***Update – USC now sits at 4-5 after just losing another 4th quarter lead at the hands of the Washington Huskies. After another poor first half, the Trojans came out and looked like a different football team in the 3rd quarter, but ultimately faltered in the 4th and failed to score any points with 8 plays in the red zone.
Things are not great in Trojan land right now.
Original Piece
Things are dark right now for the USC Trojans. After another 4th quarter collapse and an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Maryland Terrapins, USC sits at 3-4.
There are so many factors as to why this team has a losing record, but at the end of the day, Lincoln Riley has not been good enough. Things can still turn around, and obviously, we had an entire defensive reset this offseason, but in Year 3, USC should not be losing to programs like Minnesota or Maryland.
Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the jump. Lincoln Riley’s current buyout if Jen Cohen did decide to move on from him would be pushing anywhere from $60 to $80 million. So, realistically, there is just no feasible way that USC can make this decision without a few mega-donors writing some monster checks.
Also, many fans won’t want to hear this, but recruiting is trending in the right direction. Moving on from Riley will essentially reset your recruiting classes and force you to start back over.
However, for the sake of discussion after a 3rd loss in a row, let’s take a look a 5 head coaching candidates that could replace Lincoln Riley.
5 USC Trojans Head Coaching Candidates To Replace Lincoln Riley
Pete Carroll – Free Agent
I have mixed emotions about this one. Obviously, the USC Trojans saw some of their greatest program success during the Pete Carroll era, but rarely does it work out when the same coach is brought back for a 2nd stint.
What worked before, probably won’t work now, and expectations would probably be a bit unfair.
However, Carroll is no longer in the NFL and he has expressed that he still has a desire to coach. And you have the added factor that he is back on the USC campus teaching a course.
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There would be a ton of layers to this hire, and who he brings on as his staff would be equally important, but man would it be fun to see Pete Carroll and his classic Nike Monarchs on the sidelines of the Coli leading the USC Trojans again.
The program would also have the added benefit of having someone with NFL experience to navigate this new era of College Football with NIL.
Curt Cignetti – Indiana Head Coach
This would probably be the most costly of the bunch, which as we said above, makes it extremely difficult for Jen Cohen and the program to navigate, but this is just for discussion and debate, so why not?
As Cignetti said himself, all he does is win, Google him.
During our live stream of the USC LAFB show, we talked about if/when the USC Trojans decide to go after a new head coach, it would be best to go after a program builder, not just the big name. That is Curt Cignetti in a nutshell.
In his first head coaching job at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Cignetti went 53-17, bringing the program to the NCAA playoffs.
From there, Cignetti was hired at Elon. He inherited a program that went 2-9 the previous year and turned Elon into contenders going 14-11 over two years and making the FCS playoffs both years.
After his two-year stint with Elon, he was hired by James Madison. This is where he really made a name for himself. In his first 3 seasons, he went 33-5, leading the Dukes to the FCS Semifinals twice and the Championship once.
His next two seasons saw the Dukes make the move to the FBS level. He went 19-5 in those two seasons and led his team to the Armed Forces Bowl in 2023.
He was hired this past offseason by Indiana and all he has done is lead them to a 7-0 start and one of the top programs in the Big Ten.
The one knock on Cignetti is that he hasn’t won the big game. Lost in the playoffs in his two years at Elon, couldn’t quite get the FCS championship trophy at James Madison, and lost to Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl.
But there is no denying, he can certainly build a program, and what he is doing at Indiana in such a short time is remarkable.
Matt Entz – USC Trojans Linebackers Coach
A lot of folks might disagree with this one, but Entz would actually be one of my favorite candidates. When you think of the definition of a football coach, Matt Entz certainly comes to mind.
He paid his dues at smaller programs before becoming the DC for FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. While the DC, NDSU won the FCS National Championship 4 out of 5 years. When he was promoted to head coach, he won the Natty 2 out of 5 years, reaching the championship 3 times.
Going from NDSU to Linebackers coach, to head coach of USC is quite the jump, but this move would also allow some continuity to the program.
Also Read: USC Trojans 2025 Recruiting Class
While the program is in a dark place currently, and the defense has blown leads in 5 of 7 games, I do believe the defensive staff is building something, and making Entz the top guy would allow him to keep some of those pieces in place, if he chose to.
It is also my opinion that the linebacker room has been the best unit on the defensive side and we have seen the most positive development with players like Eric Gentry, Mason Cobb, and Desman Stephens II.
Entz brings a championship pedigree, which this program desperately needs.
Matt Campbell – Iowa State Head Coach
The current Iowa State head coach might not be the sexiest name out there, but there is no denying what he has been able to do during his tenure with the Cyclones. The peak of his tenure thus far came in 2020 when Iowa State beat Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
So far this season the Cyclones are 7-0 and ranked 10th in the AP Top 25 Poll. Campbell has been the Big 12 Coach of the Year three times.
Campbell is another coach who doesn’t exactly bring the same hype that many might want as a USC head coaching hire, but imagine what he could do with USC’s resources.
Chris Petersen – Free Agent
This hire would be a long shot. Petersen has been out of coaching since he retired in 2019, so really not sure if his desire to get back in the game is there, and if he would even fit within the new era of College Football. But there is no denying what he has done over his career.
He took Boise State to new heights after being promoted to head coach when Dan Hawkins left for Colorado. The pinnacle came in the way of a Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma.
From there, he went on to Washington, where he replaced Steve Sarkisian who had just left for the USC job. In just his third season, he led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff. Again, however, the knock on Petersen is that he was not able to win the elusive final big game at Washington.
Also Read: What We Learned From USC’s Inexcusable Loss To Maryland
He lost in the semifinals of the CFP to Alabama. The following year they lost to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. The year after that, they lost to Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.
But it is undeniable that Petersen built a great culture and brought national relevance to both Boise State and Washington.
Honorable Mention – Urban Meyer
As long as Carol Folt is the President of USC, this will never happen, and to be honest, I personally would have reservations with this move just based on the lack of integrity that Meyer has shown during his coaching career.
So, this would have little to no chance of happening, but again, for the sake of discussion, why not? Meyer has won every single place (in college) that he has been.
He won at Bowling Green. He won at Utah. He two National Championships at Florida. He won another National Championship at Ohio State.
Could he do the same with the USC Trojans?
Honorable Mention – Barry Odom – UNLV Head Coach
Top Coordinator Candidates
D’Anton Lynn – USC DC
Andy Kotelnicki – Penn State OC
Glenn Schumann – Georgia Co-DC
Dirk Koetter – Boise State OC
What do you think Trojans fans, if USC were to make a move, who would you like to see take over the program?