Lincoln Riley knows he has a lot to live up to in 2024 at USC

The local and national media, along with some USC and Big Ten fans, might need reminding, but Lincoln Riley has had one of the more remarkable starts to a coaching career in college football history. The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year selection committee is not sleeping on Riley and the Trojans.

He has coached three Heisman Trophy winners and three No. 1 overall NFL draft picks on his way to an .804 winning percentage in his games and three trips to the College Football Playoff in his first seven seasons as a head coach. All of this before his 40th birthday.

The USC Athletic Department released information about the award in a press release:

“The Dodd Trophy honors a head coach for on-field success while emphasizing scholarship, leadership, and integrity. The watch list considers academic progress, graduation rates, community service, and projected success for the upcoming season.”

“A midseason watch list – adding to or narrowing the field – will be released in the fall. A panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The winner of the 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.”

Riley hopes that three years of rebuilding the roster and a rebuild defensive coaching staff will allow the Trojans to compete for the conference title and earn a playoff berth.

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