At This Stage, Lincoln Riley’s Taking It a Day At a Time

Lincoln Riley has taken a more active role in USC’s defense. Will it stick? He’s still talking about USC being “not that far off.”

Since firing failed DC Alex Grinch and elevating Brian Odom and Shaun Nua, Riley has ‘been around a lot more’ with his defense over the past week

Luca Evans (OC Register —  LOS ANGELES — The narrative has followed Lincoln Riley for five years, from Norman to Southern California, because his defense of his defense five years ago was much the same as it was after a loss to Oregon on Saturday night.

Consider Riley’s statements in November of 2018, as reported by Oklahoma’s Fansided site, when the Sooners were coming off a narrow 48-47 victory over Oklahoma State nearly doomed by defensive issues: “We’ve got to play better, but those of us in those walls, we see the makings of what we want to be. And we’re not that far off.”

Consider Riley’s statements in November of 2023, when this USC squad was coming off a 36-27 loss to Oregon in which the Trojans were once again doomed by explosive plays on defense: “Kinda been the theme of the last several weeks, is, we’re not that far off. I mean, we’re not. And we got work to do.”

Riley is known, unequivocally, as an offensive guru. His commitment to fielding an elite defense, though, has been questioned throughout a largely successful career as a head coach – with years of shaky results and a clear focus on offensive responsibilities as a head coach.

“I’ve probably spent a little bit more time there than I did this time last year, just some of the continuity on offense and some of the offensive staff and all that,” Riley said in early November of overseeing USC’s defense this year. “I certainly spend more of my time to be ready to call the offense, so of course spend most of my time there.”

Now, this hasn’t come out of nowhere, as defensive lineman Jamil Muhammad made clear. But in the week and a half since Riley fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after two years of disappointing defensive results, since staffers Shaun Nua and Brian Odom have stepped up to share co-coordinator responsibilities, Riley said he’s spent more time with his defense.

“He’s been around a lot more,” Muhammad said Tuesday.

Six years after his first year as a head coach, at Oklahoma, only one Riley-led team – the 2019 Sooners – has finished better than 60th in the FBS in points allowed per game. This USC unit, after Riley said in the spring that “what was acceptable 12 months ago is not necessarily acceptable now,” has been the worst in his tenure. And Riley was adamant, in availability last week after the Grinch decision, that he and the rest of staff weren’t laying complete blame for USC’s defensive issues on Grinch, telling reporters “I have a role in that.”

And even if simply a symptom of a midseason coaching change, his increased presence on defensive concepts has been beneficial, as Nua and Muhammad both expressed at practice on Tuesday. On Monday, Muhammad said, Riley was overseeing a defensive walkthrough of the Nua-and-Odom-led tweaks to Grinch’s established scheme.

“It’s been good having him around, having an extra set of eyes and obviously a set of wisdom when it comes to just the game as a whole, even if he isn’t a defensive coach, but he is a savant of the game,” Muhammad said.

The question, then – will Riley consider working more hands-on with his USC defenses in the future, as part of his vision for the program?

“Yeah, I think going forward,” Riley said, “there’s a lot of questions to be answered there … we’ll make the changes that we’re going to make, we’ll get this group together and we’ll decide what the best course of action is in terms of a person that we bring in, how that changes roles on the current staff, roles on the future staff.

“I rode the emotional roller coaster as a [younger] coach,” Riley explained further. “Now, I stay a little more even-keeled. I know what the good is. I know what the bad is. I know what we’ve gotta do to fix it. I know what it’s going to take. I know we’re going to get it done, and you’ve gotta be able to take any situation that comes up, whether you win a close game, you make that play at the end or you don’t, there’s still a whole lot else that’s going to have to continue to improve to go where we need to go, and I know all that. I know we’re going to get there.

“It’s just one day at a time right now, put your right foot in front of the left, and keep moving,” Riley said. “You do that, you’ve got the right people, and you’re at the right place, good things are going to happen. And that’s what’s going to happen here.”

It seems, then, that the onus to rebuild USC’s defense will fall largely on his next coordinator’s shoulders. But this finish on USC’s season is an interesting thought experiment of sorts, a judgment both on the absence of Grinch and if Riley’s further-extended presence with his defense during practices yields results. A tiny pinprick did emerge from the loss to Oregon, a game that was fraught with secondary implosions: USC held the Ducks to 140 rushing yards on 31 carries, far below their season averages in rushing yards per game (202.3) and yards per carry (6.2).

“Everything,” Riley said, “should be a little cleaner this week.”

It had better be. The past four games have seen USC’s defense give up 2,133 yards, the most any Trojans defense has ever given up over a similar stretch. USC now sits in the bottom 10 nationally in both points (34.6) and yards (446.5) allowed per game as it gets ready for life with a new defensive coordinator.

ocregister.com

_______

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Steveg
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November 16, 2023 9:02 am

A lot of talk going on around the web that Riley will go to the portal for a QB. What I can’t understand is why? He has two 5 star guys waiting and learning his system ready to go. I think people are looking for CW2. The problem with that is it isn’t going to happen overnight, he is a generational player, they only come along so often. I am pulling for the guy that can make fast reads and unload the ball quickly. Both Moss and Nelson have that talent.

Jamaica
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November 16, 2023 10:08 am
Reply to  Steveg

I remember that during the years USC was formidable. There was an O-line that could open holes and keep the QB on his feet. There were RBs/FBs that could gain yardage. There were receivers getting open consistently and catch the ball. You add that type of package to a good QB, you would win most or all your games. What I am saying is LR can win big time if he builds a program with sufficient depth in most all positions with talent and not have to recruit & depend on a CW to play lights out to win games… Read more »

Steveg
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November 16, 2023 12:50 pm
Reply to  Jamaica

I think we are all hoping Jam, that LR has grown up through this season and learned some deserved lessons. If only he would have listened to us at the end of last season.

ATL D.D.S.
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November 16, 2023 7:59 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Typical little guttie bs.

Jamaica
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November 15, 2023 5:16 pm

Lincoln it’s a little late in the day to say the defense is not that far away. You were given a free pass last year in having to deal with what was left over from the Cat’s mess. But this defense has regressed from 2022. While the other PAC-12 programs improved, we are looking at more losses than last year. What really hurts is you did very little HS defensive recruiting in addition to bringing in some “disgruntled” Portal players. You can’t build a program doing this. Now you are at least two more seasons away from having a hopeful… Read more »

Golden Trojan
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November 15, 2023 6:06 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Would Neuheisel say anything else. USC blew him out of his SUCLA gig.

ATL D.D.S.
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November 16, 2023 7:59 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Wow. Even Randy Cross picked SC….

Chris
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November 15, 2023 4:35 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

She’s the real deal. Good enough to carry us if needed. New generation who plays like a really skilled guard but has the size of a front court player.

Chris
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November 15, 2023 4:54 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Good work Lindsay! Building a great program.

Steveg
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November 15, 2023 3:31 pm

It looks like the talk is that Ceyair, Raleek, Raesjon, MikeJack, and Korey are probable for the portal. I do think Raleek and Raesjon can be kept if USC wants them.

Chris
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November 15, 2023 4:27 pm
Reply to  Steveg

I think Raesjon will stay.

Steveg
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November 15, 2023 9:31 pm
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Chris
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November 16, 2023 5:56 am
Reply to  Steveg

i think we will see a bunch in the portal after this week. Gentry, Benton, Singer are others I think will be gone.

TrojanRJJ
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November 15, 2023 3:05 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Allen, Simply more reason LR MUST hire a high quality DC who will bring in his own staff. I think the entire D staff is gone. LR MUST change the narrative. Prior to this season, I really think he thought he could control the narrative for his team – he learned this year that he does not. He lost that control when he brought Grinch back ( I doubt he knew the consequences or the risks when he made that call). I feel very confident that both LR and Jen Cohen realize this. It will be very expensive, but it… Read more »

ATL D.D.S.
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November 16, 2023 8:43 am
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

LR remenber has those “trained eyes,” RJJ, that the rest of us mere mortals do not have the benefit of posessing. Up on Mt. Olympus, LR no doubt saw that his fellow god-coach (in training) Alex would do just fine this season. After all, you really don’t need a defense to win in modern college football, right? LR’s trained eyes realizes that the players let down his fellow god Alex Grinch and LR himself. The players and fans should be ashamed of the blame-fingers being pointed at Lincoln Riley up there on Mt. Olympus….

Fighton74
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November 15, 2023 3:48 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I think Riley’s gonna have to change his tune Allen. A more balanced offense for Big-10 football is required. WR should be last on LR’s list those guys come automatically to SC. I believe SC will need to restore more running into there offense and possible run first vs pass first offense. This will help LR get better defensive recruits as well. I also don’t believe LR needs the best QB either. You need a capable QB. Air-raid is gonna have a tough time in the Big-10. Especially if this DC hire is not Air tight.

USC1988
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November 15, 2023 5:12 pm
Reply to  Fighton74

OhioSt wins a lot of Big 10 games with just better WRs. Michigan’s big run in the 90s was the same. You will be shocked how bad Big 10 skill positions are. In the Pac, you feared almost every qb.

Fighton74
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November 15, 2023 7:41 pm
Reply to  USC1988

I don’t necessarily think we should go away from air-raid. We will always have it because we are a WR factory I just think that we can afford to put our recruiting efforts on other positions of need because no matter what we can get a 5 star WR’s. Our offense is a pass first. I think in the Big-10 they incorporate Air-Raid but I feel like they run more to set up there passing. Our RB recruits are not as strong as before we will need to restore that as well as OL moving forward in the Big 10.

Mikejohn
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November 15, 2023 5:40 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Lincoln Riley and Gavin Newsom in the same sentence? Awful, just awfu!
But point well taken.l

ATL D.D.S.
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Fighton74
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November 15, 2023 2:25 pm

When LR says we’re not that far off I think you still have to question how serious he is about change!! It’s one thing to stay positive, but once again when you at the bottom of the PAC-12 in team defense, and teams like Arizona, and Oregon St are better than you, and Utah has beat you 3 times in the last two years, and you have given up over 2100 yards, and you’re back yard 4 and 5 star defensive recruits are going to Oregon and Utah or elsewhere I would say you are “very” far off!!!! If we… Read more »

Chris
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November 15, 2023 2:32 pm
Reply to  Fighton74

100%. But we also have to fund our collectives. We are not anywhere near the top teams right now. Our cautious approach is putting us further behind by the day. I think Jen, who realizes the money spent at UW was worth it, will get this (collectives) going in the right direction.

Fighton74
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November 15, 2023 3:11 pm
Reply to  Chris

If SC wants to walk the walk then they are going to have step up to the plate. Obviously SC wanted to move to the Big-10 right. What for thou? Money, tv, a better chance at a playoff berth, and recruits. I believe we have half the product for Big-10, but we are missing the biggest piece of the Big-10 which is defense. I completely follow you as far as our collectives go, but hey for the future do our collectors want to see SC in a competitive matchup against rivals which are big money makers or lob sided matchups… Read more »

Chris
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November 15, 2023 4:30 pm
Reply to  Fighton74

They will spend for a big time DC. Proven when they gave LR 10 mil per year. Now, will Jen convince the administration to change policy on NIL for recruits? Offer in hand when they come on visits, that’s what it will take. It’s well known that the MD kids chased big NIL deals and we weren’t in on them.

Fighton74
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November 15, 2023 6:38 pm
Reply to  Chris

I’ve said this before and I will say it again. If SC wants to compete with Oregon especially with NIL then you need to rebrand yourself and you need to accept what is and stop acting like the administration can’t afford it, acting like we are SC and we don’t need to pay players because of our history. Sounds like a Laker pitch to free agents before Lebron. Come on Jen!! If Notre Dame doesn’t have this policy then we are seriously shooting ourselves in the foot with that policy. Good luck in the Big-10 with that policy in place… Read more »

Golden Trojan
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November 16, 2023 8:38 am
Reply to  Chris

NIL deals need to be completely off campus. No university connection. Lawyer to lawyer. Recruiting staff just needs to get out a list of players to go after.

Fighton74
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November 15, 2023 2:44 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

The two guys that would be huge to get to
de-commit based on a hire would be Breland DL from Mater-Dei currently committed to OR, and Vilamu Asa ILB Bosco currently committed to ND.

TrojanRJJ
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November 15, 2023 3:01 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

OUCH! I have a rule that I think is nearly 100% valid – when one coach is coaching for his job and the other is not, the coach whose job is on the line wins. The wild card is the bulk of the SC assistants are also coaching for their jobs.

Chris
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November 15, 2023 1:35 pm

I guess I am one of the only ones who still thinks Riley is the right guy. I also remember what he walked in to, a roster that was terrible, A culture that was worse, and a team that had no hope of winning in any real way. Grinch was a mistake, a big one. Even with him and the worst defense we all can remember, we weren’t far off from winning every game but one. We were also close to losing three more. Get the DC hire right and we will take off. I 100% believe that.

TrojanMPA90
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November 15, 2023 1:41 pm
Reply to  Chris

Exactly Chris! Our program was awful when Riley took over. Last year’s success made us think the rebuild was done but the roster had holes that weren’t exposed until this year.

We’ve been able to compete thanks to our elite offense. If we had even a top 50 defense this year, we’d be at least 10-1.

RialtoTrojan
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November 15, 2023 1:42 pm
Reply to  Chris

I want to believe you on this, and I think the defense situation being fixed will a long way towards proving you right. I know the offensive line will improve if we recruit right. I’m sure our QB next season will have the right stuff, so fix the defense and see what happens right?
There isn’t any other team I want to follow, so if things don’t improve I’ll say wait until next coach instead of next year.

Chris
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November 15, 2023 2:22 pm
Reply to  RialtoTrojan

I really like last years o line class. We have a few from this year that should be good down the line as well. We are getting solid guys, but not getting the 5 star guys. Always have our hat on the table but they are not picking it up. O line is a crap shoot. But 5 star d lineman usually are no brainers. Sark and Texas got good quick because they recruited studs on DLine. Our hats are not on their tables. We need to fix that or cross our fingers in portal where guys like Bear are… Read more »

TrojanRJJ
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November 15, 2023 3:00 pm
Reply to  Chris

Chris, I am on board. I think LR is the right guy for the job. He is young and intelligent and competitive. And has had significant success. He also has allegedly one of the best ADs in the country. I think he clearly knows he MUST change his approach to team structure AND must also change his approach to NIL. This means he needs a high quality DC and D staff which can both coach and recruit. I really think it will happen.

Steveg
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November 15, 2023 3:26 pm
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

It is hard to find really good coaches that are also good recruiters. If USC can pull that off then we can get turned around.

TrojanMPA90
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November 15, 2023 12:50 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

After the Cotton Bowl last year, most of us were calling for Riley to fire Grinch. When he chose not to, we accepted it as it was too soon to pull the trigger and that Grinch needed time to get more players and depth and get them trained to his system. This year proved that was a bad decision as our defense which we hoped would be better has gotten even worse this year in spite of getting more talent added. Riley is a young coach who I think will grow from this experience as we’ve all made bad decisions… Read more »

Steveg
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Steveg
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November 15, 2023 3:28 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Keep in mind we may not have signals next season as the helmet technology is going to get started in college ball this bowl season.

Golden Trojan
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November 15, 2023 3:33 pm
Reply to  Steveg

It’s about time for helmet tech to hit college.

ATL D.D.S.
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November 15, 2023 3:53 pm
Reply to  Golden Trojan

They make commercials about the helmet for the deaf QB with the little clear screen that gives him the play. really cool….

USC1988
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November 15, 2023 5:09 pm
Reply to  TrojanMPA90

The at Zona and ASU games were disconcerting last year … I was like can we just get 1 stop! Then the big belly flop at Utah with numerous chances to stop just 1 play and win the game.
The new DC cannot get here fast enough.

RialtoTrojan
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November 15, 2023 9:39 am

Am I wrong? Did we hire the best mix of Clay Helton and Lane Kiffin?
We certainly recognize coach doublespeak, as recently as two years ago, but it seems we get as much of the cagey personnel commentary to go with the “it’ll get better soon”
I understand the right to privacy with players, but would it hurt to be a little forthright with things like practice injuries or academic issues?
Suddenly there’s a lot less to like about this miracle worker than meets the trained eye.

ATL D.D.S.
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November 15, 2023 10:07 am
Reply to  RialtoTrojan

And, of course, we have UN-trained eyes, RT….😎

TrojanMPA90
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November 15, 2023 10:46 am
Reply to  RialtoTrojan

All coaches use doublespeak including Saban and Smart. Riley is much better than Helton or Kiffin any day.

illinoisusc
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November 15, 2023 7:14 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

As an outsider…I have no idea what is causing us to misfire regarding recruiting but……something is definitely off…….and it goes back a long way……Helton had empty classes of linemen which we are paying for now……NIL, Riley, Asst Coaches, Recruiting staff, connections to HS staff. actual man-hours spent recruiting…..I’d love someone who is connected to describe their opinion as to what needs to be done and/or the current situation.

Chris
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November 15, 2023 8:06 am
Reply to  illinoisusc

We are way behind on NIL. Caleb gets headlines with his deals, as he should, but as a whole we are not where we need to be. Until we get that fixed we will continue to finish behind others who have stronger NIL.

Rock2112
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November 15, 2023 5:11 pm
Reply to  illinoisusc

We are just not seen as a lineman’s school. If you are an elite lineman, you know which schools to go to. It’s the same as, if you are an elite QB or receiver, you go to SC. We just didn’t “water the flowers” on lineman and toughness from the end of the Pete Carroll era forward. To quote Bono, “It leaves you, Baby, if you don’t care for it.”

USC1988
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November 15, 2023 6:36 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

1981 Oline left to right Mosebar, Matthews, Allen Pugh, Roy Foster. Not bad, three 1st round picks and long time NFL players.
Tony Slaton (71) and Joe Murray (74) in back ground.

USC1988
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November 15, 2023 8:43 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

When Anthony Munoz sadly went down in the 1979 opener at Texas Tech, Mosebar stepped in as a true frosh and did a terrific job until Munoz’s miraculous return for the Rose Bowl.
That game in Lubbock was strange. SC was unanimously #1 but lost player after player before getting out with a 21-7 win.
Ronnie Lott, Charlie White and a few more starters joined Munoz on the IR for that game.
I remember Mal Florence’s headline in the Times ‘Trojans Deep in the Heart of Texas’

TrojanMPA90
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November 15, 2023 8:51 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

High school recruiting isn’t as big as it used to be with the transfer portal now. We really need to use this for offensive and defensive linemen to begin to build depth and develop players who get used to playing together.

I expect we’ll get lots of transfer portal players.

Tirebitter
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November 15, 2023 10:24 am
Reply to  TrojanMPA90

I don’t think the TP is any way to build a solid program. For the most part, they are “one and dones” or at least two years. Hard to learn a system and become a real team member in that short time frame. You don’t see Ga and Alabama relying on the TP and they repeatedly are in the hunt foe a NC. Same with Michigan and OSU. They build from within. They develop their players.

TrojanMPA90
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November 15, 2023 10:44 am
Reply to  Tirebitter

I agree that the TP should be used to add depth and build around the edges.

We need to follow the GA, Alabama, Michigan, and OSU models.

LR is trying to do that but used the TP to get instant results. That worked last year but this year has been a crap shoot.

illinoisusc
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November 15, 2023 12:46 pm
Reply to  TrojanMPA90

Thanks to all for the posts. Since Riley is probably going to be around for a few years I sure hope something productive gets done.

TrojanRJJ
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November 15, 2023 1:54 pm
Reply to  TrojanMPA90

MPA90, I do not think it worked better in 2022 than in 2023; the difference was the schedule. This year we played 2 top 10 teams and probably three more top 25 team (Utah, AZ and ND). He went 0-3 last year (twice with Utah and once with Tulane); this year he went 1-4. When we went 11-1, we did not play any team that was anywhere near as good as WA or OR; I think Utah was not as good this year (but still very good) and ND was much better this year than last (and we played in… Read more »