Paul Finebaum. © Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Coach He Would Have Fired a Year Ago

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 10:00 PM ET

The 2022 coaching cycle featured several prominent coaches and schools making new hires. During that season, the Oklahoma Sooners, USC Trojans, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Oregon Ducks, LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes all had head coaching vacancies.

After three seasons, while some of these coaches are thriving, others are not meeting expectations. USC's Lincoln Riley, for example, has a record of 26-14 over his three seasons. This is in contrast to his successful tenure at Oklahoma, where he compiled a 55-10 record in five seasons, winning four Big 12 championships and earning three College Football Playoff berths.

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum stated that if it were up to him, he would have fired Riley before the previous season.

"I would have fired Lincoln Riley a year ago," Finebaum said. "But he's got about a $60 million buyout. So, it's very complicated to get rid of him. He's got a big recruiting class coming in, which doesn't mean anything in the current strata of recruiting. But another bad season and I think everyone out there will finally come to the conclusion that we have that he is a bust."

When Riley took over as head coach at USC, many believed he could return the Trojans to their former glory. In his first season, he led the team to an 11-3 record and a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

However, the subsequent seasons have presented challenges. In 2023, USC finished with an 8-5 record, even after being ranked No. 6 in the preseason. The following season ended with a 7-6 record.

Additionally, as Finebaum pointed out, if USC decides to part ways with Riley, his buyout is set at $90 million, which would be the highest in college football history, surpassing Jimbo Fisher's $77.5 million buyout at Texas A&M.

The Trojans will begin their season against the Missouri State Bears at 7:30 p.m. ET on August 30. USC's schedule also includes a road matchup against Illinois, home games against Michigan and a visit to reigning national runner-up Notre Dame. A game at Autzen Stadium against the reigning Big Ten champion Oregon in November could be a pivotal moment for the team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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