Riley joined the historic program in 2022 after leading Oklahoma to four Big 12 championships in five seasons at the helm of the Sooners. USC payed handsomely for Riley's surprising exit, signing him to a 10-year, $110 million deal that made him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.

Lincoln Riley has not enjoyed the type of success that USC was hoping for in his first three seasons as the school’s head football coach, but he is certainly being compensated as though there are few people who are better at the job.

Lincoln Riley made a whole lot of money in 2023. According to USA Today's Steve Berkowitz, USC's federal tax returns show the school's head football coach made a little more than $11.5 million in total compensation that year.