Hot Seat Debates About Lincoln Riley Surge After Odds Reveal Likelihood Of Him Being Fired

Lincoln Riley has only been the head coach at USC for two seasons, yet he frequently finds himself in hot-seat discussions ahead of the 2024 season.

A concept that Oklahoma fans likely would have never imagined could happen thanks to all of his success in Norman, and certainly one that USC didn't think was even a possibility when they threw $110 million at him.

Just one year after going 11-3 in his first season, Riley's USC squad had a bit of a sophomore slump in year two going 8-5. This decline may have led to the revelation that he won't have all the time in the world in Los Angeles to figure things out.

On Monday, BetOnline's odds for the first head coach to be fired in college football was a major topic of discussion. Florida's Billy Napier headlined the group as the most likely to be shown the door first, but Riley was also among the names of coaches who are viewed as coaching for their jobs with +2500 odds.

Despite the fact he is just two seasons removed from a Pac-12 title appearance, it appears that fans are a bit torn on just how hot his seat is.

"Only a few things need to go wrong for that Lincoln Riley line to be really juicy," wrote one fan.

"Funny how only 1 top 10 head coach is on here and he has lost 8 games total," added another.

"There is absolutely no chance Lincoln Riley gets fired lmao," chimed in another.

In most cases, a coach that has gone 19-8 in two seasons and is owed a boatload of money wouldn't be anywhere near hot-seat chatter. However, ESPN's Paul Finehaum may have a hand in how common this discussion has been this offseason. He has been leading the angry mob wanting to fire Riley, going as far as to say he would have fired him right after the 2023 season.

"I thought last year was one of the worst coaching jobs I have ever seen," Finebaum said on ESPN's First Take in July. "Quite frankly, had I been the athletic director at Southern Cal I would have fired Lincoln Riley. Because he has yet to show after many years as a head coach, he knows anything about defense. He's gone through defensive coordinators. He just simply couldn't handle it and now things are going to be five times worse in the Big Ten."

Riley will have a chance to silence the chatter in 2024, but he will have to do so without his star quarterback Caleb Williams who was taken with the No. 1 pick in this year's NFL draft. On top of replacing Williams with long-time USC backup Miller Moss, the Trojans will also be navigating a new Big Ten schedule that ESPN's FPI has as one of the toughest in the country.

Riley and No. 23 USC will be taking on No. 13 LSU in the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, September 1, on ABC.

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