Written by Bruce Feldman, Antonio Morales, Ralph Russo
UCF has inquired about the availability of USC coach Lincoln Riley, who is looking to replace Gus Malzahn, three people with knowledge of the conversations said. The Athletic on wednesday.
Officials said there was no indication that Riley was interested in moving. He is reportedly in his third season on a 10-year contract worth about $10 million annually.
people spoke The Athletic The person spoke on condition of anonymity because all discussions are private and UCF does not publicly disclose details of its coaching search.
Because USC is a private school, Riley's contract has not been made public, but poaching Riley from Southern California would be a good sign for the Trojans to hire him if he wanted to leave. It is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars for schools that do so.
A source said UCF representatives contacted Riley's agent over the weekend to inquire about his interest in moving nationally. Discussions regarding adjusting the terms of Riley's contract will take place between him and USC, sources said.
Initial sources said UCF has not received any communication from Riley's camp that he is interested in leaving USC, and the school is still considering multiple candidates to fill the head coaching vacancy. he added.
Firing Riley, whose winning numbers for the Trojans have declined in each of his three seasons, would cost USC about $90 million, one of the people said. Even if Riley leaves for another school, he doesn't owe USC anything. But UCF is not in a position to replicate the contract Riley signed at USC. Malzahn earned $4 million in 2024 at UCF.
Two people said that even if Riley were interested in transferring, he would need to make some payments from his current contract with USC to make up for what he would be giving up in the move. . This is similar to trades in professional sports, where one team pays a large amount of money, receives the remaining salary of a player on a large contract, and the receiving team receives the remainder.
Riley was hired by USC by former athletic director Mike Vaughn, who resigned amid controversy in the spring of 2023. The university's president, Carol Folt, also oversaw the hiring and is expected to retire this summer. That means two of the key parties were involved in bringing Riley to USC. It will disappear.
Former Washington Athletic Director Jen Cohen was hired as director of athletics in August 2023. She took over Riley and his contract.
She's in the unenviable position of having an underperforming football program but a coach too expensive to take the next step. In the spring, Cohen navigated a delicate situation with men's basketball coach Andy Enfield. Mr. Enfield's term had expired, but his record was too good to justify his removal. He eventually took the SMU job, and Cohen hired Eric Musselman from Arkansas to replace him.
Even if Riley had a suitor, it would likely be more difficult to get out of the deal.
After four years as head coach, Malzahn left UCF to become Florida State's offensive coordinator. The Knights went 10-15 overall and 5-13 in league play in their first two seasons in the Big 12 after transferring from the American Athletic Conference. UCF only received a portion of the Big 12's revenue last year, about $18 million, but will receive about $19 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
This number should jump to full share in 2025-2026, about twice that number.
Riley has a 25-14 record at USC since being lured to Los Angeles from Oklahoma State after the 2021 regular season. It was a shocking move for the Trojans, who had a 55-10 record in Norman and wiped out a coach that featured two Heisman Trophy winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
The Trojans went 11-3 in Riley's first season, and Caleb Williams, another Heisman winner, was a star quarterback who followed the coach from Oklahoma to USC. But since then, results have gone in the wrong direction.
USC went 8-5 in 2023, its final season in the Pac-12, and finished its first regular season in the Big Ten with a 6-6 record (4-5 league).
Riley said after the 2023 season. The Athletic “I didn't come here (USC) for some short-term purpose, and as long as SC continues to give us support and what we need to continue to build this, this is a two-year journey,” he said. “It was not a reconstruction.”
Recruiting has not lived up to the high expectations that accompanied Mr. Riley's hiring. USC continues to regress on the field season after season and the program doesn't seem to have much direction moving forward, making Riley's prospects look hazy at best.
(Photo: Sean M. Huffey/Getty Images)
