USC Legend Tells Lincoln Riley "It just Ain't Working Out" as He Calls for "Tough Decisions" at His Alma Mater

Lincoln Riley is running out of excuses, and USC is running out of patience. Just a week after showing promise against Penn State, the Trojans embarrassed themselves in a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin, exposing an offense that looked completely lost. With Ohio State and Indiana still ahead, Riley’s biggest problem isn’t the brutal schedule.

Reporter Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times shared Riley’s response when asked whether the performance warranted serious self-reflection.

“You have to own it, but this is the same team that played a very different brand of football at Penn State two weeks ago,” Riley said, according to Kartje’s October 25 post on X.

Former USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson wasn’t nearly as diplomatic. Despite expressing respect for Riley, he questioned whether the Trojans could afford to continue down the same path.

A USC icon's blunt message signals mounting pressure on Riley's tenure. Stay subscribed for breaking updates on the Trojans' coaching crossroads.

“We really just lost to Wisconsin… Lincoln Riley, I respect you, but it just ain’t working out,” Johnson said. “Tough decisions have to be made, USC.”

Johnson stopped short of explicitly demanding Riley’s firing, but he made it clear that his patience was running out.

“We better than this. I’m, like, so tired of dealing with this type of stuff,” Johnson said. “I gotta answer to people like I’m coaching. I ain’t coaching.”

For Johnson, the disappointment is personal. His connection to USC stretches back decades, making the program’s struggles particularly difficult to accept.

“I went to school. I been part of the university for umpteen years,” Johnson continued. “Since I was a seven-year-old kid, I been part of that university. I’m looking at something right now, and that just don’t look right. I’m sorry.”

And Johnson isn’t the first USC legend to question Riley’s leadership. After the Trojans’ 26-21 loss to Washington in November 2024, former running back LenDale White accused Riley of stealing from the university. “100 million bro 3 season u should hv some answers by now,” White wrote on social media.

The backlash continued after USC blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead against TCU in the December 2025 Alamo Bowl. White, Su’a Cravens, and Rey Maualuga publicly criticized the team’s performance, with Cravens demanding greater accountability within the program.

Johnson himself had warned Riley during the December 2025 Notre Dame rivalry controversy: “You ain’t gonna be here in the future! Especially if you keep missing the playoffs.”

Saturday’s performance gave those critics fresh ammunition. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw two interceptions, USC finished with minus-17 rushing yards, and two missed field goals only made matters worse.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, controlled the game with 142 rushing yards on 43 carries. Quarterback Colton Joseph completed 12 passes for just 58 yards, but the Badgers barely needed their passing attack to secure the victory.

Afterward, Riley accepted responsibility, acknowledging that both the players and coaching staff had fallen short. He pointed to turnovers, missed opportunities, and costly mistakes that derailed USC’s chances.

But accountability means little without improvement. Riley has repeatedly insisted that USC can beat anybody at its best, yet the gap between its performance against Penn State and Wisconsin tells a different story.

And the schedule offers no relief.

USC faces No. 3 Ohio State next, followed by Indiana, Maryland, and UCLA. With its College Football Playoff ambitions under threat, another collapse would intensify scrutiny of Riley’s future.

Johnson is calling for tough decisions. Now, Riley has to prove USC won’t need to make one about him.

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