Four seasons, a playoff berth, and a 9-4 season were already pushing Lincoln Riley on edge, and now ESPN’s hot-seat take just added another layer to it. After last year’s coaching shake-up, when more than 10 coaches were shown the door, programs aren’t just looking for stability, they are looking for leaders who can win now. After seeing Curt Cignetti do the impossible in just two years with the Indiana Hoosiers, patience is running thin.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg released his way-too-early college football coaches’ hot seat list. It contains the names fans usually expect, like FSU’s Mike Norvell and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer, but one of the names among them is also Lincoln Riley, who’s on the verge of losing it all if USC doesn’t go into the playoffs in the 2026 season.

It’s not like Riley doesn’t have any momentum heading into 2026. He did gather a No. 1 recruiting class this year. Even looking back, he also took USC to an 11-3 run during his first year. There were also chances of them qualifying for the playoffs, but the Pac-12 title loss ended their run. But when a team invests $90 million in a head coach, it does expect results, and that’s what’s missing in Riley’s leadership.

He is also taking major steps to make sure nothing stops them from entering the playoffs next year. Lincoln Riley canceled one of their oldest rivalries with Notre Dame after their 34-24 loss last season, thinking that removing tough competition could give them an easy way into the postseason.

But their schedule tells a different story. They have the top three Big Ten teams, Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon, in their schedule.

The timing of the games makes it even tougher for them, as Oregon plays Portland State, which is an FCS team, before traveling to face USC. Then, Ohio State and Indiana both have a bye week before facing USC, which makes it even tougher for them to tackle. Apart from these three, the rest of the schedule offers some relief with Penn State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. But even one Big Ten loss can end their playoff dreams.

Entering his fifth season with the Trojans, Lincoln Riley holds a 35-18 overall record with a 2-2 bowl record. But what’s concerning is his 6-19 record against ranked teams, a weakness that cost James Franklin his tenure with Penn State last season. On top of it, he is also 0-5 against top 10 opponents, with their 2024 season loss against Oregon that knocked them out of the playoffs.

What’s worse is that even if Riley is in the hot seat, parting ways with him won’t be that straightforward. USC’s former athletic director, Mike Bohn, signed a 10-year deal worth $110 million. Now, if the team fires him, they will have to pay him a hefty $90 million buyout.

So, in the middle of the scare, Lincoln Riley is focusing on what’s needed.

Lincoln Riley takes a bold decision ahead of spring practice

The USC Trojans are heading to their 2026 spring practice schedule. But just as Matt Rhule did last year, Lincoln Riley and the team have decided not to hold a traditional spring game this season.

The spring practice will begin on March 3 and will continue on the 4th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 11th, and 13th before the spring break. The practice will resume on March 24, 25, 27, 28, and 31, and then will finally conclude on April 1, 3, and 4.

This way, the team will cover the 15 total practices rule by the NCAA, giving the coaching staff proper time to evaluate players. For Riley, this decision to skip the spring games comes after a strategic move to prepare his team for long-term chaos. On top of it, with 35 commits on the class, the fear of losing any one of them also is not an option.

Apart from that, access to even team drills will be restricted for the fans, and even the media will be allowed just during the initial stretching and individual drills.

With restrictions, the team will also focus immensely on players’ development, as after the practice, coaches will select players and conduct interviews with them. This way, they can identify the strong ones. Now, with so many changes in place, let’s wait and see how this season turns out for Lincoln Riley.