UCLA vs. USC football preview: Trojans’ defense has a lot to prove
With Alex Grinch gone, the unit’s struggles going into the rivalry game puts pressure on the coaching staff
Luca Evans (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — Forty-eight hours into his tenure as USC’s interim co-defensive coordinator, Brian Odom couldn’t remember what day of the week it was.
Life has moved at breakneck speed inside the USC bunker since defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was fired and Odom, the inside linebackers coach, and defensive line coach Shaun Nua were promoted to co-defensive coordinators.
An offseason’s worth of potential tweaks to Grinch’s established defensive scheme could only be crammed into a handful of days, and head coach Lincoln Riley’s message to his staff was simple: Attack for two weeks. Figure the rest out later.
The reality of the situation, though, once this coaching staff comes up for some Thanksgiving turkey-scented air after this week’s crosstown matchup with UCLA, is obvious. Riley said Thursday, after two years building USC’s program and two years of defensive struggles, that he had a “lot more clarity” on the Trojans’ defensive-coordinator search, a new face who’d bring in an armada of fresh coaching disciples.
Perhaps it’ll be former Wisconsin DC Jim Leonhard. Perhaps Baylor head coach Dave Aranda if he’s fired, like Riley once a disciple of the late Mike Leach. Perhaps recently fired ex-Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett, who took over the Bulldogs for Leach after his hospitalization.
Any way USC turns, there’ll be little immediate overlap with anyone on this current defensive staff. Odom and outside linebackers coach Roy Manning followed Grinch from Oklahoma; defensive backs coach Donte Williams has longevity and recruiting chops, but has largely failed to develop a standout homegrown corner in recent years.
That leaves one final showing Saturday for USC’s defensive staff, with jobs on the line, to galvanize a dysfunctional unit.
“You sign on the dotted line to go be a coach, there’s a lot of things that come with it – a lot of good, a lot of bad,” Odom said last week. “I wouldn’t change my profession, so the future will hold what it holds.”
Riley’s expressed goal for Saturday, against a UCLA offense that’s scored a total of 17 points across its past two games, is for this USC defense to take a step forward. Plain and simple, he put it. It’s logical, now with two weeks under the belt to implement tweaks removed from Grinch; players have pointed to Nua and Odom’s ability to simplify concepts.
“The one thing is that we got to keep getting them to play hard and play violent football,” Nua said. “That’s what’s going to overcome all this fancy fundamental stuff.”
There was little violence up front, though, in a 36-27 loss to Oregon last week, and fancy fundamental stuff seemed like it could’ve come in handy with a secondary that visibly threw up its hands multiple times after big-play Duck touchdowns.
So on Monday, Riley said, he and staff laid out clear expectations for players. The defensive group will be healthier. Guys at the front of the room, as he said, are different. Schematics are different.
“You’re certainly pushing that the combination of all that,” Riley said, “would lead to an improved performance this week.”
If it doesn’t, and UCLA’s offense sputters to life, it’ll leave a final ugly stain on USC’s ledger – and will likely lead to widespread staff shake-up.
When UCLA has the ball
Completely lost in discussions of the Bruins’ offensive struggles: Their run game is the best, in terms of yards per game, of any unit USC’s defense has faced this year. Transfer Carson Steele and TJ Harden form an effective one-two punch in the backfield. After a pretty decent showing against Oregon’s backs, the Trojans’ linebackers need to find angles to swallow up four-yard runs before they become eight.
“The key, I think, is really being consistent and sustaining drives,” UCLA head coach Chip Kelly said this week. “The teams that have had success offensively have sustained drives on them.”
When USC has the ball
Kelly is firmly on the #CalebForHeisman train.
Discussions of back-to-back Heisman hype for Williams have thoroughly died with USC’s season, but his stats – 3,249 passing yards, 40 total touchdowns, four interceptions – undeniably rival anyone’s.
“I think sometimes, you get into the ‘Well, he won it last year, so let’s give it to somebody else,’” Kelly said. “But if the award’s supposed to go to the best player in the country, that kid is as good as a football player as I’ve had the opportunity to coach against.”
That includes Andrew Luck, by the way. A hat tip, it seems, from Kelly before Williams’ potential final game of collegiate football. There’s no storyline more compelling from USC’s standpoint Saturday than a last chance to see a generational prospect at work against his program’s greatest rival.
UCLA (6-4 overall, 3-4 Pac-12) at USC (7-4, 5-3); Saturday, 12:30 p.m.; Coliseum; TV/radio: ABC (Ch. 7)/570 AM
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How do you intend on building a program without developing the most important part which is Offensive lineman!!!!! Now you don’t have Caleb. Hmmm imagine Miller in the game against ND. We lost Vorhees and another guy last year. What efforts were made to replace that?!?! There’s one answer to regressing in year 2. You cannot protect your QB without that!!’ We do not need to spend any recruiting efforts on WR’s period. You need a run first offense!! This is College not Pro’s Recruiting should be on OL and development. “ DEFENSE”, and RB’s. Big plays downfield are created… Read more »
Hey Jennifer Cohen does the majority of top college football programs pay for players!?!?!? What is the point of hiring LR if you going cripple his ability to do that?!?!? What is the point of moving to the Big-10, and do you actually think you are going to have a better chance at making the playoffs by just moving to the Big-10?!?!? Why do you think we are loosing the recruiting war in our own backyard with 4 and 5 star defensive players to Oregon?!?! It’s because you wanna play old school ball and act like the history of SC… Read more »
Jen Cohen didn’t cause this mess. In fact, she had nothing to do with it.
This is all on Lincoln Riley’s (“the Air Raid Simpleton” as labeled by Trojanfanatic) BS approach to coaching Trojan football. I actually feel sorry for the hapless guy, whom I doubt has the faintest idea of how to fix the USC Trojan football mess that he so quickly blew up here.
I get that it is Riley Allen but there is a root to that. What is the point in hiring any perineal HC if you are not going to keep up with the Jones, and that means paying players. We might as well stay in purgatory and not pay for HC if your going to handcuff him because you won’t pay for players. That’s the point.
If you are not going to pay players your not rebuilding anything for the future of this program. It does not matter who the coach is you are crippling the development of the program by having that policy in place to not pay players, and what coach is going to want go to SC when you are handcuffing his ability to recruit players based on that policy currently in place. That’s a major major obstacle Allen LR or not. Might as well not pay for a top DC without removing that policy just saying. It’s a big big problem moving… Read more »
I think a lot of USC’s players are getting paid, some big-time.
LR’s just not doing a very good job anymore, which he has literally been forced to publicly admit several times in view of USC’s recent crap show on the field.
I’d take several other Pac-12 coaches over LR (“The Air Raid Simpleton”) now. And so would a lot of other Trojan fans, regardless of our NIL policy.
Bottomline we are taking away the ability for “any” coach to reach there full potential in recruiting with the current NIL policy in place at SC and if the rest of the elite teams in the nation do not have that policy in place in there programs then I rest my case! I want to take care Caleb Williams and my WR’s.Those are not the players that are the key to winning. Winning is about spreading the love around. It’s about Balance. Do the best teams in college have the best QB? No they have a capable QB. Do I… Read more »
I just saw an interview with Mike Tomlin, HC of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s the type of Head Coach USC desperately needs. A no-nonsense, defensive-minded guy who stresses discipline and ball control. All of the most successful USC Head Coaches were that way, starting with Howard Jones in the 1920s-1930s whose teams were known as the Thundering Herd. Now SC is the Stumbling and Bumbling Herd. I’m very disappointed with Riley. He’s an OC who is way over his head as a HC-just like Paul Hackett.
Unfortunately we are stuck with Riley SC. Cannot afford to back peddle. Yes we need a Defensive minded HC however that’s not gonna happen because then are talking about a whole new system and recruits that takes at least a couple of years to re-develop. SC ‘s easiest fix is to lift there restricted NIL policy, and to hire and “pay” for the best DC on the market. Someone from the Big-10 who can advise LR on how to build a capable Big-10 team. I don’t like him either, but you can’t fix what has already been done, because it… Read more »
UCLA won yesterday with a solid running game and stout defense. That’s what USC had in the 1970s when I was a student at SC. Both John McKay and John Robinson pounded the rock and played solid defense. SC won 3 Nattys in the 1970s with the undefeated 1972 team being the best in my opinion. Most of the 1972 guys were from local High Schools. The backfield of Mike Rae from Lakewood HS, Sam Cunningham from Santa Barbara HS, and Anthony Davis from San Fernando HS was one of the best USC ever had, but rarely talked about these… Read more »
Any coach that could create such an anemic defense and allow that mess for two full years … well we will see what LR really is. Unfortunately, we have a good idea. We have seen these types the past decade.
USC defense gave up 419 points this season which is the most points given up by USC all time. Let that sink in. No other USC team has EVER given up this many points. Wild.
If I were a great QB being recruited by Riley…….sorry……..I want to get to the pros with all my organs. As for Miller……make sure your insurance is current.
From past experience….you can recruit whoever you want….OL freshmen can’t do it……as for transfers……you’ll have to offer a billion dollars for anyone worth much to want to come to a line with no development, very little talent, no cohesion and coaches that might get fired. Why would an NFL type linemen risk the big bucks coming here.
That was embarrassing to say the least. Turnstile defence and a good QB running around trying to stay alive.The comment from one poster at the game said his section was calling out the plays before SC ran them. I have been doing that most of the year.LR does not have the ability to adapt on the fly. He is stubborn about everything. 3 Yards rushing. Hell Stanley Havili could have gotten 10 yds today with no blocking (And I loved Stanley). My fear is that some of the skill players we have may hit the portal because who needs to… Read more »
Ok, I’m over it now. My rock kicking is over. Note to everyone, do not watch the game with a bunch of family members who went to the other school. It makes it all the more aggravating, and I can’t suplex my 78 year old father in law. That would be frowned upon by my wife.
I watched it with a Giants fan who really likes one thing about Caleb ……. The Giants currently have a HORRIBLE offensive line and he liked how Caleb can still make plays playing behind a bad offensive line .
Yes, we lived for the Pete years. It was as good as it could ever get. Hoping LR could give us consistent good years. But not happening, he just wasn’t what we thought. Sloppy play, still no size, line play awful, a complete embarrassment for a defense.
With just decent coaching we beat Utah and Washington. But instead a quit job today and a complete failure of a season. With no experienced qb vs next year’s schedule, it looks disheartening.
The good news is there will be change. A competent DC can move us from horrible to average without doing much. Also, do not discount the portal. Florida st is in playoff hunt because of the portal. They did it the right way. The DLine we just played was entirely transfers. Riley just got his first real taste of failure. It will be interesting to see how he changes and adjusts.
If SC does not pay for the best DC on the market and drop there moronic policy of not paying players what they deserve. Then going to the Big-10 is the biggest mistake they will ever make!!!
Absolutely, if you didn’t want to play with the big boys and play by their rules then why bother? If you want to be no better than Indiana, Michigan ST, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Purdue what’s the point? Use football to fund non revenue sports? The LR hire is on Mike Bohn, it’s up to Jen Cohen to fix it. Let’s hope Enfield can give us some fun this winter.
Lincoln Riley era is similar to the Kiffin era so far, but without the sanctions excuse. I have lost all my enthusiasm for USC football all over again. We are at the bottom of a pit again and are not a great DC hire away from program restoration. Riley is exposed offensively as well. It is not just the line. It is unsophistication in adjusting to what your opponent is doing. I am about six games into wondering where the quick slant is. Two quick steps and BAM — ball is out to the receiver. Or at least a draw… Read more »
Well in the Big10 USC gets $65 million a year. Enough to buy out the old staff and hire a new one. Jen Cohen inherited LR. It is up to her to convince Carol Folt what the reality is. LR has another year to make good.
Agree. He is exposed offensively as well. I was at the game as most here were. Fans in my section were literally shouting out the next usc play before the snap. He’s an air raid simpleton. Oh and fanboys don’t give me the BS that he doesn’t run the air raid. Your clueless.
Maybe once every few weeks I’ll scan the blogger’s post titles, but I haven’t read below the fold in years. Reading the comments of the inmates running that asylum is a useless waste of time.
Noticed when they played cover 2 man, LR’s offense struggled to move the ball down the field unless the WR beat the Corner and made a play on the outside. It seemed like the last 6 teams we played know our entire playbook.
Lincoln’s game plan was let’s watch Caleb run around desperately, eventually find an open receiver somewhere, or tuck it and run and slide somewhere else, hopefully downfield. I don’t know why LR ever needs a playcalling sheet for that, but he does.
Agree. I believe Pete’s biggest strength was the halftime adjustments he made. Riley does little if anything to change tactics, except throw the ball more than the 75% of the plays he already calls for passing. Riley’s play designs seem to take three beats minimum before someone is to be open, no quick hitters except behind-the-line tosses to WRs, almost nothing quick in the middle … and Caleb seems to only be looking 20 yds down field, until he has to scramble. A very predictable offense.
Lincoln Riley took over a stoops program. When stoops players and foundation started to ebb away, Riley had to get out. He’s an air raid simpleton who doesn’t understand the fundamentals of natty level football. Defense is something you do between offensive possessions. He’s out of his league as far as understanding how to build a program from the ground up.Clueless.
The 2 biggest football powerhouse high schools in the nation are literally minutes away from him and he’s somewhat a stranger to them. Sorry, a Mike Leach program will never win anything except a meaningless bowl game.
Here’s what Lincoln Riley seems to be like to me (I have probably used this joke before) A golf pro was challenged to teach a gorilla how to play golf. A few months go by and the pro summons the challengers to the golf course. There they find the pro and a gorilla dressed in proper golf attire. The gorilla steps up to the ball and, wham, 310 yard drive right to within two feet of the hole! The pro collects money from some who had wagered he couldn’t do it. The lone hold out wants to see the gorilla… Read more »
Looking back on the game, both teams sucked. Without the two lost fumbles and interception resulting in scores it could have been a different game outcome. To bad Caleb didn’t finish with a win.
UCLA has sound concepts … especially on D. Chip was handicapped by the qb but his 2nd TD was a beautifully designed fake wheel to TE delay. So O was much better too.
Is Lincoln Riley; An elite head coach? Absolutely not. An offensive gure? Definitely no. A great OC? No. A good quarterback coach? Probably. Grotesquely over paid? Absolutely. Jen Cohen, wow, you have inherited the project that will make or break your career. A grossly over paid head football coach with a bad football team. This is a mediocre Pac12 team and will be a bad Big10 team. He’s no better than Clay Helton! Your job one, convince Carol Folt the collectives need to operate like every other elite program. Number 2, tell LR he is on a short leash. You… Read more »
I agree with you on your 5 questions and answers. I don’t blame Riley for for his contract, but, he now DOES have to live up to it, which after 2 years he has not. To me, he has 1 more year. Grinch lost me after the first half of the first game of this season. LR can do the same in the first game of next season. We will see how he reacts to this adversity. The coaching staff needs to be rebuilt from the ground up with coaches who emphasize recruiting, the two lines, size, strength and toughness.… Read more »
The LR bandwagon has crashed and burned. He needs to start building a program the right way from the ground up. There is no quick fix with the Portal unless you have a collective that can go out and buy the best players. Even then it would take a couple seasons to get everyone on the same page. Of course you need the staff that can do it, which USC clearly doesn’t have.
Looking at the program right now: with the exception of some skill players, what is there to look forward to next season? Where has LR got the program positioned to play in a physically tough conference? Did the administration take into consideration how a refined air raid offensive sided HC would prepare a program to succeed in the Big Ten? I am wondering if the money backers are thinking what some of us are? They have to be! That Lincoln Riley isn’t a PC, a McKay or a Robinson that can develop a football program suitable to compete week in… Read more »
Riley just needs to go, write him a $77M check and get somebody else. The QB is good, the RBs and WRs are good, and everyone else is suspect. If Riley were a true coach he’d find a way to work with what he has rather than forcing them to comprehend his complex offensive schemes and his ignorance and indifference to defense. Riley sucks!
The one thing I wonder is are a lot of these players coached up to as good as they will be? Is it all on the staff? I am not defending Riley here, he has made some big mistakes. Riley does not run a true air raid, he will use the ground game, when it works. It for some reason has not worked. If you look at the B1G, they are not the 3 yards and a cloud of dust any more, even Wisconsin has gone to the air. Irregardless, it is over for 2023, we shall see what steps… Read more »
What Riley needs to say…..I have done a poor job this year coaching this team. I will take an objective look in the mirror and do what is necessary to win. Which will include a pay cut for me. A new OC so I can focus on being a head coach. A new DC A completely new coaching staff to include recruiting and conditioning A focus on building connections across the USC family including HS coaches. A realization that winning national teams have great defenses and offenses and play a balanced offensive game plan. If he lays this off on… Read more »
I agree with everything but I do think there are some areas the players are the problem. Not that they are not trying, simply some of the talent level is not where it should be. Like size on the D line, speed of linebackers, and blocking ability of the O line. I think Riley knew what he had in Caleb, a once in a generation Qb, and did what he thought was best to get Caleb to the NC. It simply was not enough. Now perhaps he begins a real rebuild.
That’s a pretty generous assessment when the players get questionable coaching. Teach them how to block and tackle at thislevel, but all the coaches do is draw up complex plays so that they’re recognized as geniuses. Execution always wins out and as we’ve seen SC can’t execute much. That’s on the coaches, if they don’t have players that can execute it is their primary responsibility to change that: recruit; train; teach. This LR really sucks!
Pathetic you can’t salvage pride at home against your cross town rival for the final game of the season Hot Garbage!!!! What a complete embarrassment!!
Would not be surprised if NFL Scouts are not totally happy …..WHY …….Because playing behind this USC Offensive line they might be wondering if they are getting a TRUE Picture of Calebs Talents !
is this the worst game you loss you can remember? Considering the circumstances, I think it is for me. I’ve been watching USC football for 40 years, I can’t think of a bigger let down.
I witnessed USC lose 13-9 vs UCLA and miss out on a national championship opportunity. However this game trumps that dumpster fire. This is the most embarrassing performance I’ve ever seen by USC. I feel so bad for Caleb.
and sit out any bowl……its time for him to do the right thing after the game and say he is moving on. We need to find a QB and he deserves the big bucks.
How do you intend on building a program without developing the most important part which is Offensive lineman!!!!! Now you don’t have Caleb. Hmmm imagine Miller in the game against ND. We lost Vorhees and another guy last year. What efforts were made to replace that?!?! There’s one answer to regressing in year 2. You cannot protect your QB without that!!’ We do not need to spend any recruiting efforts on WR’s period. You need a run first offense!! This is College not Pro’s Recruiting should be on OL and development. “ DEFENSE”, and RB’s. Big plays downfield are created… Read more »
Hey Jennifer Cohen does the majority of top college football programs pay for players!?!?!? What is the point of hiring LR if you going cripple his ability to do that?!?!? What is the point of moving to the Big-10, and do you actually think you are going to have a better chance at making the playoffs by just moving to the Big-10?!?!? Why do you think we are loosing the recruiting war in our own backyard with 4 and 5 star defensive players to Oregon?!?! It’s because you wanna play old school ball and act like the history of SC… Read more »
Jen Cohen didn’t cause this mess. In fact, she had nothing to do with it.
This is all on Lincoln Riley’s (“the Air Raid Simpleton” as labeled by Trojanfanatic) BS approach to coaching Trojan football. I actually feel sorry for the hapless guy, whom I doubt has the faintest idea of how to fix the USC Trojan football mess that he so quickly blew up here.
I get that it is Riley Allen but there is a root to that. What is the point in hiring any perineal HC if you are not going to keep up with the Jones, and that means paying players. We might as well stay in purgatory and not pay for HC if your going to handcuff him because you won’t pay for players. That’s the point.
Lincoln Riley’s officially a joke of a USC football coach as of now.
Jen Cohen is basically the brains of Operation Rebuild going forward, and thank god we have her.
If you are not going to pay players your not rebuilding anything for the future of this program. It does not matter who the coach is you are crippling the development of the program by having that policy in place to not pay players, and what coach is going to want go to SC when you are handcuffing his ability to recruit players based on that policy currently in place. That’s a major major obstacle Allen LR or not. Might as well not pay for a top DC without removing that policy just saying. It’s a big big problem moving… Read more »
I think a lot of USC’s players are getting paid, some big-time.
LR’s just not doing a very good job anymore, which he has literally been forced to publicly admit several times in view of USC’s recent crap show on the field.
I’d take several other Pac-12 coaches over LR (“The Air Raid Simpleton”) now. And so would a lot of other Trojan fans, regardless of our NIL policy.
Bottomline we are taking away the ability for “any” coach to reach there full potential in recruiting with the current NIL policy in place at SC and if the rest of the elite teams in the nation do not have that policy in place in there programs then I rest my case! I want to take care Caleb Williams and my WR’s.Those are not the players that are the key to winning. Winning is about spreading the love around. It’s about Balance. Do the best teams in college have the best QB? No they have a capable QB. Do I… Read more »
I just saw an interview with Mike Tomlin, HC of the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s the type of Head Coach USC desperately needs. A no-nonsense, defensive-minded guy who stresses discipline and ball control. All of the most successful USC Head Coaches were that way, starting with Howard Jones in the 1920s-1930s whose teams were known as the Thundering Herd. Now SC is the Stumbling and Bumbling Herd. I’m very disappointed with Riley. He’s an OC who is way over his head as a HC-just like Paul Hackett.
When was the last time SC hired a head coach who played as a lineman?
McKay was a running back
JRob was a tight end
Tollner a QB
Smith an end
Hackett, a QB
Carroll, a DB
Kiffin, Sark, Helton, and Riley, all QBs.
Trust me – they are no happier with Mario Cristobal out there in Miami than we are with Riley.
Touche
Unfortunately we are stuck with Riley SC. Cannot afford to back peddle. Yes we need a Defensive minded HC however that’s not gonna happen because then are talking about a whole new system and recruits that takes at least a couple of years to re-develop. SC ‘s easiest fix is to lift there restricted NIL policy, and to hire and “pay” for the best DC on the market. Someone from the Big-10 who can advise LR on how to build a capable Big-10 team. I don’t like him either, but you can’t fix what has already been done, because it… Read more »
UCLA won yesterday with a solid running game and stout defense. That’s what USC had in the 1970s when I was a student at SC. Both John McKay and John Robinson pounded the rock and played solid defense. SC won 3 Nattys in the 1970s with the undefeated 1972 team being the best in my opinion. Most of the 1972 guys were from local High Schools. The backfield of Mike Rae from Lakewood HS, Sam Cunningham from Santa Barbara HS, and Anthony Davis from San Fernando HS was one of the best USC ever had, but rarely talked about these… Read more »
Jennifer Cohen, you have a 10-million dollar problem working in Heritage Hall running a football program that stinks right now the way it is playing.
Any coach that could create such an anemic defense and allow that mess for two full years … well we will see what LR really is. Unfortunately, we have a good idea. We have seen these types the past decade.
USC defense gave up 419 points this season which is the most points given up by USC all time. Let that sink in. No other USC team has EVER given up this many points. Wild.
‘Wild’ is very generous “egregiously embarrassing” is probably more accurate.
If I were a great QB being recruited by Riley…….sorry……..I want to get to the pros with all my organs. As for Miller……make sure your insurance is current.
From past experience….you can recruit whoever you want….OL freshmen can’t do it……as for transfers……you’ll have to offer a billion dollars for anyone worth much to want to come to a line with no development, very little talent, no cohesion and coaches that might get fired. Why would an NFL type linemen risk the big bucks coming here.
That was embarrassing to say the least. Turnstile defence and a good QB running around trying to stay alive.The comment from one poster at the game said his section was calling out the plays before SC ran them. I have been doing that most of the year.LR does not have the ability to adapt on the fly. He is stubborn about everything. 3 Yards rushing. Hell Stanley Havili could have gotten 10 yds today with no blocking (And I loved Stanley). My fear is that some of the skill players we have may hit the portal because who needs to… Read more »
Ok, I’m over it now. My rock kicking is over. Note to everyone, do not watch the game with a bunch of family members who went to the other school. It makes it all the more aggravating, and I can’t suplex my 78 year old father in law. That would be frowned upon by my wife.
I watched it with a Giants fan who really likes one thing about Caleb ……. The Giants currently have a HORRIBLE offensive line and he liked how Caleb can still make plays playing behind a bad offensive line .
Short career in NFL
Hilarious
Yes, we lived for the Pete years. It was as good as it could ever get. Hoping LR could give us consistent good years. But not happening, he just wasn’t what we thought. Sloppy play, still no size, line play awful, a complete embarrassment for a defense.
With just decent coaching we beat Utah and Washington. But instead a quit job today and a complete failure of a season. With no experienced qb vs next year’s schedule, it looks disheartening.
The good news is there will be change. A competent DC can move us from horrible to average without doing much. Also, do not discount the portal. Florida st is in playoff hunt because of the portal. They did it the right way. The DLine we just played was entirely transfers. Riley just got his first real taste of failure. It will be interesting to see how he changes and adjusts.
“This is a fine mess you’ve gotten us into.”
This quip from Laurel and Hardy does have relevance to the USC coaching staff.
Boy ……The back-and-forth in this Kansas vs Kansas St game never seems to stop.
The WA/ORSt game and the MO/FL game are pretty good too.
USC Beat writers have been informing their readers that Caleb declined to talk to ANYONE after this game .
Good for him
If SC does not pay for the best DC on the market and drop there moronic policy of not paying players what they deserve. Then going to the Big-10 is the biggest mistake they will ever make!!!
Absolutely, if you didn’t want to play with the big boys and play by their rules then why bother? If you want to be no better than Indiana, Michigan ST, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Purdue what’s the point? Use football to fund non revenue sports? The LR hire is on Mike Bohn, it’s up to Jen Cohen to fix it. Let’s hope Enfield can give us some fun this winter.
Lincoln Riley era is similar to the Kiffin era so far, but without the sanctions excuse. I have lost all my enthusiasm for USC football all over again. We are at the bottom of a pit again and are not a great DC hire away from program restoration. Riley is exposed offensively as well. It is not just the line. It is unsophistication in adjusting to what your opponent is doing. I am about six games into wondering where the quick slant is. Two quick steps and BAM — ball is out to the receiver. Or at least a draw… Read more »
Well in the Big10 USC gets $65 million a year. Enough to buy out the old staff and hire a new one. Jen Cohen inherited LR. It is up to her to convince Carol Folt what the reality is. LR has another year to make good.
Agree. He is exposed offensively as well. I was at the game as most here were. Fans in my section were literally shouting out the next usc play before the snap. He’s an air raid simpleton. Oh and fanboys don’t give me the BS that he doesn’t run the air raid. Your clueless.
Fanboys – lol
Straight out of Scott Wolfs blog.
That guy is going to have fodder for months off of today’s crash and burn.
I won’t even go there with all the wacko nut cases.
Maybe once every few weeks I’ll scan the blogger’s post titles, but I haven’t read below the fold in years. Reading the comments of the inmates running that asylum is a useless waste of time.
I see over a dozen that just signed up in the last month. Probably the same person.
“Fanboys” is a lame troll move
Ya, I’m clueless. Whatever you say.
My hand is in the air. I’m clueless too. It’s fun.
“An Air Raid Simpleton” has a certain ring to it.
The Lincoln Riley descriptions should be coming in fast and furious over the next several days, weeks and months. Let the piling on begin!
USC seems like it’s just besieged with bad coaching. Clay Helton continues to slope downward, falling to 6-5 after losing to Old Dominion 20-17.
Lincoln Riley and The Cat really should meet in a 2023 bowl game. Come on!
Seems like a fitting end to this disaster season, the one led by USC’s “Air Raid Simpleton.” 😂
Noticed when they played cover 2 man, LR’s offense struggled to move the ball down the field unless the WR beat the Corner and made a play on the outside. It seemed like the last 6 teams we played know our entire playbook.
The entire Big 10 plays cover 2 … LR has been a massive disappointment
I, for one, certainly do not consider him an offensive guru. There are many offenses in the country every bit as effective as Riley’s.
Not too many.
And I am six games into wondering what the offensive game plan is.
Lincoln’s game plan was let’s watch Caleb run around desperately, eventually find an open receiver somewhere, or tuck it and run and slide somewhere else, hopefully downfield. I don’t know why LR ever needs a playcalling sheet for that, but he does.
The lack of run game imagination was unreal
Agree. I believe Pete’s biggest strength was the halftime adjustments he made. Riley does little if anything to change tactics, except throw the ball more than the 75% of the plays he already calls for passing. Riley’s play designs seem to take three beats minimum before someone is to be open, no quick hitters except behind-the-line tosses to WRs, almost nothing quick in the middle … and Caleb seems to only be looking 20 yds down field, until he has to scramble. A very predictable offense.
Lincoln Riley took over a stoops program. When stoops players and foundation started to ebb away, Riley had to get out. He’s an air raid simpleton who doesn’t understand the fundamentals of natty level football. Defense is something you do between offensive possessions. He’s out of his league as far as understanding how to build a program from the ground up.Clueless.
The 2 biggest football powerhouse high schools in the nation are literally minutes away from him and he’s somewhat a stranger to them. Sorry, a Mike Leach program will never win anything except a meaningless bowl game.
Back-and-forth lead changes Kansas vs Kansas St Game .
I’am being told Riley stated that great days are ahead……what universe does this moron live in.
Here’s what Lincoln Riley seems to be like to me (I have probably used this joke before) A golf pro was challenged to teach a gorilla how to play golf. A few months go by and the pro summons the challengers to the golf course. There they find the pro and a gorilla dressed in proper golf attire. The gorilla steps up to the ball and, wham, 310 yard drive right to within two feet of the hole! The pro collects money from some who had wagered he couldn’t do it. The lone hold out wants to see the gorilla… Read more »
Looking back on the game, both teams sucked. Without the two lost fumbles and interception resulting in scores it could have been a different game outcome. To bad Caleb didn’t finish with a win.
UCLA has sound concepts … especially on D. Chip was handicapped by the qb but his 2nd TD was a beautifully designed fake wheel to TE delay. So O was much better too.
Next year, SC with have a 3 win season . . . I know, I’m being overly optimistic.
Is Lincoln Riley; An elite head coach? Absolutely not. An offensive gure? Definitely no. A great OC? No. A good quarterback coach? Probably. Grotesquely over paid? Absolutely. Jen Cohen, wow, you have inherited the project that will make or break your career. A grossly over paid head football coach with a bad football team. This is a mediocre Pac12 team and will be a bad Big10 team. He’s no better than Clay Helton! Your job one, convince Carol Folt the collectives need to operate like every other elite program. Number 2, tell LR he is on a short leash. You… Read more »
I agree with you on your 5 questions and answers. I don’t blame Riley for for his contract, but, he now DOES have to live up to it, which after 2 years he has not. To me, he has 1 more year. Grinch lost me after the first half of the first game of this season. LR can do the same in the first game of next season. We will see how he reacts to this adversity. The coaching staff needs to be rebuilt from the ground up with coaches who emphasize recruiting, the two lines, size, strength and toughness.… Read more »
The LR bandwagon has crashed and burned. He needs to start building a program the right way from the ground up. There is no quick fix with the Portal unless you have a collective that can go out and buy the best players. Even then it would take a couple seasons to get everyone on the same page. Of course you need the staff that can do it, which USC clearly doesn’t have.
Looking at the program right now: with the exception of some skill players, what is there to look forward to next season? Where has LR got the program positioned to play in a physically tough conference? Did the administration take into consideration how a refined air raid offensive sided HC would prepare a program to succeed in the Big Ten? I am wondering if the money backers are thinking what some of us are? They have to be! That Lincoln Riley isn’t a PC, a McKay or a Robinson that can develop a football program suitable to compete week in… Read more »
Riley just needs to go, write him a $77M check and get somebody else. The QB is good, the RBs and WRs are good, and everyone else is suspect. If Riley were a true coach he’d find a way to work with what he has rather than forcing them to comprehend his complex offensive schemes and his ignorance and indifference to defense. Riley sucks!
The one thing I wonder is are a lot of these players coached up to as good as they will be? Is it all on the staff? I am not defending Riley here, he has made some big mistakes. Riley does not run a true air raid, he will use the ground game, when it works. It for some reason has not worked. If you look at the B1G, they are not the 3 yards and a cloud of dust any more, even Wisconsin has gone to the air. Irregardless, it is over for 2023, we shall see what steps… Read more »
Wouldn’t work because QB was of little threat to run … in this O he has too.
Also, trying to developer drop back skills should had been left to pros.
But more than anything the D was beyond pathetic
I couldn’t understand CW not taking off more often but he seemed gun shy. Worst defense in USC history I believe.
What Riley needs to say…..I have done a poor job this year coaching this team. I will take an objective look in the mirror and do what is necessary to win. Which will include a pay cut for me. A new OC so I can focus on being a head coach. A new DC A completely new coaching staff to include recruiting and conditioning A focus on building connections across the USC family including HS coaches. A realization that winning national teams have great defenses and offenses and play a balanced offensive game plan. If he lays this off on… Read more »
I agree with everything but I do think there are some areas the players are the problem. Not that they are not trying, simply some of the talent level is not where it should be. Like size on the D line, speed of linebackers, and blocking ability of the O line. I think Riley knew what he had in Caleb, a once in a generation Qb, and did what he thought was best to get Caleb to the NC. It simply was not enough. Now perhaps he begins a real rebuild.
That’s a pretty generous assessment when the players get questionable coaching. Teach them how to block and tackle at thislevel, but all the coaches do is draw up complex plays so that they’re recognized as geniuses. Execution always wins out and as we’ve seen SC can’t execute much. That’s on the coaches, if they don’t have players that can execute it is their primary responsibility to change that: recruit; train; teach. This LR really sucks!
Thanks guys, it has been a rough season. We have nowhere to go but up. Great to be around a good group of people fighting for USC.
After today’s game, Riley has a lot of work to do. This was as bad a performance as we’ve seen in many years.
As has been stated, the worst defense in USC history. I hope Riley realizes it.
Riley want to Impress me ? …….Give about 10 million (or more) to some charity or something .
Thank you Caleb!!!! And sorry you had a horrible supporting cast. You deserved so much better young man. You will have a successful NFL career.
Can’t wait to watch him in NFL … when he gets some help
I don’t want Riley to say we’re so close. He needs to come out and say we played like garbage.
or played like sh!t
Miss you already Caleb …..Now Stay healthy and what the heck …..Maybe end up in that place known as the NFL Hall of Fame ?????
And now a bowl game is it.
Just about everything that can be said has been said. This season is over. Good riddance.
Thank god this game is finally over.
Thanks Caleb!
Pathetic you can’t salvage pride at home against your cross town rival for the final game of the season Hot Garbage!!!! What a complete embarrassment!!
7-5 USC vs 7-5 Duke in the Sun Bowl .
No Bowl game
The one good outcome of this game is it keeps chocolate chip Kelly employed at ucla.
Looks like Chipster got a new pair of glasses……looking his age
A much better rivalry game is on in about 5 minutes ….Kansas St vs Kansas on FS1 .
WA vs Or St also
Wa better win or I’am a disaster with the point game.
Look how empty the coliseum is
3 yards rushing. 3!
That’s almost 1 per quarter! Progress!
Would not be surprised if NFL Scouts are not totally happy …..WHY …….Because playing behind this USC Offensive line they might be wondering if they are getting a TRUE Picture of Calebs Talents !
I think they know the good and bad parts of his game. He will be #1
nfl scouts, coaches, and general managers all know what CW is capable of. Going pro he can spend 8-10 hours a day on his game with good coaches.
Sadly what DC will want to join this train wreck.
not with mr heave it in charge
USC will need to offer full autonomy and a huge payday to get a quality DC.
Where in the heck are those towel wavers…..
They were too embarrassed
is this the worst game you loss you can remember? Considering the circumstances, I think it is for me. I’ve been watching USC football for 40 years, I can’t think of a bigger let down.
I witnessed USC lose 13-9 vs UCLA and miss out on a national championship opportunity. However this game trumps that dumpster fire. This is the most embarrassing performance I’ve ever seen by USC. I feel so bad for Caleb.
This feels like 2012 all over again. A trip to the Sun Bowl and seeing Riley wear a sombrero will only cap it off.
I cant wait
LR can stay there
Can Caleb Williams sue this O line for attempted man slaughter?
Or aat least for fraud
Get #4 off the damn field.
If they take everyone off the field that isn’t doing anything there will be no one left.
Caleb needs to get out now. Do not get hurt
and sit out any bowl……its time for him to do the right thing after the game and say he is moving on. We need to find a QB and he deserves the big bucks.
Does Riley OWE Caleb some sort of apology for this season ?
#71 sucks!!!
#76 sucks too.
On the bright side 71 will not need to shower after the game. He hasn’t blocked anyone all day
The entire o line sucks beside Monheim
Can we opt out of the Big 10 and stay with the Pac-2
The PAC 2 only wants good teams.
that means we’d be 0-2…..not that bad
CW has reached his limit with this line