USC fined, put on probation for 2022, 2023 coaching violations

The USC football program has been fined $50,000 and placed on a one-year probation because of a violation of "on- and off-field coaching activities," the NCAA announced Tuesday.

After conducting an investigation, the NCAA found that USC exceeded the permissible number of countable coaches by six during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

"Eight analysts for the football program engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities during spring 2022, fall 2022 and spring 2023, resulting in the football program exceeding the permissible number of countable coaches by six for two academic years," the NCAA said in its release. "As a result of the violations, the parties also agreed that football head coach Lincoln Riley violated head coach responsibility rules."

The NCAA said that because some of the violations occurred before rule changes in January 2023 that shifted head coach responsibilities from a rebuttable presumption to an automatic attachment, Riley -- who was hired by USC in November 2021 -- will not be suspended.

"Because Riley was not personally involved in the violations and demonstrated that he promoted an atmosphere of compliance and monitored his staff, Riley rebutted his presumed responsibility for the violations occurring before the rules change," the NCAA said. "For the same reasons, the parties also agreed that a suspension penalty for Riley was not appropriate."

Aside from a year of probation and the $50,000 fine, the NCAA Committee on Infractions approved further penalties. USC will be restricted from having the special teams analyst in practice and film review for six consecutive days during two weeks of the 2024-25 season.

A restriction for the remaining analysts from practice and film review for six consecutive days during four weeks of the 2024-25 season will also be imposed and the school will self-impose a reduction in countable athletically related activities for the football program by 24 hours during the 2023-24 season.

"Since learning of potential violations related to our football program in May 2023, USC has worked cooperatively with the NCAA enforcement staff and with the Committee on Infractions, as we identified and acknowledged violations, issued corrective measures, and submitted a negotiated resolution in a timely fashion that was approved by the Committee," USC athletic director Jen Cohen said in a statement. "We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical behavior and integrity in our athletic programs."

Riley, speaking later Tuesday, said he had little to add.

"We've had that behind us now for multiple months and have been past it," he said. "I think you see, with the level of penalties that were levied, in this day and age, that the head coach responsibility thing has really ... it's a big deal, and we get it. If it's something really big, they're going to suspend the head coach, so I think that kind of says what it is. We don't take it lightly, we own the things that we have to correct and we move forward."