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Lincoln Riley discusses relationship with USC AD Jen Cohen amid hot seat talk
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Lincoln Riley’s time at USC has been a disappointment.
Behind a Heisman Trophy-winning season by Caleb Williams, the Trojans started 11-1 in 2022, but a blowout loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship cost them a chance at a College Football Playoff berth. Despite a 6-0 start in 2023, Williams’ play slipped as USC finished 2-5. That’s been followed by 7-6 and 9-4 records.
After Week 8’s loss to Wisconsin, the Trojans are 6-2. They’ll likely miss the Playoff once again. And USC fans’ already thin patience keeps getting thinner.
Adding to the speculation is the fact that Jen Cohen, the university’s athletic director, didn’t hire Riley. Riley, though, is pleased with his relationship with her.
“She’s a tremendous AD. Even though she’s not the AD I came here with and I’m not the head coach she hired, (we have a) fantastic relationship. She’s been a huge part of the progress that we’ve made,” Riley said, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Ryan Kartje.
USC has Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland, and UCLA on its remaining schedule. It will need to run the table to have any shot at the Playoff.
If it falls short again, the temperature will only get hotter for Riley. And if he isn’t fired, there’s a significant opening at a school in his home state that might be appealing.