University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley Named Semifinalist for George Munger Coach of the Year Award
November 19, 2025 | Football
LOS ANGELES—USC head coach Lincoln Riley has been named a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award.
Established in 1989, the George Munger Award is a prestigious honor in college football, awarded annually to the sport's most outstanding coach. This accolade recognizes exceptional leadership, strategic innovation and significant impact on the game. The award is named in tribute to George Munger, a respected figure in college football known for his influential coaching career.
Riley is one of the nation's most successful coaches. He's had more success by the age of 40 (now 42) than any other head coach in college football history. Riley has been a head coach for 8 seasons and has developed 3 of the last 8 Heisman Trophy winners. In addition to being the only head coach to tutor three Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, Riley is the only coach to have 3 quarterbacks selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft as well as the most No. 1 overall draft selections in the common draft era. From coaching 3 Heisman Trophy winners, to having a 78 percent winning record, to appearing in 3 College Football Playoffs, Lincoln Riley's coaching achievements set a standard of excellence.
In his fourth year at USC, the Trojans are 8-2 and 6-1 in Big Ten Conference play after defeating No. 21 Iowa 26-21 in a gritty, hard-nosed football game in the pouring rain in the Coliseum on Saturday (Nov. 15). During the last 10 years, Iowa had an 83-5 record when leading by 8 points or more. The Trojans made it 83-6. USC is the first team since 2020 to beat Iowa when the Hawkeyes held a lead of at least 14 points. Heading into halftime, USC was down 21-10. Prior to Saturday, the most USC had been down by at the half this season was eight points against Nebraska (which resulted in a 21-17 win). In true "Fight On" spirit, the Trojans battled back scoring 19 unanswered points on five consecutive drives. The last time USC came back to win a game after being down by double-digit points at the half was against UCLA in 2020.
The Trojans are currently ranked No. 15 in the CPF Poll and No. 16 in the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls.
USC's roster is stacked with talented players at Riley's disposal. WR Makai Lemon, a First Team Midseason All-American, is one of the nation's top receivers and is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Lemon's elite route-running and yards-after-catch ability translate to inevitable impact every week as the nation's most electric receiver. He's the second-most productive pass catcher in the country (and first in the Power Four), averaging 109.0 receiving yards per game. He leads the Big Ten in receptions per game (7.10) and has 8 receiving TDs on the season. He leads the Trojans with 71 receptions for 1,090 yards (15.4 avg.), which is third best in the nation and first in the Power Four. Among all Power Four receivers, Lemon is tied for the most catches of 20+ yards or more. He has recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and four with at least 150 yards. Lemon leads the Power Four in first downs by a wide receiver (46), and he leads the Big Ten in yards after catch (467).
QB Jayden Maiava, a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, leads the nation with a 90.7 QBR. Maiava leads the Big Ten in passing yards (2,868), passing yards per game (286.8), passing yards per completion (14.27) and yards per pass attempt (9.53). Great throws beat great coverages, and Maiava's precision and athleticism display just that. His accuracy is showcased through his excellent ball placement and timing in his high-value and high-difficulty passes as he is second in the nation with 23 big time throws, per PFF.
USC leads the Big Ten in passing offense (298.1), passing yards per completion (19.87) and total offense (488.9).
USC's defense continues to perform at an extremely high level. USC has not allowed its opponents to score more than 3 points in the second half of its last three games. The last time USC held opponent defenses to 3 points or less in the second half three games in a row was in 2013. USC's current 21.7 points per game allowed is on pace to be the best for a USC team since allowing 21.2 ppg in 2013. This is the first time since 2008 that USC has held four straight opponents to 150 or fewer passing yards.
Trojan S Bishop Fitzgerald, another Midseason First Team All-American, leads the nation in interceptions (5).
The formal presentation of the George Munger Coach of the Year Award will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Maxwell Football Club will also be presenting its other national awards from high school through the professional ranks at the event.
Established in 1989, the George Munger Award is a prestigious honor in college football, awarded annually to the sport's most outstanding coach. This accolade recognizes exceptional leadership, strategic innovation and significant impact on the game. The award is named in tribute to George Munger, a respected figure in college football known for his influential coaching career.
Riley is one of the nation's most successful coaches. He's had more success by the age of 40 (now 42) than any other head coach in college football history. Riley has been a head coach for 8 seasons and has developed 3 of the last 8 Heisman Trophy winners. In addition to being the only head coach to tutor three Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, Riley is the only coach to have 3 quarterbacks selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft as well as the most No. 1 overall draft selections in the common draft era. From coaching 3 Heisman Trophy winners, to having a 78 percent winning record, to appearing in 3 College Football Playoffs, Lincoln Riley's coaching achievements set a standard of excellence.
In his fourth year at USC, the Trojans are 8-2 and 6-1 in Big Ten Conference play after defeating No. 21 Iowa 26-21 in a gritty, hard-nosed football game in the pouring rain in the Coliseum on Saturday (Nov. 15). During the last 10 years, Iowa had an 83-5 record when leading by 8 points or more. The Trojans made it 83-6. USC is the first team since 2020 to beat Iowa when the Hawkeyes held a lead of at least 14 points. Heading into halftime, USC was down 21-10. Prior to Saturday, the most USC had been down by at the half this season was eight points against Nebraska (which resulted in a 21-17 win). In true "Fight On" spirit, the Trojans battled back scoring 19 unanswered points on five consecutive drives. The last time USC came back to win a game after being down by double-digit points at the half was against UCLA in 2020.
The Trojans are currently ranked No. 15 in the CPF Poll and No. 16 in the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls.
USC's roster is stacked with talented players at Riley's disposal. WR Makai Lemon, a First Team Midseason All-American, is one of the nation's top receivers and is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Lemon's elite route-running and yards-after-catch ability translate to inevitable impact every week as the nation's most electric receiver. He's the second-most productive pass catcher in the country (and first in the Power Four), averaging 109.0 receiving yards per game. He leads the Big Ten in receptions per game (7.10) and has 8 receiving TDs on the season. He leads the Trojans with 71 receptions for 1,090 yards (15.4 avg.), which is third best in the nation and first in the Power Four. Among all Power Four receivers, Lemon is tied for the most catches of 20+ yards or more. He has recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and four with at least 150 yards. Lemon leads the Power Four in first downs by a wide receiver (46), and he leads the Big Ten in yards after catch (467).
QB Jayden Maiava, a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, leads the nation with a 90.7 QBR. Maiava leads the Big Ten in passing yards (2,868), passing yards per game (286.8), passing yards per completion (14.27) and yards per pass attempt (9.53). Great throws beat great coverages, and Maiava's precision and athleticism display just that. His accuracy is showcased through his excellent ball placement and timing in his high-value and high-difficulty passes as he is second in the nation with 23 big time throws, per PFF.
USC leads the Big Ten in passing offense (298.1), passing yards per completion (19.87) and total offense (488.9).
USC's defense continues to perform at an extremely high level. USC has not allowed its opponents to score more than 3 points in the second half of its last three games. The last time USC held opponent defenses to 3 points or less in the second half three games in a row was in 2013. USC's current 21.7 points per game allowed is on pace to be the best for a USC team since allowing 21.2 ppg in 2013. This is the first time since 2008 that USC has held four straight opponents to 150 or fewer passing yards.
Trojan S Bishop Fitzgerald, another Midseason First Team All-American, leads the nation in interceptions (5).
The formal presentation of the George Munger Coach of the Year Award will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Maxwell Football Club will also be presenting its other national awards from high school through the professional ranks at the event.
USC RB King Miller | Tuesday of UCLA Week
Tuesday, November 25
USC QB Jayden Maiava | Tuesday of UCLA Week
Tuesday, November 25
USC HC Lincoln Riley | Tuesday of UCLA Week
Tuesday, November 25
USC OL Kaylon Miller | Tuesday of UCLA Week
Tuesday, November 25
