anything, the USC great sees a coach who has been confident all along - and one who may finally have the setup he wanted.
Speaking with Lorenzo Reyna of USC Trojans on SI through his partnership with Abbott during the “We Give Blood” campaign, Leinart pointed to the pieces around Riley heading into the 2026 season: Jayden Maiava at quarterback, Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Gary Patterson coming in, and the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class.
“I think Lincoln is always confident,” Leinart said to USC Trojans on SI. “He's won a lot of football games and he's a terrific head coach.”
Leinart also said Riley can look at the current roster-building landscape and feel like things are starting to line up in USC’s favor.
“I think from his perspective, he probably looks at where they're at from the roster, to NIL, to recruiting, then going out and getting the kids they want in the portal. I think he can look at that and can say 'We're finally playing at a level playing field and we're finally situated in all these things.'”
That confidence, though, still has to turn into results. Leinart made it clear the Trojans can’t stop at talent or buzz.
“You still got to go out and play. You still have to go out and execute, then finish games,” Leinart said for this year's Trojans.
“And I think from that standpoint, he's got to be excited that he's got a big time starter at quarterback, the most important position in football. But he's got great running backs who are healthy, plus has a great offensive line.
So offensively, they're going to be rolling.”
Leinart also said he likes the Patterson hire on defense and plans to watch closely as the former TCU head coach makes the jump to the Big Ten.
The former USC quarterback knows the spotlight well. He played under a heavy microscope in his own time in Troy, before the social media and internet boom turned everything up another notch. Riley and USC are living in that world now, with viral practice clips and expectations rising around the Trojans’ No. 14 ranking.
Leinart’s connection to Abbott runs deeper than football. He has been involved with the company for the last three years, and the cause is personal after losing his mother to leukemia in 2017. He said that experience shaped how he views the push to donate blood.
“I saw firsthand blood transfusions and the need for blood. So when this partnership came in front of me, I was like 'Wow, it's great to team up with the organization.' Plus the meaning behind it,” Leinart said.
He also noted that the blood drives aren’t only for students and alumni. Fans can take part, too.
“The need for blood has never been more. We need it everyday,” Leinart said. “One donation can save up to three lives.”
In Other News...
USC Fans Are Getting A Very Different Coliseum Experience In 2026
USC spent the offseason listening closely to its crowd, gathering fan feedback after the 2025 season with an eye toward making Saturdays at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum feel fresher in 2026. The result is a noticeable push to upgrade the entire game day atmosphere, from a new pregame fireworks show to a more active in-stadium host and a family ticket package designed to make coming to games a little easier and a little more appealing.
There will also be a more ambitious food-and-fun element around the venue, including new concession items and a rotating "Dog of the Game" promotion, plus additional game day experiences whose proceeds will support the Trojan Athletic Fund. USC is also planning select home-game tributes to championship-winning Trojan teams and student-athletes, a reminder that the Coliseum experience is being built not just around entertainment, but around the program's history and the people who helped shape it. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A Defensive Newcomer Who Already Looks Ready To Matter
USC wrapped up a practice session with the opener against San Jose State looming, and the focus on the defensive side has started to sharpen. Alex VanSumeren, Jide Abasiri, Chasen Johnson and Jontez Williams all offered their thoughts on where the unit stands, with the general tone pointing toward a group that feels more settled and more invested in the work it has put in during camp.
Williams, a fifth-year senior and former Iowa State transfer, is one of the more interesting pieces in that mix because of how much ground he has already covered in his college career. He talked about his growth as a player and his first game in USC colors now drawing close, which gives the Trojans another newcomer to watch as the season begins and the defense starts to show what kind of role he might be ready to play. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Defensive Duo Faces Immediate Pressure To Deliver
Gary Patterson and Paul Gonzales have picked up where they left off at TCU, only this time the reunion is unfolding at USC as the Trojans get ready for their season opener against San Jose State. Patterson is running the defense, Gonzales is helping shape the safeties and pass game, and the early sense around the program is that the familiarity between the two coaches is already paying off in how smoothly the unit is being put together.
Jontez Williams and Chasen Johnson have both pointed to that chemistry and leadership as reasons for confidence heading into the opener, and the pressure is immediate because USC does not have much time to wait for the defense to show it can hold up. The schedule offers a bigger measuring stick soon enough, too, with the Oct. 10 road trip to Penn State set for a 4:30 p.m. PT kickoff on NBC and Peacock, a game that will say a lot about how far this new-look defensive setup has come. [Read more 🡒]