Photo: Dustin Bradford
USC head football coach Lincoln Riley is rumored to be interested in a possible NFL coaching gig, according to Inside USC's Scott Wolf.
Wolf reported that Riley, 40, could pursue a potential gig that would keep him with current USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the top projected player in next year's draft should he declare, specifically mentioning the Chicago Bears as a possible option.
"In NFL coaching circles, the talk is that Lincoln Riley is putting out feelers about taking a job in the NFL next season ..." Wolf wrote. "The word is Riley would be open to an NFL job if he could follow Caleb Williams to the same franchise. If the Chicago Bears had the No. 1 pick, it would probably be ideal for this theory."
The Bears currently have the NFL's worst record and the rights to the Carolina Panthers' first-round pick, but haven' hinted at possibly firing second-year head coach Matt Eberflus nor interest in moving on from quarterback Justin Fields, who was coming off two impressive performances before being injured in Week 6. Riley has led USC back to prominence since being hired in November 2021. The Trojans are 17-4 (12-1 Pac-12) during Riley's short tenure and currently rank No. 18 overall in the Associated Press Week 8 college football Top 25 poll.
The 40-year-old previously spent five seasons as Oklahoma's head coach -- following two seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach under his predecessor Bob Stoops -- which included winning four consecutive Big 12 Conference titles and making four straight College Football Playoff appearances during his first four seasons.
Riley has also coached three of the last six Heisman Trophy winners, including Williams, who followed the coach from Oklahoma to USC prior to last season.
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