On November 28, 2021, Lincoln Riley made a high-profile move in college football by leaving the University of Oklahoma to become the new head coach at the University of Southern California (USC).
Riley, who had been with Oklahoma since 2015, had a standout tenure as head coach, leading the Sooners to three Big 12 championships and four New Year’s Six bowl appearances.
He also mentored Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts, all of whom went on to be starting quarterbacks in the NFL. With a record of 55-10 at Oklahoma, Riley had firmly established himself as one of the top coaches in college football.
At USC, Riley took over a program that had struggled to regain its elite status in recent years. The Trojans had fired their previous head coach, Clay Helton, earlier in the season after a 1-1 start. Riley’s main challenge would be rebuilding the program by keeping top quarterback recruits in Southern California, an area that had seen many elite players leave the region for other programs.
Riley’s arrival at USC was seen as a significant shift in the college football landscape, as he brought both a proven track record and a reputation for developing quarterbacks and high-powered offenses.
The hiring of Riley was a key moment for USC, as they hoped to return to national prominence in college football.
