Lincoln Riley reacts to Mike Bohn’s resignation at USC, preaches ‘opportunity’

Here is Lincoln Riley’s response to Mike Bohn resigning from his post as USC’s athletic director.

While Mike Bohn leaves USC, Lincoln Riley appears willing to stay and Fight On anyway.

Bohn’s abrupt resignation on Friday afternoon shocked the world of major college athletics. The thought was initially that he was stepping down for health reasons, but the university hiring a sexual harassment lawyer brought a swift end to that. For now, Riley is entering his second season at the helm of the Trojans. This is not only a big year for him as a coach, but USC as well.

Here is Riley’s message of incredible optimism in this challenging time for the entire Trojan Family.

"“I will always be appreciative of Mike Bohn for his role in bringing us to USC & certainly wish both he and his family all the best. With the current state of the programs in our Athletic Department, there is a really special opportunity ahead for all of us Trojans. I have full confidence that our university leadership will continue to do everything possible to support us. I truly believe that the best days of USC Athletics are right in front of us and I continue to be totally invested & excited to be a part of it. Lets stick together and always Fight On.”"

With a Heisman Trophy winner coming back in Trojans star quarterback Caleb Williams, USC will be among the best teams in the Pac-12, pushing for an unprecedented College Football Playoff berth.

Good for Riley showing signs of strength in a moment when the USC program needed him to.

Lincoln Riley reacts to Mike Bohn’s abrupt resignation as USC athletic director

Although I am not the biggest Riley fan, I think this message is very upstanding of him. It feels sincere, and that is what USC needs right now more than anything: Honesty. While it remains to be seen who USC hires to replace Bohn, one thing is certain. The Trojans have a Pac-12 to win before they leave for the Big Ten along with inter-city rival UCLA in 2024. They will face a ton of pressure.

While it doesn’t serve Riley to bail on USC now, it does matter who the university hires as its next athletic director. If sanctions are levied out for Bohn’s actions, then I would understand a coach of Riley’s caliber possibly looking for another job. However, he has a potential opportunity to improve his stock and contend for championships in the process. Riley is a huge asset USC has going for it.

Overall, Riley and the rest of the athletic department should try to control what they can control. Let the legal proceedings run their course and go from there. All the while, Riley has a program to build at a top-tier job. Gigs like this one don’t open up very often, so he best take full advantage of it. The best thing he can do is to continue to recruit at a high level and develop the talent he lands.

Look for Riley to stand as a beacon of hope in what could be a difficult summer for the university.

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