USC better think long and hard before making a decision on Lincoln Riley's future

It was a brutal weekend for USC after falling to Oregon for the fifth time in a row, not to mention the news about Desman Stephens II’s suspension which was appropriately deserved.

To make matters worse, things are looking shaky for Lincoln Riley as CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz is reporting that the head coach is officially on the hot seat, even with that massive $70 million buyout looming.

Don't expect USC to make to give Lincoln Riley the hook...yet

USC fans are understandably fed up right now, but there's a big difference between being on the hot seat and actually getting the walking papers. The hot seat is basically a final warning to turn things around, while firing someone is a whole different ballgame. Before you dive into this, just keep the money in mind. We're talking about a $70 million buyout (and it might even be closer to $72 million). That’s a massive amount of cash to pay someone just to walk out the door.

And let's be real about the money. Is there even a coach out there worth breaking the bank for right now? Between paying off Lincoln Riley and his massive staff, hiring an entirely new team, and still having enough cash left to actually compete in the transfer portal and recruiting, the math just doesn't add up. We need to get real. Is making a change like that even realistic?

One last point on why Riley being on the hot seat doesn’t mean he’s out the door just yet. USC has an elite roster, especially with that No. 1 ranked 2026 class the staff worked so hard to pull in. These guys are playing at a high level, and if they stick together, the future looks bright. Riley is finally getting the full support he needs.

The right NIL backing, top-tier facilities, and the infrastructure to actually compete. He deserves a fair shot to show what he can do with those resources. At the end of the day, USC lost to Oregon because they just had the better, more experienced roster. Oregon has been building with NIL for over five years, while USC has really only been doing it for about 18 months.

I get why fans are annoyed, but firing Riley would be a huge mistake. Aside from that massive $70 million buyout, you’d be looking at a mass exodus of elite talent and a total stall in recruiting that would send the program right back to square one.

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