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USC coach Lincoln Riley emphasizes the need for excellence as he enters his fifth season, expressing optimism about the team's future. He highlights the importance of retention, particularly with quarterback Jayden Maiva returning for his redshirt senior season.
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USC coach Lincoln Riley sets clear expectation of excellence entering 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The USC Trojans remain one of the few Big Ten teams for which the jury is still out on their standing amongst college football's elite programs.
But for coach Lincoln Riley, his fifth season leading USC has the makings of a special one, he told On3.
“Taking this over, you knew you had to go fight like hell just to try to get this window opened,” Riley said. “And we’re at a point right now where there’s a lot to be excited about and a lot in front of us. It’s been a lot of work for a lot of people, a lot of commitment from a lot of people to get there, and it should be a lot of fun these next few years.”
But a major key for the Trojans is retention, which Riley was able to latch onto when quarterback Jayden Maiva returned for his redshirt senior season.
“He has made as much progress in two years as, honestly, any quarterback that I can remember having,” Riley said. “I still think there’s still so much more room for growth with this kid, and that’s what’s exciting. He’s played some really good ball, but I still think we’ve seen just some flashes of how good this guy really can be.”
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Lincoln Riley expects excellence and believes the team is entering a championship window as they prepare for the 2026 season.
Player retention is crucial for USC's success, as highlighted by the return of quarterback Jayden Maiva for his redshirt senior season.
Lincoln Riley has expressed excitement about the progress made in the USC football program, noting significant work and commitment from many individuals.

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Riley said he likes where his team sits entering this season. Now, it's about getting over the collective CFP hump.
"So you know the capabilities are here, you know the firepower is here, you know all the advantages that this place brings in so many ways," Riley said. "And so it’s like, all right, if we can maybe clean up some of the areas that need to get cleaned up or fix some of the things that maybe you get fixed, we’ll feel that again. The country will feel that again.”
Riley said that, should things remain status quo, anything is possible.
“We came here to win championships,” Riley said. “ A lot of us have been fortunate enough to be a part of a lot of championships. We certainly didn’t come here for anything less. We’ve got to go buckle down and improve and really come together, but there’s the makings of a championship-level football team in that building right now.”
For now, though, only time will tell.