Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Coach That Hasn't 'Turned the Corner'

Heading into the 2024 college football season, several coaches were under intense pressure. Some were on the hot seat, while others were heading toward it.

One coach who could have been heading toward the hot seat is USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley. Riley is known as an offensive and, more specifically, a quarterback guru. However, his defenses have often fallen short, ultimately letting his teams down.

Riley had an impressive record of 55-10 as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. He led Oklahoma to three College Football Playoff appearances and four conference championships in his five seasons. However, he left Oklahoma for USC after a disappointing 2021 season.

In his first year at USC, he led the team to an 11-3 season, marking their first 11-win season since 2017. However, things took a different turn in 2023. USC had high expectations for the season and had Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams returning as quarterback. The Trojans, who were once ranked as high as No. 5 last season, ended up with an 8-5 record.

This season started well for the Trojans. USC opened the season with a major win over the then No. 13 LSU Tigers. However, since then, USC has lost two games, including being upset by the Minnesota Golden Gophers last weekend. On the "Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst said that Riley hadn't turned the corner that many thought he had.

"Just when you think Lincoln Riley has turned the corner, he has not," Finebaum said.

The Trojans face a tough schedule ahead. This weekend, USC will play the No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions and conclude the season with a game against the No. 11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. However, both of these games will be played at home for USC.

The Trojans and Nittany Lions will play on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

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