Lincoln Riley was the most sought-after coach during his time with the Oklahoma Sooners, and early on, it appeared he was destined to win a national championship. However, since moving to the USC Trojans, Greg McElroy thinks that perception has changed. McElroy believes that if asked now, most people would estimate Riley’s chances of winning a national title at less than 10%. Despite this rising doubt, McElroy still has faith in Riley’s potential.
I’m cautiously optimistic that he has nailed this most recent hire defensively,” McElroy said. “I feel really strongly about it. I love D’Anton Lynn, think he’s a great coach. They’re going to implement a great philosophy. I think they’re going to continue to attract players because they have deep resources in NIL. Playing in the Big Ten, I think, will help prepare them, if they get to the playoff, to be extremely competitive if they get there.”
Lynn guided USC’s cross-town rival, the UCLA Bruins, to a top-10 defense in 2023. In contrast, USC ranked 116th in 2023 and 106th in 2022 during Riley’s first two seasons.
USC fans are now hopeful that this offseason hire will lead to significant improvements and help the team regain prominence in college football.
