Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart comments on USC hiring Lincoln Riley
USC made the biggest hire of the 2021 coaching cycle official on Sunday night, announcing that the Trojans have hired Lincoln Riley to become the program’s next head coach.
Riley, previously the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, was a name that few expected to have any ties in California. The news came as a surprise, and it shook the coaching carousel, given that Riley — the heir to Bob Stoops at Oklahoma — made the jump to USC after amassing a 55-10 overall record, 37-7 mark in conference play and four College Football Playoff appearances at Oklahoma.
Unsurprisingly, some of USC football’s most notable alumni, like Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, were ecstatic with their alma mater’s decision to hire Riley.
“The future is bright [at USC],” Bush tweeted, adding an emoji representing USC’s “Fight On” slogan.
Leinart could hardly keep his containment on Twitter, firing off a number of tweets throughout the day after Riley’s news was made public.
“ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A TROJAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Leinart’s first tweet after the Riley news read.
“Well done (athletic director Mike Bohn). Now it’s GO time!” Leinart said shortly thereafter.
Perhaps Leinart’s most pertinent tweet after USC hired Riley likened the move to Pete Carroll’s arrival at USC. Like Riley, Carroll inherited the job at a tough time, but quickly managed to turn around the program. Leinart seemed to suggest that Riley can do the same in Los Angeles.
“Pete’s first year was my first year. We were 6-6, not good. Next year we went 11-2. It’s a quick fix at USC with the right guy. The resources, recruiting. Gold mine,” Leinart said on Twitter. “Lincoln Riley is a home run hire.”
Leinart went so far as to directly rebut criticism toward USC and Riley, with some critics suggesting Riley accepted the USC job to avoid the move to the SEC.
WATCH: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma assistants board flight bound for USC
iley is heading to USC, and he’s bringing with him the nucleus of his newest Trojans coaching staff.
On3 previously reported that Riley is expected to bring at least three Oklahoma assistant coaches with him to California: defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons.
That move was all but confirmed early Monday morning, when a video surfaced on Twitter of Riley boarding a plane bound for USC. He was joined by Grinch and Simmons, and although Bedenbaugh was not visible in the video, Oklahoma’s director of football operations Clarke Stroud and strength coach Bennie Wylie were. Now, provided that Bedenbaugh will still make the move from Oklahoma to USC, it seems like Riley is bringing at least five Oklahoma staffers with him.