Lincoln Riley arrived at USC with towering expectations. He was to be the messiah, the coach who’d return the Trojans to national dominance. Yet after a pair of unpredictable seasons, the storyline has become much more complicated. The switch to the Big Ten merely added to the pressure, and now, with the 2025 schedule looming, it is widely presumed that even a 9-3 finish would be pushing it. But amidst all the commotion, the victories, the defeats, and the constant LA limelight, there’s one individual who’s steadily present behind the scenes. His better half, Caitlin Buckley Riley.

Caitlin often avoids the limelight herself, but she has remained in Riley’s corner since their college days at Texas Tech. While Lincoln’s been writing plays and taking questions from the press, Caitlin manages the home front, raising their girls and offering her unwavering support. While she is not a public figure per se, Caitlin’s intellect and positivity influence every decision Lincoln makes—she serves as his sounding board, his confidante, and, according to their close friends, the real MVP of the Riley clan. And that’s why Lincoln is never tired of singing praises of his wife and providing glimpses on social media of the adorable bits of his family.

Riley, who is typically all business and X’s and O’s, took a rare glimpse behind the scenes of his off-field life by posting a holiday week update from Pebble Beach, Monterey. The post itself is a slide of golden moments: Riley wearing a white shirt and jacket, Caitlin by his side, both smiling from ear to ear, against a huge field and serene sunset backdrop. There’s also a photo of the world-famous Pebble Beach golf course—because, naturally, you can’t visit Monterey without sneaking in some rounds. And the caption, “Nothing like Pebble Beach….Great week at The Coaches Classic⛳️.”

Away from their usual frantic schedule, everyone appears extremely content and cheerful. The Rileys are accompanied by a few close friends, some old faces from the sports world, such as Michael Phelps, and other longtime friends. There’s a group photo at Fisherman’s Wharf, a series of couple photos, and even a candid video of Lincoln wielding the golf club. The snaps seem completely candid and natural, an unfiltered look at life away from the sidelines. This getaway, however, doesn’t mean Riley is letting up; he is going all in on the recruiting trail.

How USC stole Kirby Smart’s crown jewel

Lincoln Riley and USC just delivered a major blow to Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. The nation’s top tight end, Mark Bowman from Mater Dei High School in California, was at the very top of Georgia’s wish list for the 2026 class. Georgia was working hard overtime to get him. He’d attended their previous two G-Days, and the Bulldogs’ coaching staff (not to mention their current tight end commit, Lincoln Keyes) was in his ear daily, selling him the idea of playing at Athens and emulating UGA’s great tradition of tight ends.

But here’s where Lincoln Riley turned things around. While most assumed Texas was going to be the primary competition for Bowman, Riley and his USC troops were working their magic in California in secret. Bowman is a Southern California native from top to bottom, starring at Mater Dei—a powerhouse that’s just under 45 miles from the campus of USC. The Trojans took it as their mission to lock in local talent this cycle, and Bowman was near the top of that list. USC’s new inside receivers and tight ends coach, Chad Savage, developed a solid rapport with Bowman from the initial steps. Savage, the recruiter, made Bowman a priority, recruiting him. “Since he got hired, he made it his thing to make sure he recruits me the hardest out of anybody else,” Bowman said. His visit to USC sealed the deal.

This is a massive statement for Riley and the Trojans. Not only did they poach a five-star, franchise-altering tight end from Georgia, but they cemented their hold on the nation’s No. 1 class of 2026. Bowman is their 27th recruit and the second five-star of this cycle, which is just crazy. Bidding farewell to Mark Bowman to USC is a gut blow to Kirby Smart and Georgia, no question about it. They invested heavily in Bowman; multiple visits, regular contact, and providing him with the entire Athens experience, all in hopes of making Bowman the next elite Bulldog tight end. It’s a blow to the very core of what Georgia builds in the trenches, and this one’s going to sting for a while.