Lincoln Riley’s 2025 season was marked by a few improvements and some same-old storylines in big games. However, the program has been hitting on the recruiting trail. And now, the latest buzz out of spring practice sounds like the best news in years for USC. But for a program haunted by unfulfilled potential, it might also be the heaviest burden yet.

“We have been told this team will look better physically than any team they’ve had since Pete Carroll was there. That’s good news if you’re a Southern Cal fan for obvious reasons,” Josh Pate said during the March 16 episode of his show. “It’s good news if you’re a hater, too, because you don’t think there’s anything under the hood at USC. You think it’s all cosmetic.”

“You think that they always have good-looking athletes. You think that they can win a competition by getting off the bus. They look great on magazine covers, but when it comes time to get the job done, Lincoln Riley’s going to choke every time.”

The last time USC won a major title was in 2017 when they defeated Stanford to win the Pac-12 Championship. Since then, the program has gone through periods of inconsistency, even after having highly talented players. Even last season, the Trojans were offensive juggernauts. Despite that, they finished 5th in the Big 10.

While USC recorded impressive wins, including a 31-13 victory over Michigan and a win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, the program struggled against some of its stronger opponents. The Notre Dame defeat saw costly errors, and in the conference, Oregon and Illinois had their way with USC.

The frustration is amplified by the long shadow of the Pete Carroll era, a time when the Trojans were the gold standard, rattling off seven straight conference titles and a 34-game winning streak that made national championship contention an annual expectation. However, since the College Football Playoff era began, USC has not made a single appearance.

While comparing Riley to Carroll may be unfair because they coached in different eras, the former will still face criticism for USC’s lack of CFP appearances during his tenure. Despite that, there are some positive signs for USC heading into the new season.

The program has one of the highest numbers of returning players in the country, with 15 Trojans coming back. With so much experience returning, Riley has a veteran roster to complement his new talent, raising the stakes for a team that can no longer afford to be just physically impressive.

While he won’t have many problems to fix in the offense, Riley will likely focus on improving one area.

Lincoln Riley on how the offensive line has fared during spring practice

Last season was an injury-riddled year for USC’s offensive line. That saw Lincoln Riley shuffling players around to fill different positions in the O-Line. Even with all the shuffling, the offensive line still managed to remain productive. Now the Trojans have added more depth with four-star recruits such as Vlad Dyakonov, Esun Tafa, and Breck Kolojay joining the program. Their arrival would be a big boost for Riley to avoid the depth problems USC faced last season in 2026.

Speaking about the team’s depth this season, Riley explained that the returning experience gives the coaching staff more flexibility.

“Obviously, we return a lot of guys that have played for us, so we’re in that position with our freshmen, where nobody has to play, but at the same time, like any other position here, if somebody’s good enough to play, then they’re gonna play,” Riley said. “You love having a point where you know you can just develop these guys. They’ve got some great examples in the room of how to do it.”

There’s not a scenario where maybe you’ve got to put somebody out there before he’s ready, but if they are ready, then we’re going to go with them. There are definitely a few guys here that are pretty physically developed.”

Another interesting addition is Keenyi Pepe, whom Riley praised for his physicality and the strength he brings to the offensive line. So Riley clearly has the pieces in place. With a fortified offensive line and a roster that looks the part, the pressure is squarely on Riley to prove that this USC team has more than just cosmetic appeal.