Reign of Troy
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Lincoln Riley receiving plenty of heat after USC's unexpected loss to Minnesota

After a shocking loss to Minnesota, USC head coach Lincoln Riley is receiving quite a bit of criticism from experts and fans alike.

By Matthew Conner

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
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The USC football team's 24-17 loss to Minnesota was shocking. Even though it was a road contest, it was one that virtually everyone expected the Trojans to win.

After all, on paper USC has by far the better roster than the Golden Gophers have. What's more, Minnesota was winless in conference play after back-to-back losses. However, the Trojans played down to their opponent and were unable to match Minnesota's physicality on either side of the football.

Many people believe that is a sign of a poorly coached team. Thus, most of the criticism and blame for the latest Big Ten loss by USC is falling at the feet of head coach Lincoln Riley.

After all, this is year three of the Riley era in Los Angeles. He was supposed to have turned the program into a contender for not only conference titles but also national titles by now.

Coaches in their first two years often get a pass. However, in year three, expectations rise given that enough time has passed for a head coach to have put his fingerprints all over every aspect of the program.

This year, there is no reason to pin any more blame on the previous coaching staff. This is the program Riley has built. However, the results that USC expected when it hired Riley away from Oklahoma aren't materializing.

With the loss to Minnesota, it seems unlikely that the Trojans will qualify for the Big Ten Championship Game given that games against Penn State, Nebraska, Rutgers, and Washington remain on the schedule. Additionally, a non-conference home game with Notre Dame to end the regular season provides another perilous contest for the Trojans to navigate.

What's more, the Trojans aren't showing signs of improvement as the season progresses. The offensive line is as bad as most feared it would be at the start of the season and the run defense is taking a step backward after a strong start to the year.

It all adds up to the fact that Riley isn't bringing the type of success to Los Angeles that a program like USC expects. And as you might expect, many experts and fans alike are showing their frustration with the job Riley is doing in year three.

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