Lincoln Riley has been under a microscope since he arrived at USC with a &110M chip on his shoulder. And after Riley’s promising start with the Trojans (an 11-win campaign and a Heisman trophy for Caleb Williams), the wheels seem to have come off a bit. Over the past two years, USC has struggled. They compiled only a 15-11 combined record, stumbling through their early Big Ten days. And also failing to crack the Top 25 rankings as the 2025 college football season kicks off. The buzz around Lincoln Riley has shifted significantly, with voices like former USC quarterback Matt Leinart openly saying, “I know Lincoln very well, and he is on the hot seat.”

What’s adding fuel to the fire is that USC is projected to finish ninth in the Big Ten in 2025. And that is behind teams like Nebraska and Washington. It’s hardly the spot the Trojans want to be in. For a storied program like USC, flying under the radar as the Trojans do now is far from the norm. Facing this swirling pressure, Lincoln Riley recently addressed the chatter during the Trojans’ live, acknowledging the weight of expectations at a program like USC. “I think I trust my feel on it a little bit,” Riley said without shying away.

“I don’t know that it’s something that you can necessarily just like have the manual, and I’m going to use something like that every time, or not.” Riley doesn’t come off like a coach who simply checks boxes. For example, USC’s recent seasons have seen changes in offensive schemes and defensive strategies. Also, some react to injuries, personnel shifts, or the evolving nature of college football itself. Riley’s ability to “feel” how his team is performing and what adjustments to make against different opponents gives him an edge. That a strict manual and outside noise could never convey. Moreover, Riley himself has said in interviews that coaching at USC, a blue-blood program with a passionate fanbase, means balancing pressure with patience and trusting the process. And not just the plays.

“The preseason stuff I’ve never got totally wrapped up into,” Riley continues. “Because I’ve always said that’s just something for everybody to talk about until there’s actually football games, and then here in a couple [of] weeks nobody’s going to give a damn about where anybody was ranked in the beginning because it’s not going to matter.” He knows the true test comes under stadium lights when players suit up and battle. And they wouldn’t be that bad, what people are saying. Take last season, for example. Riley’s team lost five Big Ten games by a touchdown or less. For instance, the Trojans lost an overtime thriller to Penn State by just three points.

They even finished strong with a 35-31 win over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. And that’s despite being underdogs for much of the year. The close losses hint at progress in a tough Big Ten environment. But it also spotlights the need for more game-changing moments and consistent execution. But Leinart is not completely pessimistic about the Trojans. He even said, “It doesn’t mean there’s less expectation. But it kind of means no one’s really talking about you. You can keep your nose to the ground, you can grind, and you can start letting your play do the talking. They have a team this year that can compete in the Big Ten.”

Lincoln Riley’s faith in Jayden Maiava

Lincoln Riley has made it crystal clear that his expectations for Jayden Maiava this season go beyond just flashes of talent. USC’s gone through a rough 2024 season that ended 7-6, with Miller Moss struggling and finally being replaced midseason. But now, Riley found a spark in Maiava. In just four starts last year, Maiava threw for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns and added four more on the ground.

And Riley didn’t hesitate to double down on Maiava as the clear-cut starting quarterback for 2025, praising his growth in decision-making, situational awareness, and leadership. “He’s not just out there trying to run plays anymore,” Riley said on the Trojans Live Podcast. “He has a much different understanding than he did a year ago… when to take chances, when not to. It’s been pretty high-level quarterback play.” But Riley is also clear that he’s not asking Maiava to be perfect.

The QB’s reckless plays, like three interceptions and a risky lateral in the Las Vegas Bowl, still raise eyebrows. Riley’s confidence stems from his proven track record as a “quarterback whisperer.” He has developed stars like Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams. And if anyone can coach Maiava’s aggressive instincts into consistency, it’s Riley.