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Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half of the Pac-12 Championship against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Drops Another Harsh Take on USC Trojans’ Lincoln Riley

Originally posted on USC Trojans on SI | By Nathan Fusco | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 7:30 PM ET

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum has once again taken aim at USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, questioning his trajectory in Los Angeles as the 2025 season approaches.

Speaking on The Paul Finebaum Show, the longtime college football commentator delivered another sharp critique of Riley’s tenure, suggesting the coach’s success at Oklahoma may have been built more on what he inherited than what he created.

“I’m beginning to think what we saw at Oklahoma had more to do with what Bob Stoops left behind than what Lincoln Riley was able to do,” Finebaum said. “I can’t say that he isn’t a great recruiter. I think that’s pretty self-evident. I think he’s also a great offensive coordinator. But I don’t think he can handle the pressure of being a coach. … I would have fired him last year if I didn’t have to eat an $80 million buyout. To me, the trajectory has ended.”

Riley’s buyout has now climbed to $90 million, the largest in college football history. That figure surpasses Jimbo Fisher’s $77.5 million buyout at Texas A&M and has made any potential coaching change at USC a massive financial challenge.

Finebaum argued that the only thing keeping Riley in place is the sheer size of that buyout.

Paul Finebaum Has Lots to Say About Lincoln Riley

The remarks are the latest in a string of criticisms Finebaum has directed at Riley since his move from Oklahoma to USC. Earlier this year, he called Riley “fraudulent” in his coaching results, pointing to USC’s lack of a conference title despite landing the nation’s No. 1 2026 recruiting class and a wave of transfer talent.

Riley’s early days at USC showed promise. He inherited a team coming off a 4-8 season and immediately produced an 11-3 record in 2022, highlighted by a Pac-12 Championship Game appearance and Caleb Williams winning the Heisman Trophy. But momentum has slowed. The Trojans followed that debut with an 8-5 record in 2023, then a 7-6 finish last year that raised questions about the program’s direction.

Finebaum did not stop at USC’s recent record. He claimed Riley left Oklahoma not simply to rebuild USC, but to avoid coaching in the SEC, where the Sooners were headed.

"He didn’t just leave Oklahoma, he fled,” Finebaum said.

He added that he believes Brent Venables, Riley’s replacement in Norman, has the Sooners in a stronger position than Riley would have if he had stayed.

Lincoln Riley's Fourth Year is Going to be His Most Important

All of this adds to the pressure as Riley prepares for his fourth season in Los Angeles and USC’s second year in the Big Ten. The Trojans open the season against Missouri State on Aug. 30, carrying both high expectations and heavy scrutiny.

USC’s roster features elite recruits, including the nation’s top 2026 class, and boosters have invested in NIL support. Those resources have raised the stakes for Riley to deliver immediate results.

Finebaum’s words only sharpen the focus on every decision and every game as the Trojans enter a critical stretch for their program’s future.

This article first appeared on USC Trojans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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