- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,150,003
- Reaction score
- 59
Entering the 2026 season, the expectations for USC are understandably high. Coming off of a 9-4 campaign in 2024, returning a significant number of key contributors—most notably starting quarterback Jayden Maiava—and bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, many fans are hoping that next season is the year that the Trojansfinally break through under head coach Lincoln Riley.
So how do the program’s two most important figures feel about this? In an interview earlier this week, Riley and general manager Chad Bowden discussed their high expectations for the program.
“There’s pressure to win championships here every single year,” Riley said. “You’re in a blue-blood program. It honestly doesn’t feel different to me because no matter what people think on the outside or what the expectation is, I expect to win every game. I expect us to win every single year.
“Do I think we’re more well-positioned right now than we’ve been at other times since we’ve been here? Of course we are. Absolutely we are. In every sense of the word but we understand we’ve got to go do it, too. S—, we didn’t come here for anything less. We didn’t come here and hopefully we can win eight or nine games at SC. That’s not why any of us came here.”
“We need more people like [new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson] who are dying to win a championship,” Bowden added. “What just happened [going 9-4 this past season] wasn’t good enough.
“It’s black or white. Either you’re in the playoff or you’re not. You either win a championship or you don’t. I’m sick to my stomach for people who cover us. I’m sick to my stomach for donors. I’m sick to my stomach for people that might be unhappy with winning nine games and they should be unhappy. We have to go out and do what we’re supposed to do. It’s USC and USC expects to win championships and it’ll happen soon enough.”
Riley and Bowden are saying the right things. However, that only means so much if the results on the field are not there. It now falls on the Trojans to finally put together the type of season in 2026 that fans have been waiting for since Riley was hired more than four years ago.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley, Chad Bowden embrace high expectations for USC football
Continue reading...
So how do the program’s two most important figures feel about this? In an interview earlier this week, Riley and general manager Chad Bowden discussed their high expectations for the program.
“There’s pressure to win championships here every single year,” Riley said. “You’re in a blue-blood program. It honestly doesn’t feel different to me because no matter what people think on the outside or what the expectation is, I expect to win every game. I expect us to win every single year.
“Do I think we’re more well-positioned right now than we’ve been at other times since we’ve been here? Of course we are. Absolutely we are. In every sense of the word but we understand we’ve got to go do it, too. S—, we didn’t come here for anything less. We didn’t come here and hopefully we can win eight or nine games at SC. That’s not why any of us came here.”
“We need more people like [new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson] who are dying to win a championship,” Bowden added. “What just happened [going 9-4 this past season] wasn’t good enough.
“It’s black or white. Either you’re in the playoff or you’re not. You either win a championship or you don’t. I’m sick to my stomach for people who cover us. I’m sick to my stomach for donors. I’m sick to my stomach for people that might be unhappy with winning nine games and they should be unhappy. We have to go out and do what we’re supposed to do. It’s USC and USC expects to win championships and it’ll happen soon enough.”
Riley and Bowden are saying the right things. However, that only means so much if the results on the field are not there. It now falls on the Trojans to finally put together the type of season in 2026 that fans have been waiting for since Riley was hired more than four years ago.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley, Chad Bowden embrace high expectations for USC football
Continue reading...
