"He's under tremendous pressure": CFB insider shares why USC HC Lincoln Riley can't escape the hot seat list

College football insider Heather Dinich shared an insight into Lincoln Riley’s hot seat situation at USC on Thursday’s edition of “Get Up.” According to Dinich, Riley is under a lot of pressure, but more details surround his situation than the need to get results.

“He knows, because of where he is, he’s under tremendous pressure," she said. "But the reality is he has a lengthy contract and a huge buyout. He told me this summer that he feels they are right on the doorstep. And they are. When you look back at last season, they lost five Big Ten games by seven points or fewer. That is the most in the FBS. So, he said, ‘Eventually, it’s going to happen.’”

The USC Trojans brought Lincoln Riley in to be consistent national championship contenders. The former Oklahoma Sooners coach has been unable to make this happen. Due to this, questions have arisen about his continued stay at the helm of the program.

Lincoln Riley’s USC buyout and its impact in keeping him at the program

As Heather Dinich pointed out, the financial aspect of firing Lincoln Riley by the Trojans makes it a decision unlikely to happen easily. The exact details of Riley’s deal with USC are not clear, given the school’s private status.

Riley’s earnings for the 2023 season are put at $11.5 million based on information obtained through a tax form. This could mean that the coach is tied to the program with a big buyout. A 2024 report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel put the figure USC owed Riley on their deal at more than $90 million.

Nevertheless, Lincoln Riley’s three seasons with USC have only yielded a 26-14 record overall, with each of the seasons being worse than the previous one. His stay at Oklahoma (55-10) was a whole lot better.

Riley is hopeful for the coming season, however. According to Dinich, the coach feels sure about the potential to have a turnaround season this fall. The Trojans’ first game of the season is against Missouri State on Aug. 30.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Krutik Jain