It is no secret that the Lincoln Riley era at USC has not exactly lived up to expectations thus far. After winning 11 games in 2022, the Trojans are just 15-11 over the past two seasons. Entering 2025, there is real pressure on Riley to begin delivering victories soon.
But could Riley actually be on the hot seat? In a recent interview with D.J. Siddiqi of The Escapist, USC Heisman Trophy quarterback Matt Leinart discussed the head coach’s future outlook at USC.
“I know Lincoln very well, and he is on the hot seat,” Leinart said. “I think he would tell you that, because you have to win there – especially when you win 10 games or 11 games out the gate. USC is flying under the radar. I don’t even know if they’re in the top 25 in one poll or both polls, which sometimes that’s a good place to be.”
One thing that Riley does have going for him is that the Trojans have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for the 2026 cycle set to arrive on campus in a few months. Ultimately, however, recruiting well can only get you so far if you are not winning football games. If Riley wants to ensure that he will be leading the Trojans for the long haul, he needs to start turning his recruiting wins into victories on the field sooner rather than later.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Matt Leinart believes Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat heading into 2025 season
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
