Not too long ago USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley was considered a can’t-miss coaching hire. And while he’s had immense success, which also includes three Heisman Trophy winners (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams) during coaching stops at Oklahoma and now the “Men of Troy,” he’s also come up short in the ultimate goal of winning a national championship. This despite having some of the most talented rosters in all of college football.
As he enters year three in Tinseltown the QB guru’s seat couldn’t be hotter. After going 55-10 (37-7 in the Big 12) over five seasons in Norman, he’s only 19-8 (13-5 in the now defunct Pac-12) in two seasons with the Trojans. 2024 will be a prove it year for Riley, and with the Trojans now in the supremely competitive Big Ten, the growing sentiment is he won’t last beyond this season. That noise has some of ESPN’s biggest names calling for Pro Football Hall of Famer and second-year Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders to replace him in 2025.
Paul Finebaum Says Coach Prime To L.A.
Known as the “Mouth of the South,” the longtime college football analyst often says things he knows will move the meter. Just last week during an appearance on “First Take” he didn’t have many nice things to say about Colorado saying they are “not important in college football.”
“They don’t matter. They’re irrelevant in the big picture of college football.”
This after they went 4-8 last season, the final one of the Pac-12, and are now back in the Big 12 after leaving the conference in 2011.
While Finebaum blasted the Buffaloes, he does believe Coach Prime has done all he can do in Boulder. Therefore he believes he’d be a great fit at USC if Riley is actual fired. Speaking on his weekly recurring segment, Finebaum had this to say:
“I believe the answer after this season is Deion Sanders. He’s going to be tired of Colorado because quite frankly, it’s not ‘Prime Time.’ He’s done as well as he can with his son and Travis Hunter. …. You put Prime in Tinseltown and I think you have one of the great combinations in history. I think Deion Sanders as the coach at USC is the answer. Deion Sanders just exudes exactly what that community is all about.”
What’s crazy is Finebaum’s not wrong, and there’s no head coach in college football more swagged out than the legendary defensive back. He fits Tinseltown in so many ways, and with the aforementioned Shedeur and Travis Hunter plus his other son Shilo all heading to the pros after this season, it’s definitely something to ponder.
Stephen A. Smith Piggybacked Finebaum
In his response, Smith agreed with Finebaum but also gave Riley credit for his incredible offense. But he did say he likes the idea of Coach Prime moonlighting in Hollywood.
“Deion in Tinseltown, yes that works, because I don’t like him in Boulder. I’ve told him that.”
Julian Lewis?
2025 No. 3 ranked quarterback Julian Lewis is currently committed to USC, but that hasn’t stopped Coach Prime from applying the pressure in hopes of flipping him as he did with 2022 No. 1 ranked recruit Travis Hunter while at Jackson State.
This could shape up where he won’t need the talented gunslinger to do so, they could join forces at USC. At least, that’s what Finebaum and SAS believe.
