If Lincoln Riley struggles this year, could USC football actually pursue Nick Saban?

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3 hours ago

Entering the 2025 season, USC head coach Lincoln Riley is in an interesting position. On one hand, the Trojans have been recruiting extremely well, with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country currently in place for the 2026 cycle. On the other hand, USC has gone just 15-11 on the field over the past two seasons, which puts a lot of pressure on Riley to win this year.
In a recent edition of his mailbag, Steward Mandel of The Athletic was asked about, in the event Lincoln Riley struggles this season, USC going after legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Unsurprisingly, Mandel was fairly dismissive of the idea.
Here is some of what he had to say on the matter:
"USC is not going to pay a Jimbo Fisher-sized buyout (possibly bigger) even if Riley goes 3-9 this year. So the job only opens if Riley leaves on his own accord, which is certainly plausible.
"Knowing Saban's criteria when he picked LSU and Alabama, he's going to be looking for the following: 1. A place where you can win big, 2. A location where you can dominate recruiting. 3. A school with passionate fans. USC definitely checks off the first two. The third is debatable. If you win like Pete Carroll, they'll fill the Coliseum. If you go 7-5 your first year, you'll be playing in front of 40,000 empty seats.
"I'm guessing he would much prefer either to remain in the South or perhaps return to his Ohio/Michigan roots. (West Virginia has a coach.)
"What jobs could feasibly open that fit those bills? Florida State, for one. That's also a hefty buyout situation, but FSU donors would be more likely to write those checks than USC's. Certainly, Florida as well if the fans turn back in the other direction on Billy Napier."
Obviously, USC fans would love to have Saban coaching the Trojans. Given that does not appear to be a realistic possibility, however, the best feasible outcome is likely for Riley to turn things around and start winning big in Los Angeles.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Could USC football pursue Nick Saban to replace Lincoln Riley?