LOS ANGELES — Fresh off what he described as an “excruciating” 49-35 loss to Notre Dame, Lincoln Riley didn’t want to talk about what lies ahead.
“This is about this team and this moment, these guys who played their last game here at the Coliseum,” Riley said when asked about what gives him confidence in the program’s trajectory after USC suffered its 11th loss over the past two seasons. “I could sit up here for an hour and talk about the things I know. … I can rattle off all the stats. I could show you the facilities. I could show you recruiting. I could show you the staff. I could go on about that for an hour. I just don’t think it’s the appropriate time right now.”
There weren’t any more questions about the program’s future. After USC fell to 6-6 in Riley’s third year — on the heels of last season’s disappointing 8-5 campaign — there’s one question that looms large: Where, exactly, is this program headed?
The answers, if there are any, are unclear at the moment. The road forward is hazy.
The decisive moment on Saturday was the perfect encapsulation of USC’s season. The Trojans created a golden opportunity for themselves as they so often have this season. Trailing 35-28 late in the fourth quarter, Jayden Maiava completed a 22-yard pass to Duce Robinson on third-and-8 to keep USC’s comeback hopes alive. On the very next play, Quinten Joyner, who was playing for an injured Woody Marks, rushed for 21 yards to get USC down to the Notre Dame 21-yard line.
The Trojans were in striking distance as Maiava pulled the ball from the running back on play action and tossed it in the direction of receiver Kyron Hudson on what looked like a back-shoulder throw. Except Hudson didn’t come back to the ball, which allowed Fighting Irish defensive back Christian Gray to snag it with one hand. Gray kept his footing, followed a convoy of blockers and returned the interception 99 yards for a touchdown.
CHRISTIAN GRAY #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/VPYKhCeH3S
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 1, 2024
USC, as it so often has this season, made a critical error in the worst possible moment. Make no mistake, Notre Dame (11-1) was clearly the better team on Saturday. The Trojans were good enough to compete and make it close. Not good enough when it mattered though, and that’s ultimately the story of USC’s season.
The Trojans played better this season than last. However, this is scoreboard business, and USC regressed from seven regular-season wins in 2023 to six in 2024. The Trojans have had two subpar seasons in a row. That’s not promising for the program’s trajectory.
There are so many things to contextualize after a season like this, one in which USC led in the fourth quarter in five of its six losses. A team that could easily be 9-3 is 6-6 and wondering what the hell just happened.
Some might say USC is a logical candidate to bounce back next season given all of the one-score losses it suffered this year. But look at the list of players who were honored on senior day. Some can return, such as Hudson and right tackle Mason Murphy, but there are several key contributors in this group — most notably corner Jaylin Smith, tight end Lake McRee, center Jonah Monheim, guard Emmanuel Pregnon and the Arnold brothers (linebacker Easton and safety Akili).
celebrating our seniors today! 🫡✌️ pic.twitter.com/ibgVleorMY
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 30, 2024
Those aren’t easy players to replace. USC could bounce back, but it’s not a guarantee. The Trojans could spend heavily in the transfer portal and fill holes, but Riley’s tenure has demonstrated the good and the bad of the portal. It’s difficult to hit on those evaluations — both from a talent and culture standpoint — year in and year out.
USC played hard and didn’t give in despite the fact the season was lost a month and a half ago. The players deserve credit for that, though it won’t matter much in the long run. Will next year’s team do the same?
The early signing period starts Wednesday. USC needs more talent. Notre Dame made that much clear on Saturday. The Trojans are still lacking on the defensive line, something that was apparent each time they faltered in the fourth quarter this season.
There seems to be growing optimism that USC will sign five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart next week. Stewart is the No. 16 overall player in the 2025 cycle and would be the best recruiting win of Riley’s tenure. But how much can a true freshman be expected to help next season? And the reality is USC needs several more players like Stewart to match up with programs such as Oregon, Ohio State and Georgia.
Riley and his staff simply have to recruit better.
One thing that seems pretty clear is that USC lacks an identity as a program. What can this team lean on? It’s difficult to pinpoint. The previous two seasons it was Caleb Williams, who was honored at the game on Saturday, but that was always unsustainable because he was going to be with the program for only so long.
USC has no central identity that it can build around, and it shows. That’s a major issue when it’s Year 3 for Riley.
The Trojans coach has to create something that can become this program’s calling card. Can you call it an offensive program? Not really. The offense has regressed each season. The defense has improved, but it’s not good enough to be an elite defensive program at the moment. Recruiting has been decent but not good enough to call it a major recruiting program, like Miami.
Riley has a lot to examine and evaluate this offseason with his program, his staff and his roster. There will be a bright spotlight thrust upon the quarterback position. Maiava displayed some strong playmaking ability in his three games as the starter. But USC’s offense didn’t improve dramatically, and it’s not as though Maiava left absolutely no doubt he should be the starter in 2025.
If Riley can find an upgrade at the position in the portal, he should do so. The players on the roster have to improve, too. The receiver group was hyped during the offseason but was hit or miss in key moments throughout most of the season.
It’s on the staff to maximize the talent on the roster. Three years into the Riley era, that’s still a problem.
Riley was reluctant to provide too many answers about the program’s future on Saturday. That’s fine. Words aren’t going to fix what’s happened these past two years.
Solutions will only be revealed by the work Riley and his program put in.
So far it’s been underwhelming. We’ll have to wait until next fall to see if he’s found the right answers. Either way, we’ll have a good idea of where USC’s program is headed.
(Photo: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
