Around nine Power Four programs, three SEC giants, and north of $50 million on the table, it’s been the wildest coaching carousel for years. Amidst the chaos, though, one insider says Lincoln Riley won’t cash in the big bucks. It’s simply because the one trait he’s known for might be the reason that stops him from taking over LSU or Florida jobs.

On November 14, Oklahoma Sooners insider Tyler McComas joined “That SEC Podcast.” Tyler said Riley would succeed and fans would love it, but added, “There’s just one problem, that b**** out west is too scared to come to the SEC. He led LSU for a long time. The time before LSU thought that they were getting him in all this, he would never come to the SEC. Dude’s way too scared to come to the SEC. He’ll go back to the Big 12, or he’ll go back to that league.”

That is as brutal as it gets. According to the Sooners insider, Lincoln Riley lacks the stomach to coach or compete in the SEC. Even though the insider comes from the Oklahoma side and may have some kind of anguish or animosity about Riley leaving the Sooners, that does not automatically make his point wrong. Pound for pound, the SEC is the hardest conference in all of America, including the professional ranks.

If we evaluate Riley’s track record from the Big 12 to the Big Ten and imagine how it would translate to the SEC, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture. Riley picked USC over LSU in late 2021 after stacking a 55-10 record at Oklahoma. In his first year at USC, he went 11-3. Then everything fell apart. In 2023, he finished 8-5. In 2024, he completed 7-6.

But give Riley credit for turning the 2025 campaign around. The Trojans are 8-2 and competing for the Big Ten and a playoff spot. With all due respect, if he had chosen LSU instead of USC back in 2021, he would be fired by now based on the same results. The standard in the SEC is too high for anyone to struggle with. Even Brian Kelly got fired, even after two double-digit win seasons. There is no grace period in the SEC. You don’t have the time to figure things out like he did in California.

Tyler warned that if Riley ever came to the SEC, it would be a rough experience. He added, “He’s not coming to the SEC. It’s just it’s never happening. He’s not that kind of dude. And if he did, and if I’m wrong, but he’d get exposed so quickly. And it would be such a beautiful sight, such a beautiful sight.”

Overall, Tyler made it clear that although Riley is a brilliant coach, joining the SEC is not currently feasible. Even Lincoln Riley himself made that clear.

Lincoln Riley shutting down SEC opportunities

This is not the first time Riley’s been linked to SEC teams. His name has always floated around for these jobs, but the conversation picked up again after Josh Pate and Paul Finebaum mentioned him as a candidate. Riley shut it down immediately.

After a 38-17 win over Northwestern last week, Riley made his stance clear on SEC speculation. “I’ve been underwater for the last five days, I feel like,” Riley said. “You guys know what I sacrificed to be here. I’m where I need to be.”

Based on his words, he has no intention of coaching in the SEC and remains fully committed to the USC program. A significant reason for this is his massive long-term contract, which includes an $80 million buyout. That alone makes it extremely difficult for another school to hire him. Additionally, he is recruiting at a high level, with USC’s 2026 class currently ranked number one. It is a no-brainer for him to stay with the Trojans.

So while the rumors keep resurfacing, Riley appears set on staying in Los Angeles. USC’s administration has heavily invested in the program, including a new multi-million-dollar training facility. With two or three more strong recruiting classes, Lincoln Riley has a realistic path back to competing for a national championship.