USC collapses in final minutes of Cotton Bowl loss to Tulane
A 15-point lead with less than 5 minutes to play vanishes as the USC defense is unable to make any kind of stop in a stunning 46-45 defeat
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — ARLINGTON, Tex. — When Denis Lynch’s field goal put USC up by 15 with 4:30 left in the Cotton Bowl, it felt like the Trojans should have the game wrapped up. It would take a perfect storm of events for Tulane to have a chance.
But that is exactly what happened USC collapsed in stunning fashion in a 46-45 loss.
It took only 23 seconds for Tulane to score a touchdown, with Deuce Watts picking up 59 yards on a reception and Tyjae Spears punching it into the end zone the next play. The speed with which it happened might have been surprising if it weren’t for how the USC defense played throughout.
For all USC’s talk of an improved defense after a month of bowl prep, it looked like more of the same against Tulane. Spears ran for 205 yards on 17 carries, making USC’s defenders look like high schoolers trying to tackle Barry Sanders. Tulane rushed for 305 yards and gained 234 yards on eight — yes, eight — completions. The Green Wave averaged 10.4 yards per play.
“Our tackling hurt us. And that was the story,” said head coach Lincoln Riley, who suffered the first three-loss season of his career. “You don’t tackle good players and a good running back, that’s what happens.”
With the USC lead trimmed to eight, Mario Williams (4) fumbled the ensuing kickoff out of bounds at the USC 1. The Trojans ran the ball twice, and on the second play Austin Jones was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
Center Justin Dedich put the blame for that on the offensive line for not getting the job done. But perhaps calling a quick slant pass could have given the Trojans breathing room.
So Tulane ball at its own 34 with 3:13 to go, trailing 45-38. The Green Wave converted two fourth downs, completed two 24-yard passes to get to first-and-goal, then Alex Bauman caught a pass through an Eric Gentry challenge that, after review, was confirmed as a touchdown.
The extra point gave Tulane its first lead of the game with nine seconds left. When USC’s final play with several laterals was stopped 87 yards short, the meltdown was complete.
“As tough a loss as I can remember in my entire career,” Riley said. “Losses like this are always tough to digest. I thought our guys really laid it on the line. … And then all three sides there at the end … contributed to it.”
Wasted were a Cotton Bowl-record five touchdown passes by Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, playing for the first time since injuring his hamstring against Utah. Williams was able to move around well and had the offense humming, never punting and suffering just one turnover, a second-quarter interception.
“Our job on offense is to score, that’s all we can control,” Williams said. “We can lead from the sideline, lead when you’re on the field. Other than that, can’t control that.”
Also wasted was Brenden Rice’s career-high 174 receiving yards and two touchdowns, matching his total from the first 13 games. He had a remarkable 30-yard gain on third-and-22, and a finger-tip, 74-yard catch to set up his second score.
Instead of celebrating those performances, or Tahj Washington’s 109 yards or LB Raesjon Davis showing his potential or cornerback Mekhi Blackmon closing out his career strong, USC again had to examine what went wrong with its defense.
USC allowed Tulane to have five runs of 20 or more yards. Five of the Green Wave’s eight completions were for over 15, including an 87-yard sprint from Jha’Quan Jackson (4) in which rush edge Korey Foreman was inexplicably covering Tulane’s fastest man.
It raised questions about defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s future at USC, something that Riley was not prepared to answer on Monday when asked directly.
“We just got done finishing the game 15 minutes ago, so I’m not going to give big-picture assessments,” Riley said. “We gave up the big plays obviously and the lack of not tackling to the level that we would expect are very, very alarming and something we’ve got to do a much better job of.”
Instead, Riley left AT&T Stadium with a sour taste in his mouth after an 11-1 start to the year ended with losses on the biggest of stages.
“I’ve rarely at the end of the year felt so conflicted,” Riley said. “On one hand, sick about the way we finished the season. … Now the flip side of it is we were in those positions. … And again, 12 months ago, I don’t think many people on the outside believed that was even possible.”
ocregister.com
_________
This season is over, with a whimper instead of a splash. The experts were there with 3-losses. Utah was a thorn in our side but you have to give them credit. They knew how to attack our defense. Tulane probably saw the Utah games and how to expose those blaring weaknesses. Well, we know the defense has to be improved, no matter how great our offense plays. Offense alone will not get you to the playoffs.
Under Armour All-America: Overall Top Performers On3 MVP: WR Zachariah Branch – USC Zachariah Branch showed why he’s considered to be the most electric prospect in the 2023 cycle. The Five-Star Plus+ prospect was electric on every touch over the course of the week – and particularly during the game. Branch was dynamic as a returner during Tuesday’s game, taking one punt to the house from 92 yards out and picking up a long gain on another. The Las Vegas native took limited reps over the course of the week but was virtually unguardable in the smaller sample size. His burst, change of… Read more »
A guy who knows how to return kicks, might come in handy.
Where’s the long shadow of short Adoree Jackson? Miss that guy!
I’m now over the shock and anger phase and ready to be glass half full. I expect an improvement in year two as large as year one. Cobb, Barr, and Roland Wallace will all start. I think there are a few freshman who will get lots of snaps. Curtis and Shelby are ready to play. I’m not excited about Grinch, but I do not think we can go anywhere but a huge jump on defense. Our offense will be better next year, not a huge jump because we were excellent this year, but one more year of continuity. i expect… Read more »
Raleek Brown might be ready to explode. Makes sense to me.
But I’m not so sure about Shelby. He looked pretty weak in the middle vs TUL sometimes.
He’s always a threat. I expect him to be RB1. Branch is even more electric. Have you watched him play? Wow!
Watching the 1st half of the USC/TUL game, with the Trojans confident and cruising 28 – 14 at half, I’m sure it’s hard for this team to believe they lost this game.
Even Tuli is bailing out, going to the nfl. Can’t blame him if Grinch is coming back.
He’s a potential 1st rounder, he has to go.
You think he will go 1st round? I have him at a 2nd rounder, but great if he can get that 1st round money.
In your opinion, should USC end up with a top 15 rank, between 15-20, or outside the top 20?
Top 15 even with the loss yesterday.
15 to 20. It comes down to answering the question of just exactly who can we outscore if Tulane can hang 46 on us.
I think TUL’s offense was pretty good and would heavily gouge a lot of programs. Of course, I often think this about USC opponents, ignoring what others see better.
The Cotton Bowl was one of the most entertaining bowls all year, certainly top 3.
USC’s still got a long way to go, but is headed in the right direction for sure.
But 6 completed passes until the final drive! I doubt Tulane would have scored over 21 against any of the playoff team.
The last 4-plus minutes of the 2023 Cotton Bowl will go down in Trojan history as a blight on LR’s first year at USC. Such a strange ending for such a bright coach. I bet he’d give anything to replay the game and prepare a little differently, or change his later calls.
He’s only 39. I still believe LR will win a NC at USC.
And hopefully those 4+ minutes will be the catalyst for a new approach on special teams and defense. If he continues with these kinds of defenses, his reputation defined by his defenses at two major powers will dog him the rest of his career. Any regression and the reaction will be, “Here we go again, same Riley defenses.”
Ya, LR has to get away from his bad defense rep. There’s no doubting it now. Hopefully, he’s hit bottom with this latest Cotton Bowl disaster.
It’s as though, he is obsessed with finding his dream offence, but lost touch with the other important components of a complete team…I don’t think being under the Bright lights and Glitz of LA has helped him to focus either.
top 15. best offense in the country. sc
Because of the “LR hype” I expect him to be the most successful SC Head coach Ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Source: USC wide receiver C.J. Williams plans to enter the Transfer Portal
USC WR C.J. Williams plans to enter the Transfer Portal, a source close to the former four-star recruit told On3.
In his first season of college, Williams played in 10 games tallying four receptions for 34 yards. A Mater Dei product, the receiver announced his decision to commit to USC during the All-American Bowl. He went on to enroll early with the Trojans, joining a stacked receiver room.
UCLA was the other major school in his recruitment, and the Bruins are expected to be back in the mix.
on3.com
Shame to see him go but he got passed over by other receivers and probably wouldn’t have played much next season. Hope he doesn’t go the Ruins but it’s his choice.
Addison out, Branch and Lemon in, CJ is not moving up but going down on the depth chart.
I want no …..NO Athletic Director …In all of college football to Hunger to be a top 6 or 7 Football Program (or better) than our Athletic Director …….And of that means he has to have a low level of Forgiveness …….SO BE IT …..FIGHT ON !!!!!
I am HOPING our Athletic Director (Behind closed doors of course) Said To Lincoln Riley “What the heck was that And it BETTER not happen again …..EVER ” !
No way that is happening IMO. LR doesn’t have to take any crap from Bohn, who got on his knees to bring him from over from OU. LR holds all the cards.
If Bohn alienates LR (in any way), he’s committing career suicide IMO.
Bohn’s gonna be quiet as a church mouse, which I think is his smart play at this point.
Bohn will never stick his neck out. We sure could use Sosna back again.
Why would Bohn ever benefit by reading LR the riot act? He wouldn’t.
Neither would Sosna if he were still around.
Sosna was the brains in the athletic department. Reading LR the riot act is not what I said. Sosna would figure something out, slowly but surely. In the end nothing will change on defense because who is going to come play for Grinch now after that show at the Cotton Bowl.
So USC seems doomed until Brandon Sosna comes back according to how I read you.
I don’t buy that for a second. I don’t think LR or Bohn believe that either.
I think this thread is going off the deep end. Our program even with the loss yesterday is in a much better place than it was a year ago.
Bohn won’t step in and tell Riley who should be on the coaching staff. That’s Riley’s decision to make.
Sorry Steveg but you need to take a chill pill.
I am simply saying Bohn won’t do anything, and hasn’t done anything since Sosna left. We can argue pointlessly but why? I agree with MPA90, this has gone off the rails.
My opinion of Lincoln Riley was the Highest on this planet !!!!! …..I know have put that on hold until say ……….November 1st 2023 …….It is like the everyday conversations that go on in My area MLB Blogs (Yankees +Mets) World series or the season is considered a FAILURE <<<<<<<That (because of the “LR Hype”) is EXACTLY where I have put the bar for Mr. Lincoln Riley !
I’m still 100% in LR’s corner, and yesterday’s fiasco doesn’t change that.
The Trojans had a very bad day, but LR’s program has been exposed as still needing more improvement than some may have thought. Good. No sense in believing otherwise for now.
I predicted USC would win nine regular season games. We won 11, including huge defeats of both UCLA and ND. At least the USC D and special teams play flatlined to such a huge extent yesterday that LR seems slightly boxed in. He’s got work to do that will require him to demonstrate he’s he’s better than what he just showed. I sure wish USC had won the Cotton Bowl. But I would rather that LR take the bull by the horns and fix the remaining broken parts of USC football. Riley surely lit the torch. Now he needs to… Read more »
I live and die with USC football, and have since seeing my first game in 1954. Its fantastic to have such a brilliant mind like Lincoln Riley shepherding the offense. But as great as the offense is, the defense seems to be lacking in even basic skills. The myth seems to be give coach Grinch another or a few more recruiting cycles, then they’ll be adequate. WRONG!!!!! Just as we saw 5 star offensive talent flock to play for Lincoln Riley, my fear is we are locking ourselves into a true vicious cycle, Bad coaching (def only, just to be… Read more »
I never wanted to play GA either, so losing to UTAH the 2nd time wasn’t as negative for me as it could have been. In the end, yesterday’s loss could be a terrific thing for the immediate future of USC football. Time will tell if LR is up to the task now before him — to fix USC’s horrific D and marginal special teams play. So far LR has proven he can’t be counted on to field a decent D, just like we were all warned would be his problem. Let’s go LR. Prove you’ve got what it takes to… Read more »
Sorry Gents, but I am definitely NOT in the camp of being glad we lost to Utah in the championship game just out of fear of playing GA. I’m pretty sure our offense is every bit as good as tOSU’s because Addison and those sitting out would have played. tOSU hung 41 on GA, I believe we would have done at least that. I’ll grant you that GA would have probably had in the 50s, but even had we lost 52 to 41, nobody would be saying how lousy were are (on defense) because GA is not Tulane. The extra… Read more »
It’ll be totally interesting to see how well TCU can do against GA. What a match-up. Just imagine if the Horned Frogs could win. One can dream.
I’m all in on TCU, pulling hard for them to shake up the status quo. Speaking of TCU and Tulane, I began wondering this morning how the current rosters of USC versus Tulane versus TCU compare on a recruiting rankings “stars” basis. I know Allen’s opinions of rankings, but lacking any other standard for comparison, stars should at least provide a relative basis or proxy for the talent level each team had to work with for the season. My question is simply who achieved the most with the least? I would say TCU has achieved the most followed by Tulane,… Read more »
Not sure what you mean about my “opinions of rankings” VT. What exactly would those be, as I’m still not sure myself? 🙂
Nothing too profound meant, just that I believe you have expressed the notion that stars aren’t the end-all be-all absolute indicator of how a recruit will pan out, and there will always be outliers, but that it is still better on average to have higher starred recruits than not. And a notion that I agree with, as there are other factors, like the coach’s abilities to coach up kids (former coach was notoriously horrible at that). Not intending to put words in your mouth, but rather a simple reference to what I believe is a fairly accurate rendition of your… Read more »
Despite it being my life’s work, football recruiting often remains a mystery to me: a riddle within a conundrum. Sometimes stars matter. Sometimes they don’t. Huge talent mistakes are made by the best in the business. Both Ed O and Lane K touted amazing preps to me that couldn’t play a lick in college. The best programs tend to attract the most best players, generally. USC’s always had a big advantage in this area. I think LR did very well with USC’s uneven talent in 2022. The Cotton Bowl was a disaster so far, but LR should be able to… Read more »
I agree VT.
And, I would add, we would have a Pac12 title to point to for this season.
We should NEVER be considered a Top 6 or 7 Program in college football (or Talk like we are) until we win a conference Championship OR officially…….OFFICIALLY make the final 4 in the National Championship. Lets EARN praise ……EARN IT FIRST !!!!!!!!!!
10 Contenders for the College Football Playoff in 2023 GA ALA MICH USC The USC Trojans were extremely talented in their first year with Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams, but an abysmal defense kept them on the ropes for most of the season. Williams led the Trojans offense to 41.1 points per game and can be expected to achieve similar in 2023, but USC needs to make a change on the defensive end to become a legitimate contender. The No. 1 team in the Pac-12 was bullied into a Cotton Bowl appearance by the Utah Utes, and they’ll have a… Read more »
Caleb is pissed …..I just hope not pissed off enough to consider Transfering …………………………………..
You are probably the only person I have read even bring that up.
I have one request of ALL USC staff and PR people and of ALL USC Media ……… Until we WIN the PAC-12 Championship (whenever) ….. No more Hype about the USC Football Program……Players or Coach …….HYPE IS JUST BULL SH+T…………………..WE PUT TOO MUCH LIPSTIK ON THIS PIG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That seems a little harsh. There is a lot to celebrate about USC football now. It was a pig, but it is not now. We were two points away from wins in our only three losses. The defense is awful and must be addressed, and special teams needs attention. But our offense was the envy of most of the country and just brought in a Heisman winner. We were in the playoff conversation to the end. There is a lot to hype about USC football. We just need to put full attention into addressing the defensive side of the ball… Read more »
I know we all can’t wait to feel that USC is back to being a top 6-7 (or better) program in all Division One College Football …..Lets win something First ( A conference Championship at least) Before we put this program there.
That sentiment is fair. The pig thing, not so much. I agree that we need to win something. The record books are starting to look thin for us as other programs enjoy what we used to enjoy. But this year was a step in the right direction, albeit a bittersweet one. We still downed both rivals in years where they were decent. So let’s see what the response is from our program to the shortfalls that plagued us this year and hope we can move forward next season. Assuming we have a healthy Caleb throughout next season, a Pac12 title… Read more »
Rather than respond to individual posts, I thought I would give a “uniform” post that will hopefully address my thoughts. After attending the game (and I really enjoyed the experience, not the outcome), I have completely changed my mind on Grinch. He needs to be replaced AND SC needs a special teams coach. First, as to the game performance, this is the worst D performance by an SC team I have witnessed in person EVER! I did not think it was possible to outdo Monte Kiffin’s D being eviscerated by Chip Kelly’s Oregon team, but this D actually was worse.… Read more »
Sorry you had to suffer that outcome in person RJJ! I made the trek to Jerry’s World for that disastrous Alabama game a few years ago. I too enjoyed the experience, but had to endure the brutal game. I have mixed feelings with Grinch. On the one hand, my eyeballs told me that his scheme put people in position to make a play on most occasions, and if the first tackler had got the job done, we would have been effective defensively in most cases. On the other hand, though, it is on Grinch (and LR as HC) that we… Read more »
Unconfirmed stat: Over the past five seasons, teams had been 1-1,692 when trailing by 15 or more points with five minutes or less remaining in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Not sure if the 1 win is Tulane yesterday or the stat is now 2-1692? Either way pretty piss poor total team melt down yesterday. Too much party on New Years Eve?
Yesterday was #2.
I am not so sure about firing Grinch helping USC. It seems to me the players were in position to make the play (coaching/scheme), they couldn’t execute the tackle (talent/size/speed). This team was getting gashed on runs since the Rice game. Skill positions on offense has been upgraded from a year ago. More talent is needed on defense and O line. We’ve known that since August.
As more and more time goes by since the big USC meltdown, it’s easier and easier to accept what just happened yesterday. When you’re that bad, total acceptance is right around the corner. No team should ever expect to win a game with a defense like USC’s. Even Caleb Williams can’t overcome that dead weight. That said, I don’t think Grinch is going anywhere. Even Donte Williams will remain on the staff IMO. It should be a fascinating next few weeks at USC. LR’s performance and actions through the spring will be under a microscope through which I will thoroughly… Read more »
I truly hope you are wrong about Grinch. He took last years defense, remodeled it with “better” players and came up with a worse defense. He didn’t make any progress at all in any aspect of the defense. In my eyes, that is total failure and cannot be excused.
Grinch has to be gone, right? You can’t keep the coach who has been this bad. It’s not fun nor good to let a coordinator go this time of year, there is always the opportunity for some recruiting fallout. So be it, if players leave it’s OK. We need drastic change.
also, we don’t need a home run hire. We just need an average defense. This team is 13-1 with an average defense.
please LR, fix this mess.
And with a slightly above average defense we’re probably national champions.
USC will be lucky to finish in the top 20 IMO.
The bloom sure came off the Rose (for UTAH as well).
Which TDBers think Alex Grinch will be replaced?
Who thinks Donte Williams will be let go?
Are there any other Trojan defensive coaches who should be let go?
Should be replaced and will be replaced are two different questions. IMHO, yes to the first and no to the second…..
I’ll bet all the points I have left in the TDB betting game that Grinch is gone. Oh wait he used those up at the PAC 12 championship game. I would hate to be Lincoln Riley right now. He has a lot invested in his friendship with Grinch. Unfortunately Grinch has been the stumbling block to winning the grand prize so, Riley has to make a change. This loss cannot be blamed (all) on the players. Grinch has said he knew tackles were not up to the task, but he has done nothing to fix the problem. I said it… Read more »
Per The Athletic (Antonio Morales): Lincoln Riley can take the program only so far by himself. Riley has to evaluate each and every option to make sure Caleb Williams doesn’t depart without any significant team accomplishments. That starts with taking an honest, thorough evaluation of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s performance. It’s been harped on in this space that USC didn’t have the personnel to be good on defense this season, particularly along the defensive front. So there was only so much Grinch could do. But USC ended the season with its four biggest games. The defense gave up 45 to UCLA,… Read more »
Grinch has to go. Donte needs to be promoted to Head Recruiter not a coach. When Grinch goes we will need a LB coach.
I would be pleasantly surprised if both were let go, but doubtful they will. I expect Grinch to get a mulligan due to talent level. I think it’s bogus, not because I think it’s a talented defense, but because poor tackling is coachable. The defense played bumper-pool all year. And when they weren’t bouncing off the ball carrier, they were over-pursuing. Quit gunning for the highlight reel hit and make a sure tackle. Quit spinning around at the last second and trying to tackle with the back of your jersey. Wrap up and don’t let go.
Tackling is a honed skill plus hard work plus discipline. I thought last year’s team was poor tackling. Never seen anything like it at SC. sc
The Plashke column pretty much sums it up. Without change USC goes nowhere.
My confidence and blind faith in Riley has been greatly diminished. He no longer stands as the answer to all of our problems in USC football. His play calling, game management, and staffing has led me to ask, who is this guy really? He has a good record, but how did he get to this point with coaching errors like he has made. This is not just about the Cotton Bowl, but over the entire year or so he has been in charge. I am not so sure recruiting will be any better than it has been, which brings us… Read more »
I’m having the same feelings as I did after USC lost to Fresno State in the 1994 Freedom Bowl in Anaheim. It took me a while to get that bad taste out of my mouth. I was married at the time and my wife was a Fresno State alum. For years I never heard the end of it. USC cannot tackle on Defense. I put that on the coaches. Grinch needs to go and soon.
The difference is the Freedom Bowl loss led to firing of the head coach. That certainly won’t happen now.
https://news.yahoo.com/plaschke-uscs-defense-again-reeking-034634479.html.
can’t disagree
First I have ever heard William’s making negative comments about his teammates. Saying we can’t control things when we are not on the field is political of a comment as you can get. But it is clear he is saying the defense let them down.
the USC coaches are so STUPID. How stupid? well, stupider than me when I was a kid: I WAS A STUPID KID…so stupid I ate the cone first. So stupid, at my birthday parties, people sang the Frank Sinatra song, “I said something stupid”. So stupid, I didn’t know how babies were born, so I asked my mother; she said the stork brings them, so I said “oh ok, then who fucks the stork? She was pissed, so she says, the fairy godmother brings them. I said, the one in Cinderella with the magic wand? she says, no the magic… Read more »
The guys I like as a DC is Leonhard first, at his price. Ed Orgeron would be my second choice and Gary Patterson would be my third. Grinch has to go. Our defense this season ended up worse than last years defense.
I don’t believe Ed O would make a good DC. Would love to have him as D Line coach and recruiting coordinator, but don’t think LR would ever bring him in. Too many head coaches in the kitchen.
It will be interesting to see if Riley pulls the trigger and lets Grinch go and brings in someone else like Leonhard. I don’t see how he can’t do anything unless he feels the defensive talent coming in will make it better for the existing coaches.
Prayers for Bills Player Damar Hamlin and his Family .
I had always felt Grinch deserved another year, with more of his players. But the defense was once again terrible. It’s bad enough to get lit up like that, however, we were up by 15 with 4 1/2 minutes. If the defense just took 90 seconds to give up that touchdown, Tulane is forced into an onside kick. I feel that Grinch( and Donte Williams) seat should be piping hot, and hoping some pink slips are handed out before spring ball. Losing that game the way it went down was inexcusable.
This next week could be interesting. Who is leaving, via the front door or the Portal. Could be several.
This is clearly on coaching, desire and heart. Tulane defense was on the field twice as long yet didn’t falter down the stretch and tackled well. On the flip side The SC Defense had plenty of rest, yet couldn’t make simple tackles. No disrespect to Grinich but when you fall way beyond expectations, you gotta go, Riley is 1-4 in Bowl games, he better share the spotlight like Saban does and bring in a big name DC like Brian Flores
No intent to start a Utah thread here, but I’m not minding seeing them get it handed to them in the Rose Bowl. Now they know what it’s like to have their starting qb operate at less than 100%. PSU just teeing off on the backup.
Regarding our D, poor tackling is inexcusable. No reason why USC should be among the nation’s worst in giving up yards after contact. This is USC for crying out loud, not some Whatsamatta U. I say recruit some kids and coach them up, or hire coaches who can.
Does Rising get hurt and quit in every game but ours … wtf, is with this guy
I hear ya, and he wasn’t exactly lighting it up before he went out. Also, what happened to the mighty Ute defense? They were no where near in intensity and execution as they were against us.
Shows you how bad our D was. PennSt isn’t exactly a brick wall and they made Utah look Ike Utah.
Not quite USC right now … we are just barely a year past the worst coach ever, who followed, two other awful coaches. How do you stop ND run game but give up 200 yds to the only guy you had to stop, with 3 weeks to do it.
As they say nowadays, “We are what we are.”
What an amazing USC team. So powerful yet so fragile.
If Riley doesn’t ask him to resign he must demote him and bring in a strict disciplinarian DC, These guys lack fundamentals, defensive studs won’t come to the program with the current defensive culture. The 1 thing Grinich has going for him is TO margin.
Agreed. But what was the turnover margin today? It’s a metric that you can not count on. I’d rather have a fundamentally solid defense than one that leads the nation in turnover margin. Then you don’t have to rely on them every week to win. Well see next year how that metric pans out.
I do believe this sentiment is true as expressed by another USC fan:
“This loss may be beneficial for our football program. It may provide the impetus to either hire a new defensive coordinator or drastically upgrade the defense.”
It all depends on how LR reacts to the true realities of what just happened to his team, and to his plan.
“And again, 12 months ago, I don’t think many people on the outside believed that was even possible.” LR is right and that’s the last time he gets to use that excuse. I’m not a fan of firing coaches but it’s painfully obvious that the “_efense” has gotten worse over the last two games – it’s just not Grinch, the whole defensive staff needs to go ☹️
It seems, that when coaches are hired at SC, they forget about football and all strive to become celebrities. There is a lot of truth in the saying, Defense wins championships. Our D Line is just okay…our secondary is non existent. Donte Williams contract is fulfilled don’t retain him, send him down the road.