Lincoln Riley illness: What happened to USC head coach?

USC coach Lincoln Riley has been dealing with an undisclosed illness, causing him to miss the past two days of practice. It's unclear at this point whether he'll be able to travel with the team to Berkeley for the Trojans' upcoming game against Cal.

The exact nature of Riley's illness has not been determined yet. A USC spokesperson has confirmed that Riley has been absent from practice due to health concerns. The 40-year-old is following doctor's orders and is currently staying at home.

In his absence, USC's wide receivers coach, Dennis Simmons, has taken the reins. He will be serving as the team's acting head coach. Simmons was previously on Riley's coaching staff at both Oklahoma and USC. He will be stepping up to lead the Trojans during this time.

Simmons has said that Riley's return to coaching duties will depend on his recovery but couldn't specify when that might be. Lincoln Riley is being considered "day-to-day" for now. ESPN reports Simmons saying:

“He's getting better. We're viewing this really as a player getting dinged up during the game or during practice, so the next guy is stepping up. We're holding it down until he's able to resume his duties.”

In the possibility of Riley being unable to travel to Berkeley for the weekend, it remains uncertain who will handle the offensive play-calling for the Trojans.

While Simmons might be the one to take on that role, it has not been officially confirmed. Simmons remains optimistic and supportive:

"We're holding it down until he's able to resume his duties."

---

Lincoln Riley has not lived up to expectations at USC Trojans

The second season for Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans is nearing its end. The hopes of the Trojans for a national title and Heisman Trophy aspirations for Caleb Willaims are almost in the dust.

Another alarming concern is that Riley's record through his first 22 games with the Trojans is strikingly similar to that of his much-criticized predecessor, Clay Helton.

This is not the outcome USC would have envisioned when it made a substantial investment to poach Riley from Oklahoma Sooners. The pressure was high on Lincoln Riley from the start, with hopes that he would restore the Trojans to national glory.

Everything was in Riley’s hands, though. Given the expansion of the transfer portal and a program in need of revival, he had all the tools to succeed swiftly. Despite a not-so-bad 17-5 record at USC, there is visible discontent among fans and stakeholders.

The USC Trojans (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12) are faced with the challenge of salvaging their season after consecutive losses to Notre Dame and Utah. These losses followed a period of declining performances by Caleb Williams and the team as a whole.

USC has now dropped to No. 24 in the AP Top 25, its lowest ranking since Riley's arrival. The team has experienced a five-week decline in rankings. The Trojans' performances have been consistently falling short of expectations, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

USC and Lincoln Riley have to work really hard to turn the tide and recapture the excitement that surrounded his arrival at the program.