Finebaum believes his time has run out.
Paul Finebaum Names Prominent College Football Coach Who Should be Fired originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As fall practice begins this week and the season starts in about a month, the pressure and anticipation are intensifying.
The pressure on several coaches is high following disappointing seasons, leaving fans and programs questioning their future. This situation applies to USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.
He left the Oklahoma Sooners after a successful tenure, during which he achieved a record of 55-10 over five seasons, won four conference championships and made three College Football Playoff appearances.
Riley became the head coach of USC in 2022. However, his first three seasons at USC have not gone as expected. In fact, during "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst suggested that Riley should no longer be coaching on the sidelines in Los Angeles.
"I'm beginning to think what we saw at Oklahoma had more to do with what Bob Stoops left behind than what Lincoln Riley was able to do," Finebaum said. "I can't say that he isn't a great recruiter. I think that's pretty self-evident. I think he's also a great offensive coordinator. But I don't think he can handle the pressure of being a coach. ... I would have fired him last year if I didn't have to eat an $80 million buyout. To me, the trajectory has ended."
Riley's buyout for the upcoming season is significantly large, set at $90 million. This amount would mark the highest buyout in college football history, surpassing Jimbo Fisher's $77.5 million buyout at Texas A&M. Additionally, Finebaum believes that the change in leadership at USC could potentially save Riley's job.
Finebaum argues that Oklahoma is a stronger program than USC. He also believes that Lincoln Riley would not have performed better than Brent Venables has in Norman over the past three seasons. Additionally, Finebaum suggests that Riley didn't simply leave Oklahoma; rather, he fled because he wanted to avoid being part of the SEC.
Finebaum believes that Riley anticipated challenges in the SEC, prompting him to leave before those struggles began. When Riley became head coach at USC, many thought he could revive the Trojans to their former glory. In his first season, he led the team to an impressive 11-3 record and a place in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
In recent seasons, USC faced difficulties in performance. In 2023, the team finished with an 8-5 record despite being ranked No. 6 in the preseason. The following season concluded with a 7-6 record.
He is now hoping to get the team back on track as the Trojans prepare to begin their season against the Missouri State Bears at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Coach That's Been a 'Bust'
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
