Commentary: I knew Lincoln Riley was going to be good for USC. But not this good…
J. Brady McCollough (LA Times) — A year ago, I knew what USC’s bold move to bring in Lincoln Riley meant — not just for the Trojans but for college football on the West Coast.
I knew that Riley, already proven as one of the top coaches in the sport at 39 years old with a West Texas swagger, was eventually going to elevate USC back to national prominence. I knew that his presence and his electric offenses would reignite Los Angeles’ passion for college football, right as the Rams were building momentum toward a Super Bowl crown won right here in Inglewood. As The Times’ national college football reporter, I was selfishly excited because Riley’s arrival guaranteed a wider audience for my work and that of my ridiculously talented and driven colleagues on the college beat.
But I did not know Riley would be this good.
Yes, once he convinced star quarterback Caleb Williams to transfer from Oklahoma, and once Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Jordan Addison followed Williams here from Pittsburgh, I figured USC’s turnaround from a deflating 4-8 season would be definitive and swift.
Yet, at the start of the season in August, I couldn’t shake the need to set tempered expectations for year one. Looking at the soft start to the schedule, I saw a reasonable path to 9-1, with the lone loss coming at Utah (which I picked to crash the College Football Playoff semifinals).
My logical brain said UCLA, which beat USC 62-33 last year at the Coliseum and returned Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet, would be built too soundly for the Trojans to overcome in the fifth year of Chip Kelly’s tenure.
That same measured thinking led me to assume that a Notre Dame program USC hadn’t beaten since 2016 and had made two CFP semifinal appearances in that time period — even with a first-time head coach in Marcus Freeman — was going to be able to dictate the tenor of the action with Midwestern brawn.
Wrong. Doubly wrong.
I never could have imagined — and I don’t think I’m alone — that in less than a year Riley and his coaching staff would be able to take Clay Helton’s church youth group culture and mold it into an easy-pour foundation that ended up tougher than Riley’s 2021 Easter brisket (if you don’t get the reference, a quick Google search should explain).
Holy smokes, these Trojans are tough.
Just as much as the Heisman-worthy exploits of Williams, USC roughed up its rivals because it had superior will — and skill — in the trenches.
During a 38-27 win over Notre Dame on Saturday, the Trojans rushed for 204 yards to the Fighting Irish’s 90. Running back Austin Jones had 154 yards, bringing his total in the rivalry victories to 274. USC’s leading receiver, Addison, had just 45 yards.
The Trojans aren’t on the verge of winning the Pac-12 and heading to the playoff for the first time due to their Hollywood flash. South L.A. mettle, more like.
Raleek Brown darts through the Notre Dame defense in the third quarter Saturday at the Coliseum.
(Luis Sinco / LAT)
Just like against UCLA when Charbonnet was held to 95 yards, USC stayed committed to stopping the run against Notre Dame’s pounding attack and never cracked.
Early in the game, the Fighting Irish could not move the ball three to six feet when they needed it most. They resorted to passing with quarterback Drew Pyne, who did it well, but that was never going to be Notre Dame’s formula for victory in the Coliseum.
If you need more proof of Riley’s impact Saturday, look no further than what happened at his alma mater, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders edged Oklahoma 51-48 in overtime, handing the Sooners their sixth Big 12 loss.
Riley lost seven conference games in five seasons leading Oklahoma.
This week, Riley gets a few days to prepare for Utah, the one team that beat USC this year — by one point thanks to a gutsy two-point conversion call by Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, the dean of Pac-12 coaches.
Whittingham’s Utes never go down easy. But, after the last two weeks, I can say this confidently: Neither do Lincoln Riley’s Trojans.
latimes.com
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Heisman favorite Caleb Williams paints his nails with ‘FU’ message to opponents
During a brilliant performance against Notre Dame, eagle-eyed fans spotted that Williams had painted his nails with an “FU” message to his opponents.
Apparently, it’s a move that Williams has been pulling off all season.
insider.com
The thumb should have U. The Left hand should spell I R I S H!
Well he needs a creative outlet, besides Ucla was upset because they claimed we “flipped them off” at least Caleb gave them the whole hand.
Lately that word has been used as every part of speech. It is actually a verb, but works as a noun, ( you stupid f#@k) adjective, (That’s my f#@kin job) and adverb, (He ran so f#@kin fast)
People on Twitter are calling him a classless thug. (That’s f#@kin racist $h17) but I think he’s objectively motivated. (Or maybe a kid)
No problem with that–I had many relatives from San Pedro who were longshoremen, I worked summers in construction during HS and college, and I was a baseball player (traditionally the most foul-mouthed participants of a sport). And ucla deserves a hearty FU any day of the year.
2022 Heisman odds: Caleb Williams effectively ends the Heisman debate With a massive performance against Notre Dame, Williams has all but locked up the 2022 Heisman Trophy si.com (Sam Brown) — “Williams was a dark horse candidate in the Heisman race all season, but his impressive performance against the Fighting Irish sent his odds to win the 2022 trophy into the stratosphere. “C.J. Stroud and Williams had -140 and +150 odds, respectively, at the start of last week, but Williams is now as high as a -3335 betting favorite according to multiple sources, with Stroud’s odds dropping to as low… Read more »
The Heismen voters were no doubt impressed with his abilities by the Crosstown Rivalry game. But he put a lid on the discussion against ND. Don’t know if we will ever see a QB with his tools again in my lifetime. Unless an unusual offer by a Pro team feels they have to have him in the 2023 season, we will get to see his magical skills one more year. Next season’s USC team will see a good number of freshmen playing. Unlike with Leinart coming into a team ready to play for the Nattie, unless Caleb stays his senior… Read more »
Joel Klatt says he doesn’t think even a bad game by Caleb on Friday night would stop it from happening now (but we now the type of guy Caleb is so I would not expect one!) Klatt says, in light of CJ Stroud flaming out against Michigan, he doesn’t think anyone is close enough or even an obvious #2 or #3 that he can put on his ballot. This is the Carson Palmer path all over again!
In my opinion, Nebraska and Wisconsin both nailed their hires. Those will be fun games in two years. The BIG 10 west will be tough to navigate.
Chris, Totally agree. IMO, what we are seeing is the resources of the B10 Media deal playing out. This is exactly what Bohn saw in engineering the move to the B10. The Pac media deal, including SC, would be about $30-40 million and the B10, including SC, would be in the $80-100 range (without SC my guess is in the $65-85 range). SC could not compete effectively at large a disadvantage. B10 and SEC coaches will have a lot of money for staff that is simply not available at other schools. SC is paying LR in excess of $10,000,000 a… Read more »
UCLA is leaving to the B1G because the Regents don’t have enough political and legal power to stop a bankrupt program from trying to save itself. That’s how I’ve always felt, and I’ve seen nothing over the past half year to make me think anything changed. Why do you believe the Regents can stop all this Rjj, and if they could, why and the heck didn’t they get a legal injunction long ago? I’d say it’s because no court would give it to them.
Allen, you and I agree on the basics. But, the Regents can force UCLA to rescind using other powers, like planned reimbursements or (as I hinted) setting rules that prohibit student/athlete travel of more than a 5 hour flight more than twice a year or some other such nonsense. In looking at California from afar, nothing that is done by its government surprises me. I do not expect the UCLA deal to be rescinded, but I would not be surprised by it. I am convinced this is simply a good old fashioned shakedown of UCLA for money. Nothing more. But,… Read more »
This is beyond a shakedown — UCLA stands to gain too much financially by going to the B10. This is purely an ego play by Newsom and the Regents, who embarrassed themselves by admitting publicly that this major move occurred without their input and valiant efforts (so that they couldn’t hold a grandiose press conference and take credit for it, which annoyed them). They need to save face by going through the motions in a dog and pony show to exercise their immense power. $$ says they will approve it, probably in some coordinated effort to make it look like… Read more »
Been reading these posts why the UC Regents will do this or that. Honestly I think it is more about grandstanding than anything else. In the Regents way of thinking, they feel they are the ultimate authority over their system schools and if the UCLA chancellor Block didn’t keep them informed of the ongoing negotiations, then it could be seen as a lack of respect in their eyes. Yes it could be about sharing money too, but I think it is more about protocol in asking for their OK first before publicly announcing the move.
As someone that left California long ago because the cost was not worth the value I think it would be hilarious if ucla was not allowed to leave or had to pay to do it. ucla is not bringing value to the deal where football is concerned. Their bankrupt sports department can fold as far as I care.
Shoveling snow every day this week makes me want to go to Cali for the winter. I’ll take some sun right now, but for 7-8 months out of the year where I live is pretty amazing.
The only problem with the schools you have listed has already been addressed by the BIG10. All of this school dilute the pool of money. If they are allowed in they do not increase the current shares, they shrink it because their markets are too small
I’m curious why Luke Fickell decided to take the Wisconsin job over staying at Cincinnati, who is moving to the power 5 Big 12, and who is supposed to have a good recruiting class coming in. Maybe it’s the security and TV payouts that the Big 10 offers. Maybe it’s living in Madison Wisconsin, which seems to always be on lists of best places to live. USC and UCLA are probably going to be in his side of the conference. I know he’s a Midwest guy, but curious about the timing, and that particular job.
Like LR, Fickell moved on immediately after a tough late-season loss. Interesting sidebar there.
“My family and I are thrilled to join the Wisconsin family,” Fickell said. “This is a destination job at a program that I have admired from afar for years. I am in total alignment with Chris McIntosh’s vision for this program. There is a tremendous foundation here that I can’t wait to build upon.”
I wonder if he has past ties to Chris McIntosh? Always a huge consideration for a coach to like his AD
Do you think Tom Hermann, after a year out of football, will want , and be considered for one of these still open jobs like Cincinnati, Stanford, and Colorado? Deon has admitted he has had other offers, including Colorado, so he has opportunities. Hugh Freeze just took the Auburn job. Guys like Dan Mullen are just a phone call away too. I always enjoy the speculation and hires, especially when we don’t have to worry about SC for hopefully a long time. You heard Colin and Klatt talk glowingly about Jonathan Smith. Wonder if he would ever leave the Beavers
I think Herman might have burned a few bridges. The Mensa-boy-wonder surely needed a huge reset. But like you I’ll be interested to see where and how he gets back into the game. He’s only 47. Hard to believe LR is only 39. Thankfully, LR won’t be going anywhere for a while.
Agree with everything here except this being a destination job. There is at least a dozen other jobs he would leave this one for.
San Diego, I give my answer above. I do not see any other conference being able to compete with the B10 and SEC. Those schools will have significantly more resources than any other conference. So, if Fickell wanted to compete with the B10 or SEC, he had to join the B10 or SEC. After all, he has deep B10 roots.
Madison is a socialist paradise. LA city is a socialist hellhole. LR lives in Palos Verdes–not a socialist hell hole.
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All Socialitsts/Communists know they don’t survive without Capitalists funding their stupid ideology. The Soviet Union found out too late. China learned from that mistake.