Lincoln Riley's salary: How much is USC's buyout if they fire their head coach?

The USC Trojans hired Lincoln Riley as their head coach in late 2021, plucking the budding star from Oklahoma. However, the Trojans have struggled to achieve relevance with Riley, finishing 2023 with a 7-5 record and then starting 2024 slowly. The newest Big Ten member must now consider whether they hired the right head coach in Riley.

Let's look at how much Riley's salary is and what USC would have to pay in a buyout should they move on from him.

What is Lincoln Riley's Salary at USC?

Riley signed a contract that was reportedly worth $110 million over 10 years, so his estimated salary is $10 million a year. USC is a private institution, so they do not publicly disclose financial details. Nevertheless, this is similar to the deals that Mel Tucker and Brian Kelly earned around the same time.

After USC lost to Minnesota in Week 6 of the 2024 season, Riley had a 77-20 record in eight years of coaching. He's lost 10 games already with USC, matching his Oklahoma total despite coaching 33 fewer games thus far. The 41-year-old spent five seasons with the Sooners before jumping to USC.

How Much Would USC Pay in Buyout to Fire Lincoln Riley?

The estimated buyout for Riley is $88 million. 

USC compensated Oklahoma with $4.5 million for Lincoln Riley's buyout and subsequently offered him a record-breaking contract to persuade him to relocate to Los Angeles at the end of 2021. 

In his debut season with the Trojans, Riley was just one victory away from qualifying for the College Football Playoff but did not meet expectations in 2023. The Los Angeles Times reported that from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, USC provided Riley with a total of $19.7 million in compensation, setting a new record for the highest-paid college football coach. About half of that is base salary, while the $4.5 million is also part of the total.

This $88 million figure estimates Riley's buyout total.