USC Coach Lincoln Riley Returns to Practice After Pneumonia Treatment

Riley's return to USC practice follows two-day absence due to pneumonia, lifts burden from acting head coach Dennis Simmons ahead of critical game against Cal Berkeley amidst back-to-back losses.

After a two-day absence due to pneumonia, USC coach Lincoln Riley returned to practice on Wednesday, reported ESPN and Fox Sports.
During Riley's absence, assistant head coach Dennis Simmons temporarily took over head-coaching duties, with USC having worked with its compliance office to elevate former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury to an on-field assistant role.
This shift in responsibilities lifted a significant burden from Simmons, who described the team's handling of the situation as 'pretty professional', and will allow him to revert to his previous duties as the team prepares for a game against Cal Berkeley.
The team's recent back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Utah marks the second time the Trojans have experienced such a loss during Riley's tenure, exposing them to criticism and dropping them to the lowest AP Top 25 ranking since Riley was appointed.
Despite recent setbacks, Trojan safety Calen Bullock expressed the team's resolve to compete for the Pac-12 title and to not be swayed by external expectations or criticisms.