Lincoln Riley buyout is prohibitive - so USC, Jen Cohen must reduce it
Jen Cohen must finally confront what she hoped she would never need to do: Play hardball and significantly reduce Lincoln Riley's buyout number
USC football is in a precarious position after a recent loss to Oregon, with head coach Lincoln Riley facing a tough decision. Riley's buyout clause is estimated to be around 70-72 million dollars, which is currently prohibitive for USC to pay. Athletic director Jennifer Cohen must now tackle the difficult task of negotiating Riley's exit from the program.
Despite the obvious shortcomings of Riley's leadership, the decision to fire him now may not be the best course of action. The Trojans have given Riley a fifth season in 2026, hoping to see if he can turn things around. However, USC should wait until the team loses its third game of the season, likely against Ohio State on October 31st or Indiana in November, before considering termination of Riley's contract.
By allowing the season to play out, USC may have a better chance of negotiating a reduced buyout, enabling them to hire an elite replacement. The current buyout is prohibitively expensive and unlikely to be paid by USC, especially if they continue to fail in the same manner for a fifth consecutive year.
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- USC has seen enough and it’s time to move on from Lincoln Riley sports.yahoo.com
