How USC Trojans' Chad Bowden Has Freed Coach Lincoln Riley As A Playcaller

Riley has always been the hands-on play caller and game planner throughout his tenure as a head coach. After leading historically great offenses statistically, producing five NFL starters including three Heisman Trophy winners, three No. 1 overall picks, and a bevy of other accolades, there’s no denying Riley’s capabilities as a talent evaluator and playcaller. 

However, in recent years, that formula had slightly changed & Riley found himself more caught in non-football matters as the college football landscape changed. Enter general manager Chad Bowden, who has helped take a major load off Riley’s back to focus on the football side of things.

“When Riley went to USC he oversaw a top-three offense in his first season and mentored another Heisman winner in QB Caleb Williams. USC's results the past two seasons haven't been as strong, though, and part of Riley's offseason program evaluation included playcalling,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg said. 

"I've had some moments where I've thought about it, not during the [season], but in between," Lincoln Riley told ESPN. "I don't know that I've ever gotten close to giving it up, but I've had that kind of inner discussion and discussion with some of my confidants about: Would that be the right thing to do?"

The honesty is refreshing as it’s becoming a hot-button topic in recent years. The USC Trojans were 15-11 the past two seasons and have fallen in what feels like countless one-possession games that come down to the wire. Criticism for Riley’s game management issues have been highlighted, and a reason that has been pointed to is his playcalling duties. It’s hard to balance. 

"Not that it's been perfect, but the offensive track record that I've had a chance to be a part of is pretty solid, and I've just always felt like that's an advantage that I can bring to our program," Riley said. "I probably feel better about doing it right now than I have in the last couple of years. Obviously, I kept doing it, but I feel it's much more manageable right now."

With a bulldog like Bowden now spearheading recruiting and other administrative and team-related efforts, Riley has been able to focus on what he knows best, offensive football. The change still remains to be a work in progress, but when USC scored 73 points in the season opener against Missouri State, it was the most they have put on the board in nearly 100 years. 

The Trojans faced off against Georgia Southern last night, and the scoring train doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon, as they put up 59 points and 755 yards of offense. The Trojans have also gotten valuable experience for a bevy of young players on offense, including five-star freshman Husan Longstreet. Getting the reinvigorated version of Lincoln Riley is an ominous sign for the rest of college football.