"You can't go 7-5 again" - USC HC Lincoln Riley receives ultimatum from Joel Klatt heading into 2025 season

Lincoln Riley is one of the great offensive-minded coaches of his era. The USC Trojans head coach has been instrumental in the rise of numerous Heisman Trophy winners and he's looking to bring the Trojans back to national prominence.

Ahead of Riley's fourth season at USC, college football analyst Joel Klatt has given him an ultimatum. Speaking on "The Joel Klatt Show on YouTube," he said:

"I personally believe that Riley has maybe come under some criticism that might not be fair, but I could be wrong.

"I could be wrong because he's going to have to win this year. You can't go 7-5 again. You just can't ... I still think that they need to get back to running the football like they were able to do in his first year at USC, and like he was able to do for the majority of his time at OU (Oklahoma University)."

Klatt concluded, saying:

"But again, those close losses could turn into close wins this year, and if they do, they could be a team making their very first playoff appearance."

Klatt and the rest of the collegiate football scene will be paying attention to Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans in the 2025 season.

What's next for Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans?

Lincoln Riley joined the Trojans after a productive stint with the Oklahoma Sooners. Riley's time with the Trojans hasn't gone as well as his supporters hoped, as the team has yet to make an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

The Trojans have compiled progressively worse records in each of their three seasons. They lost three games in 2022, five in 2023 and six in 2024.

The 2024 season was particularly disappointing, as the Trojans barely scraped by to earn bowl game eligibility after entering the season with playoff hopes. That's the pressure Riley is entering 2025 with, as it's unlikely that the fan base or USC decision-makers will accept another 7-win season.

Next up for Riley and the Trojans is training camp, after which they'll start the campaign with a game against Missouri State.