Lincoln Riley Shuts Down USC Exit Rumors amid UCF Buzz: 'I'm Home' with Trojans

Amid rumors about his potential departure for another team, USC head coach Lincoln Riley shut down the possibility of him leaving the Trojans.

"I tell them I'm a USC Trojan," Riley said when asked about the potential of other schools being interested in him, per ESPN's Paolo Uggetti. "I'm at the place I want to be."

Uggetti confirmed that UCF, which is searching for its next head coach following Gus Malzahn's departure to be Florida State's offensive coordinator, did reach out to Riley. He called the possibility of taking another job "a nonstarter, a nonissue" and said, "I'm home."

Riley, who took over as USC's head coach ahead of the 2022 season, coached quarterback Caleb Williams to a Heisman Trophy and went 11-3 in his first year at the helm, falling just short of reaching the College Football Playoff.

Since that outstanding first season, things haven't gone as well. The Trojans went 8-5 a year ago and went 6-6 in their first year in the Big Ten this season.

UCF would give Riley a job that would likely have significantly lower expectations and he could coach in a conference slightly weaker than the Big Ten, but it seems he wants to see things through with the Trojans and get them back to a championship-level team.

Though its record might not indicate it, USC improved in some areas in 2024. The Trojans were better on defense under new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn and played close games against Michigan, LSU, Penn State and others. Besides their defeat to Notre Dame, all of the Trojans' losses were by less than one score.

USC's starting quarterback Miller Moss will enter the transfer portal, potentially setting the Trojans back, but they have the No. 13 recruiting class for 2025, highlighted by 5-star quarterback Husan Longstreet.