‘100% Spot On,’ ‘He’s Completely Right’ — CFB Fans Lean Towards Joel Klatt’s Stance on Why USC Shouldn’t Panic and Fire Lincoln Riley
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Lincoln Riley is in his fifth season coaching the USC Trojans and has yet to lead the program to a College Football Playoff game. A controversy-filled Week 4 matchup against the Oregon Ducks, which saw linebacker Desman Stephens II ejected, had fans calling out Riley for fostering a bad culture and demanding his dismissal.
Reacting to fans’ sentiment, college football analyst Joel Klatt cautioned against an impulsive move and explained why it could backfire badly. Fans appear to have acknowledged his point, as Klatt estimated that making a coaching change could ultimately cost USC between $100 million and $120 million.
CFB Fans Pump the Brakes on Lincoln Riley Firing Calls
After a 41-27 loss to the Ducks, the Trojans hosted the Washington Huskies in Week 5 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday. USC won 25-21 and remained in the race for the Big Ten title. Ahead of the matchup, former QB and analyst Joel Klatt addressed the growing sentiment among fans calling for Riley’s ouster.
“It’s not just the $70 million that you’re going to have to spend buying out Lincoln Riley. You’re going to have to buy out the staff,” Klatt explained on Saturday’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show on FOX.
“You’re going to have to buy out your next coach from his contract. Plus, you’re going to have to build an elite roster. It’s really more like $100 to $120 million that you would have to spend to make a change,”he added.
Klatt also mentioned that a change at head coach would open the door for Big Ten and SEC rivals, including Dan Lanning, Ryan Day, Kirby Smart, and Lane Kiffin, to pursue top talent through the transfer portal, potentially leaving USC with a depleted roster.
Understanding the potential impact, fans appeared to go easier on Riley.
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“This is actually such a great take by Klatt. Holy [expletive]. This actually brought me back in. He’s completely right. USC firing Lincoln [Riley] would do the program no good,” a fan wrote on X while reacting to the clip.
Another fan called it “Facts,” echoing the same sentiment. “Finally some nuance. Thank you,” another X user said while acknowledging Klatt’s take.
“Joel Klatt is 100% spot on. These USC fans asking to fire LR halfway through his contract don’t know what they are asking for. It would set back recruiting by at least 3 years, and the team would suffer with even more mediocre seasons over the next 5 years. Stick with LR and see what happens when the young talent that SC has recruited matures over the next 2-3 years,” another X user posted.
Beyond linebacker Desman Stephens II, USC’s roster is loaded with young players, including Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Trent Mosley, Luke Wafle, and many others. At this point, USC can’t afford to lose any of them.
According to PFN’s CFB Power Rankings, the Trojans are currently ranked No. 18. The program has suffered just one loss this season, and there is still a long way to go, especially with a busy schedule ahead.
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USC is 5-1 on the season and will next play the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, October 10.
All eyes will be on Riley and LB Stephens, who is eligible to return after serving his one-game suspension.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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