USC’s ideal Lincoln Riley replacement is doing what Trojans couldn’t in the Big Ten

Curt Cignetti. If you don’t know who he is, like he said when he took the job at Indiana, Google him. It will tell you everything you need to know about why he’s having massive success in year one at Indiana. It will also show you why he’s the perfect replacement for Lincoln Riley at USC. 

Because he wins. 

It's something Riley has struggled with in L.A., and particularly in the Trojans' debut season in the Big Ten. It’s probably not likely Riley gets the boot after this year, because of his massive buyout if nothing else. But if he does, Cignetti is staring the Trojans in the face. He’s doing what the USC faithful was expecting from Riley: He’s winning. 

Cignetti is the perfect Lincoln Riley replacement because he wins

Indiana wasn’t supposed to be ranked this season, let alone a couple of big wins away from not only playing for a Big Ten title, but busting into the College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers were dreadful in Tom Allen's final season, and more to the point, this is Indiana — few Power 4 teams have less history of success. This is the sort of year that USC was supposed to be having instead. 

If USC were to part ways with Riley, this year or down the road, going after Cignetti makes perfect sense. For one, he already knows what it takes to win in the Big Ten. But it’s bigger than just winning some games: It's about building a culture and an identity, something Riley is still searching for.

Riley's team underperformed last season despite the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft in Caleb Williams, losing five games and struggling in the Pac-12. This year, the team is 4-4 and 2-4 in the Big Ten. If the Trojans parted ways with Riley, it’s not necessarily because they don’t think he can turn it around; rather, it's because they’d want the confidence of a coach like Cignetti to be the face of that turnaround. 

Throughout Cignetti’s coaching career, his name has become synonymous with winning. He coached Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson at NC State, then spent four years on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama, where he clearly learned a thing or two about how to build a program. When he took over at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), he reached the Division II playoffs in each of his final three seasons. Then he spent two seasons at Elon, reaching the FCS playoffs both years. Then he took over James Madison, and before long he had not just shepherded the Dukes into the FBS ranks but had them ranked in the AP Top 25 and hosting College Gameday.

So yeah, he’s proven he knows how to win. If Riley can’t turn the ship around, USC knows who will. For a program that seems to always be chasing a glitzy high, maybe what's needed is rock-steady development and Pittsburgh toughness. And hey, he’s already familiar with the conference.