Lincoln Riley - Football Coach

Lincoln Riley - USC Trojans Football Head Coach

Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics

Lincoln Riley

Title:
C. & J. Elerding Head Football Coach
Email:
football@usc.edu
Phone:
(213) 740-4204
Instagram:
lincolnriley

Lincoln Riley's Accolades

3 Heisman Trophy Winners coached
4 Big 12 Championships
3 College Football Playoff Appearances
2018 Big 12 Coach Of The Year
3 QBs selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft (most of all-time)

Lincoln Riley is one of the nation’s most successful coaches. He’s had more success by the age of 40 than any other head coach in college football history. Riley has been a head coach for 9 seasons and has developed three of the last nine 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 three quarterbacks selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft and has the most No. 1 overall draft selections in the common draft era. Just eight Power Four coaches currently hold a .500 or better career winning percentage against ranked teams, including Riley. From coaching 3 Heisman Trophy winners, to having a 76 percent winning record, to appearing in 3 College Football Playoffs, Lincoln Riley’s coaching achievements set a standard of excellence.

And didn’t take long for Riley to implement that standard at USC. In his first season as USC’s head coach in 2022, the 39-year-old led the Trojans to have equaled the biggest one-season victory turnaround (+7 victories) in USC history (USC’s 1962 national champs won 11 games after winning just 4 in 1961). In 2021, Troy won 4 games and in 2022, it had 11 victories. Riley tied the record for most victories by a first-year head coach (tied with John Robinson in 1976. This also ties the Pac-12 record). Riley’s Trojans went 11-3 in 2022 to bring USC back to the top of the college football landscape. USC went undefeated in the Coliseum (7-0), doing so for the first time since 2017. Riley guided the Trojans to a Pac-12 Championship appearance and to a Cotton Bowl appearance. In Riley’s electric offense, USC scored 579 points in 2022 compared to just 344 points scored in 2021. The Trojans finished the season nationally ranked No. 1 in turnover margin (1.57), No. 1 in turnovers lost (7), No. 1 in fumbles lost (2). No. 2 in 3^rd down conversion percentage (0.536), No. 2 in passes had intercepted (5), No. 3 in first downs offense (359), No. 3 in passes intercepted (19), No. 3 in passing offense (335.4), No. 3 in scoring offense (41.4), No. 3 in team passing efficiency (169.20), No. 3 in total offense (506.6) and No. 5 in turnovers gained (29).

Riley’s 2022 Trojans broke six USC records. The 2022 team now holds the USC record for most yards passing in a single season (4,696 yards in 14 games), most passes attempted in a single season (515), most touchdown passes in a single season (43), lowest percentage of passes had intercepted (0.97%, 5 in 515 attempts), most games scoring 30+ points (12) and most games scoring 40+ points (10). They also tie the USC single-game record for most touchdowns on interception returns (3 vs. Rice).

Under Riley’s tutelage in 2022, quarterback Caleb Williams was named the 88^th recipient of the Heisman Trophy. In addition to winning college football’s most prestigious award, Williams also was named the 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year, the 2022 AP Player of the Year, the 2022 Maxwell Award winner, the 2022 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year, the 2022 CBS Sports Player of the Year, the 2022 Action Sports Player of the Year, the 2022 CFPA National Performer of the Year and the 2022 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu was the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, the defensive Morris Trophy winner and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Ted Hendricks Award, and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Both Tuipulotu and Williams were Unanimous First Team All-Americans, USC’s first since 2012. Offensive linemen Brett Neilon and Andrew Vorhees and defensive back Calen Bullock were also named First Team All-Americans. Riley’s 5 First Team All-Americans were the most in a single season since 2007 when USC also had 5 first teamers. Jordan Addison, Mekhi Blackmon, Tuli Tuipulotu, Andrew Vorhees, Caleb Williams were all selected to the All-Pac-12 First Team, and Vorhees was the offensive recipient of the Morris Trophy. Four of his Trojans (Addison, Tuipulotu, Blackmon and Vorhees) were drafted in 2023. Riley was a finalist for the 2022 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. He threw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game in May of 2022.

His 2023 Trojans went 8-5 and 5-4 in Pac-12 play. Riley’s high-powered brand of offense, led by defending Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Caleb Williams, put up points all season resulting in USC ranking No. 3 in the nation in scoring offense (41.8), No. 3 in team passing efficiency (170.88), No. 5 in passing offense (333.0) and No. 10 in total offense (467.6). Williams ranked in the national Top 20 in points responsible for per game, points responsible for, passing efficiency, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, yards per pass attempt, total offense, passing yards, completion percentage, passing yards per completion and completions per game. He was a finalist for the Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Williams was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

Also in 2023, freshman wide receiver and electric return specialist Zachariah Branch was named USC's first-ever true freshman First Team All-American for his special teams efforts. Branch also won the Jet Award presented annually to the nation's most outstanding return specialist. He was the first Trojan since Adoree' Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least one receiving TD in the same season. Jackson had 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns for TDs and 1 TD reception during the 2016 season. Since 1971 (when records are available) Branch is one of just 3 USC players to accomplish the feat, joining Jackson and Curtis Conway (1992 – 1 kickoff return TD, 1 punt return TD, 5 rec TDs). The Trojans wrapped up the season on a high-note with a thrilling Holiday Bowl victory as quarterback Miller Moss stepped in leading the Trojans to defeat No. 16 Louisville 42-28. Moss, the Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP, threw 6 touchdown passes setting the record for most touchdown passes thrown in a Holiday Bowl, most touchdown passes thrown in a USC bowl game, most touchdown passes thrown by a USC QB is his first Trojan start and tied the Pac-12 Bowl Game passing touchdown record. Wide receiver Tahj Washington also amassed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. S Calen Bullock and RET Zachriah Branch were named to the All-Pac-12 First Team. Seven total Trojans (Williams, Washington, Calen Bullock, MarShawn Lloyd, Jarrett Kingston, Brenden Rice and Solomon Byrd) were drafted in 2024, marking the most USC players drafted since 2011.

In 2024, Riley’s Trojans went 7-6, and 4-5 in USC’s first season in the Big Ten Conference. USC bookended its season with victories against No. 13 LSU and a Texas A&M team that was just shy of competing in its conference championship to go 2-0 versus the SEC in 2024. All five of USC’s Big Ten losses were by just 7 points or less and four occurred within the last minute of the game. Offensively, the Trojans finished the season ranked in the national Top 25 in passing offense (10, 291.9), third down conversion percentage (25, 0.448), total offense (23, 437.2) and first downs offense (24, 303).

Riley completely revamped the defensive coaching staff prior to the 2024 season by bringing on DC D’Anton Lynn and a powerhouse crew with unparalleled experience. In just one season, the Trojan defense significantly improved. USC held opponents to an average of just 24.1 points per game, improving from 34.4 in 2023. The Trojans finished the 2024 season ranked No. 21 in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.335), compared to ranking No. 106 (0.436) in 2023. USC’s defense improved in a variety of other statistical categories including ranking No. 33 in passes intercepted (12) and No. 53 in rushing defense (141.2) in 2024. The Trojan defense ranked No. 58 in turnovers gained by collecting 18 throughout the season and ranked No. 69 in red zone defense (0.830) in 2024. USC finished ranked No. 70 in team passing efficiency defense (132.50), improved to No. 77 in total defense (377.1) and was No. 86 in the nation in first downs defense (262) in 2024.

Also in 2024, Trojan punter Eddie Czaplicki became USC’ 177^th First Team All-American and USC’s first-ever Ray Guy Award winner for being the nation’s best punter. Czaplicki not only earned All-Big Ten First Team honors by the coaches and the media, but he was named the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year by the Conference. USC ranked first in the nation in net punting (45.4). He led the nation in percentage of punts inside the 20 for punters with a minimum of 30 attempts. Twenty-five of his punts were inside the 20, 10 were inside the 10 and 4 inside the 5. Running back Woody Marks was a powerhouse for USC in his one season at Troy. He recorded 1,133 rushing yards on 198 attempts (5.7 avg.) with 9 TDs. He sits at 24^th among USC's all-time single-season rushing leaders with 1,133 yards this season. He surpassed Anthony Davis who had 1,112 rushing yards in the 1973 season. Marks became USC's first 1,000-yard rusher since Ronald Jones II rushed for 1,550 yards in 2017. Since Reggie Bush and LenDale White were 1,000-yard rushers in 2005, just five USC RBs have been 1,000-yard season rushers: Joe McKnight (2009), Curtis McNeal (2011), Javorius Allen (2014), Ronald Jones II (2016 & 2017) and Woody Marks. He also tied with wide receiver Zachariah Branch for USC's 2024 receiving leader with 47 catches for 321 yards (6.83 avg.). He was the first Trojan running back with 40+ catches in a single season since Javorius Allen recorded 41 in 2014. Marks averaged 121.17 all-purpose yards per game, which ranked third in the Big Ten and 18^thin the nation. The Trojans concluded the season with a 35-31 victory over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. The win marked the biggest comeback victory in Las Vegas Bowl history. Additionally, it was the largest deficit (17 points) that USC has ever overcome in a bowl game win, with the previous being a 15-point deficit against Penn State in the 2017 Rose Bowl. Wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane was named the bowl MVP after recording 7 receptions for 127 yards and a Las Vegas Bowl record 3 TDs. On National Signing Day, Riley made a splash by signing the No. 1 defensive lineman in the nation, five-star Jahkeem Stewart. Three of his Trojans (Jaylin Smith, Marks and Jonah Monheim) were drafted in 2025.

Riley’s 2025 Trojans went 9-4 and 7-2 in USC’s sophomore season in the Big Ten. Under the leadership of QB Jayden Maiava, an All-Big Ten Third Team honoree, the Trojans had marquee Big Ten wins over Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa and crosstown rival UCLA. Riley, a George Munger Coach of the Yearn Semifinalist, helped the team finish No. 5 nationally in third down conversion percentage (.513), No. 5 nationally and first in the Big Ten in passing offense (296.0), No. 8 nationally and first in the Big Ten in total offense (465.5) and No. 10 nationally and first in the Big Ten in passing yards per completion (13.74).

In 2025, WR Makai Lemon had a historic season and was named the winner of the 2025 Biletnikoff Award. Lemon was USC’s second-ever recipient of the Biletnikoff Award. Additionally, Lemon was named the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. He was also selected a unanimous First Team All-American. He was USC's first unanimous selection since QB Caleb Williams and DT Tuli Tuipulotu were unanimous selections in 2022, also under Riley. Lemon also earned First Team All-Conference honors by the Big Ten. Per PFF, Lemon was the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.4 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.3. He finished the regular season leading the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3). He also led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502) and tied for most receiving TDs (11). Lemon finished the regular season third in the Power Four with 19 receptions of 20+ yards, and he was tied for first nationally with 50 catches for first downs. In 2025, Lemon scored 11 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and threw a passing TD. Lemon was the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game (versus Oregon) since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009. He recorded five 100-yard receiving games in 2025 and seven in his career. He recorded double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025. In his career, he's recorded 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 avg.) with 14 TDs, and he ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list. S Bishop Fitzgerald earned consensus All-American status and was honored as an All-Big Ten First Team member. Fitzgerald was one of the country's best defenders and finished the regular season leading the Big Ten (and No. 2 nationally) in interceptions. His 5 interceptions are the most by a Trojan since Calen Bullock in 2022, with 3 of them occurring within USC's red zone. Even after missing two games due to injury late in the season, the All-American candidate still ranked fourth on USC's defense with 51 total tackles (34 of them solo stops), including 2.5 for loss of 18 yards (with 1 sack for minus 11 yards) and 3 PBUs. USC fell 27-30 to TCU in the 2025 Valero Alamo Bowl. Riley signed the nation’s unanimously ranked No. 1 recruiting class highlighted by the nation’s No. 1 recruit, DE Luke Wafle.

Riley was hired by USC on Nov. 28, 2021. He arrived after serving as the head coach at Oklahoma, winning 85 percent of his games in five seasons there and led the Sooners to four Big 12 titles and four New Year’s Six bowls with three College Football Playoff appearances.

Riley posted a 55-10 overall record in his five years (2017-21) at Oklahoma for an impressive .846 winning percentage. His Sooners were 37-7 (.841) in league play and won Big 12 championships in his first four years there as he became the first person to win outright Football Bowl Subdivision conference crowns in each of his first four seasons as a collegiate head coach. He set Oklahoma records for most victories in his first two (24), three (36) and four (45) seasons, breaking marks held by Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops.

After serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two of the most prolific offenses in OU’s history, Riley took over as the Sooners’ head coach in 2017 when Stoops retired. He was the youngest FBS head coach (33) at the time of his hiring. He also coached the OU quarterbacks and called the offensive plays while serving as head coach, running a balanced offensive attack.

Riley led his initial Oklahoma squad to a 12-2 overall record in 2017, becoming just the fifth FBS coach with no previous head coaching experience at a four-year college to win at least 12 games in his debut season. The Sooners won the Big 12 title by going 8-1, played in the CFP semifinal in the Rose Bowl and finished third in the final AP poll. Quarterback Baker Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy that season, along with the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, Manning, Walter Camp Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year Awards, and was the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Tight end Mark Andrews won the 2017 Mackey Award.

Oklahoma was again 12-2 overall and 8-1 while winning the Big 12 championships in 2018 and 2019. He was the Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year in 2018. Quarterback Kyler Murray won the 2018 Heisman Trophy, O’Brien Award and Manning Award, was the AP Player of the Year and was the No. 1 selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, while quarterback Jalen Hurts was the Heisman runner-up in 2019. The Sooners appeared in the Orange Bowl in 2018 and Peach Bowl in 2019, both CFP semifinals. OU was fourth in the final AP poll in 2018 and seventh in 2019.

In the COVID-impacted 2020 season, Oklahoma went 9-2 overall, won the Big 12 at 6-2, beat Florida in the Cotton Bowl and was sixth in the final AP Poll.

In 2021, the Sooners were 10-2 in the just-completed regular season, tied for second in the Big 12 standings at 7-2 and are ranked 13th by AP.

Riley spent 2015 and 2016 as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 2015 when his offense ranked seventh nationally in total offense. In 2016, receiver Dede Westbrook won the Biletnikoff Award and was fourth in the Heisman voting, while running back Joe Mixon set the OU season all-purpose yardage record (2,331 yards) and fellow running back Samaje Perine set the school career rushing mark (4,122 yards).

Riley went to Oklahoma after five seasons (2010-14) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina. He added the title of assistant head coach in 2014. The Pirates, running a spread offensive scheme, set more than 50 team and individual school offensive records during his time there. His squads had the top five passing seasons in school history and top four total offense marks. In 2014, ECU set a school season mark with 6,929 yards of total offense. East Carolina appeared in the national Top 10 in such categories as passing and scoring offense, third down conversion percentage and red zone scoring efficiency.

His Pirate wide receivers Justin Hardy and Zay Jones became the most productive pass catchers in FBS history. Hardy caught an NCAA record 387 career passes for 4,541 yards (including a trio of 1,000-yard seasons). Jones, who Riley coached for the first two years of his career, went on to break Hardy’s mark with 399 career receptions.

East Carolina quarterback Dominique Davis was the 2010 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year and set school records for career completions and TD passes. He completed an NCAA record 36 consecutive passes in 2011. He was succeeded by Shane Carden, who broke many of Davis’ record. Carden set ECU season marks for passing yards (4,736 in 2014) and completion percentage (.705 in 2013) and was the Conference USA MVP in 2013 followed by the American Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2014.

Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) High, a West Texas town of 5,000. He was a walk-on quarterback at Texas Tech in the spring and summer of 2003 before starting his coaching career as a student assistant there under head coach Mike Leach for three seasons (2003-05), working with the offense.

He became an offensive graduate assistant at Texas Tech in 2006, then joined the Red Raiders’ fulltime staff as the wide receivers coach in 2007 and the inside wide receivers coach in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, he called plays as the interim offensive coordinator in the Alamo Bowl, producing 579 yards of offense. His wide receiver Michael Crabtree won the 2007 Biletnikoff Award while establishing Big 12 and NCAA freshman records with 134 receptions for 1,962 yards, while fellow wideout Danny Amendola also had a 100-catch, 1,000-yard season in 2007. The Red Raiders played in a bowl in each of his seven seasons and Tech quarterbacks won NCAA passing titles in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007.

Riley received his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science from Texas Tech in 2006.

He was born on Sept. 5, 1983, in Lubbock, Tex. He and his wife, Caitlin, have two daughters, Sloan and Stella. His younger brother, Garrett, is the offensive coordinator at Missouri after previously coaching at Clemson, TCU (where he helped coach the Horned Frogs to the 2022 National Championship game), SMU, Appalachian State, Kansas, East Carolina and Augustana College and playing quarterback at Texas Tech and Stephen F. Austin.