Analysis: With CFP hopes dashed, USC should look to youth development
Touching on a number of key topics around some of USC’s young depth pieces, many of whom could and should see more snaps as these Trojans have played themselves out of greater goals
USC S Zion Branch meets with reporters during the Trojans’ preseason media day on Wednesday at Heritage Hall. (Photo by David Crane, LADN/SCNG)
Luca Evans (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — As the ashes of once-lofty hopes filtered away, slowly, with the stream of fans from the Coliseum’s walls, Penn State’s Audavion Collins took a moment to add insult to injury.
Gripping a blue “WE ARE” flag and beaming postgame Saturday afternoon, egged on by teammates, Collins attempted to drive the plastic through the turf at midfield — directly into the red-and-gold-painted “SC” logo. It didn’t quite work, really. Head coach James Franklin, like a disapproving father, walked up and snatched the pole away.
Still, it was enough to draw some eyes on social media, even as USC’s head coach Lincoln Riley shrugged it off.
“I mean, that’s all stuff outside the game,” Riley said. “We’re very proud of our program. We don’t take a back seat to anybody.”
After USC’s 33-30 loss to Penn State at home, though, they have quite literally taken a backseat to 14 other programs in the Big Ten in conference record, any dreams of a first-year conference championship rudely snatched away by another close loss. Quarterback Miller Moss, postgame, still expressed confidence in his group’s ability to embark on a run.
The question: a run to where, exactly?
Never say never, and yet it’s near-impossible that USC could make a College Football Playoff with three losses. Five Big Ten matchups remain on the schedule, before a season-ending game with Notre Dame. Halfway into Riley’s Year Three, USC has already found itself devoid of any real shot at a meaningful program milestone other than a theoretical run-the-table into a bowl game.
Perhaps, as the Southern California News Group’sMirjam Swanson wrote, a season-opening win over LSU over-inflated expectations for this USC team. Perhaps this was always destined to be a rebuilding year. If that’s the case, though, USC suddenly has a host of personnel questions to answer – and likely will be forced to find a balance with a full commitment to the future, with a number of underclassmen playmakers making their case for increased snaps on Saturday.
“You saw some young guys go in there and make some big-time plays in a big ballgame,” Riley said postgame, speaking on USC’s frequent defensive rotation. “So, obviously developing that depth is going to be important, with the stretch we’ve had and with the stretch that we’ve got ahead of us.”
Here are a few thoughts on USC’s young depth, as the program plunges into its second half of the season.
Devan Thompkins has made his starting case
After steadily raising his snaps for much of the season, D’Anton Lynn and Eric Henderson made a surprising commitment to sophomore Thompkins(#98, 6-5, 285) as a starting defensive tackle against Penn State. He rewarded the faith with a team-high four quarterback pressures and hurries, according to Pro Football Focus; with two sacks in limited early-season snaps, he’s been one of the only members of USC’s defensive line group able to consistently affect the pocket.
“I think probably tackle is probably his natural spot,” Lynn said of Thompkins earlier this week. “So now that he’s going to be taking more reps in there, I think it’s going to keep on getting better and better each week.”
The Zion Branch revolution must be televised
It’s simply time for USC to give some sort of consistent role to safety Branch (#8), who has fought through injury for three seasons and received the most snaps of his career against Penn State. As he did when afforded a consistent role in 2023, he flashed massive upside Saturday, with one nice second-down tackle in the flat and two key pass breakups. USC played him at times in a three-safety alignment with starters Kamari Ramsey and Akili Arnold, and Branch has shown he’s worth integrating into some creative lineup decisions.
The Zachariah Branch evolution is not being televised
Speaking of the Branches. After a freshman All-American season in the return game, Zion’s brother Zachariah (#1) has seemed tentative as a sophomore, either eschewing returns or not hitting slivers of daylight. He hasn’t shown on-field progression as a consistent receiver outside of mesh-type-routes and schematic opportunities, either, failing to make a couple plays on one-on-one targets from Moss against Penn State. Riley remarked on USC’s Trojans Live radio show Monday he felt the sophomore burner might be “pressing.” It should be a massive point of emphasis for USC’s coaching staff to do whatever it has to to help this Branch get right.
Whispering: Is Jayden Maiava’s time at QB coming?
Moss hasn’t looked his sharpest in USC’s past two performances and has been too turnover-prone at quarterback, with eight total TOs in six games, even as many haven’t been his fault behind a shaky offensive line. He delivered the worst throw of his USC tenure in a massive spot Saturday, sailing a ball over an open Duce Robinson’s head for a pick as regulation ticked away.
Riley made clear Thursday that Moss “is undoubtedly our starter and will be,” but if Moss continues this recent stretch, it will fuel already-rampant cries from USC fans for UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava to get a look.
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Lincoln Riley’s inability to recruit consistently at Mater Dei, failing to tap into a Southern California school’s enormous talent pool, can be viewed as a central reason for his failures at USC. Riley could replenish USC’s offensive and defensive lines by bringing in Mater Dei talent, but he’s not doing so. Dan Lanning and Oregon are doing a better job, and that simply can’t happen.
Eric Gentry has announced that he is done for the season and that this will be a red shirt season. He is looking forward to coming back next season and playing for USC, Coaches Lynn and Riley.
Gentry and Raesjon next year is a good start. Hope he (EG) can stay healthy. Concussions seem to be something that are hard to overcome, how can you train to prevent them?
If the team plays lethargic with no energy it will be another poor decision added to the others made by LR. I wonder if the team was undefeated or with one loss still in the hunt for the playoff, his decision on this would be the same?
The Athletic grades every Big Ten football team at midseason: From A-plus (Oregon) to F (Purdue) Teams are graded on a curve based on expectations, not who can beat whom. Indiana: A+ Oregon: A+ Penn State: A Illinois: A Ohio State: A- Nebraska: B+ vs Trojans Nov 16 in L.A. Iowa: B Minnesota: B- Wisconsin: B- Michigan State: C+ Rutgers: C+ vs Trojans Oct 25 in L.A. Washington: C+ vs Trojans Nov 2 in Seattle Northwestern: C USC: C- Maryland: D+ vs Trojans Oct 19 in College Park, MD Michigan: D UCLA: F vs Trojans Nov 23 in Pasadena… Read more »
Normally I would be laughing at the ruins for being lower than USC, but this season is a waste. LR has sold the same bowl of crap that Helton sold. Moss was promising, but is so shell shocked I think he is afraid to take a snap now. Who could blame him? The protection he gets is Junior College level at best. We have seen the best we are going to see if this team already.
USC Heisman Trophy Winner Matt Leinart Inducted into Orange Bowl Hall of Fame The 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Leinart played six seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2019. He is currently a broadcaster for FOX Sports. Leinart is the first Trojan player, coach or administrator selected to the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame. Joining Leinart as 2024 inductees are Urban Meyer, who led the Florida… Read more »
I have to ask, What does Josh Henson do? In his 3rd season, the OL lacks size and depth, average at run block, terrible in pass block. He must not be doing much during games since game and clock management and play calling break down at critical moments. Is he the Alex Grinch of ’24?
Can Zachariah Branch learn to catch and then run? Watching him is frustrating because he drops as many as he catches. Most of his drops look like he’s trying to run before he has the ball secured. No doubt he’s very fast, but without the ball in his hands what good is he? I’m guessing he’s also afraid to take a hit. So far his best play was as a decoy on a fake reverse. There’s some coaching that needs to happen before he’s ready for the next level.
Zach branch can’t catch the ball, run his routes right, make defenders miss, or field punts properly. Besides those issues, all is good. Seriously- he should be given a seat on the bench, and he can watch Makia Lemon demonstrate how it’s done correctly..On the flip side, his brother Zion deserves more snaps.
Poor Zach Branch is definitely one of the bigger disappointments in the country as both a special teams threat and a WR. He seems lost out there. Yet because of his speed, quicks, and change of direction skills, many of us remain convinced the undersized meteorite will somehow come to life and pull off some crucial game-breaking stuff that makes us all rise from our seats and cheer. Maybe playing against some upcoming lesser competition will help spring Zach out of his funk. But I agree, as of now, Zion deserves more snaps and should be given a bigger role.… Read more »
It appears the weather will be good for Saturday’s game vs Maryland in College Park. It can change quickly, and I experienced it when I lived and worked in Bethesda, MD for Lockheed Martin in 1997-1998. Here’s hoping it will hold up and SC doesn’t arrive jet lagged. Travelling from LAX to either Washington Dulles or Baltimore Washington Airport can be a drain. I did it several times. 5-hour flight, 3-hour time difference basically wipes out a day. Yes, these are 20-year-old kids, but until a person gets used to the travel demands, it can still wear a person out… Read more »
Last year we took a Central Valley Honor Flight from Fresno to Baltimore. Plane load of old guys, like up to 97 years old and we all never missed a beat. Part of being pumped up for a big event I think.
If the Trojans expect to make anything out of this disappointing 3-3 season, they absolutely have to beat MARYD (+7.5) on the road in College Park this Saturday (1:00 PT/FS1).
That shouldn’t be too much to ask, but it’s still a long cross-country trip, the kind that has caused USC problems this season.
The 3-3 Terrapins were blown out by 3-3 Northwestern, 37-10, at home this past weekend and lost by 14 points at Indiana two weeks before that.
When does the team leave for Maryland? Anybody? They need to leave tomorrow to avoid the jet lag. The latter they leave the worse it will be Saturday night.
I have come to terms with the fact that Riley is going to be the USC HC for a while. With so much invested in him it would really be hard on USC to buy him out and then replace him. I think we have been beat up recruiting wise by Oregon simply because of money. Had USC offered the same amount I believe the players would have signed USC. If they cannot come up with what it is going to take to get players, then we have to probably put ourselves in the class with Clemson. Our expectations are… Read more »
I agree Steveg. Fortunately there are enough recruits out there where Oregon can’t grab them all. Riley needs to back away from over recruiting skill players as he does. You can play freshmen WRs & RBs when the well runs close to drying out holding off recruiting them every year. But you can’t do that with linemen & linebackers.
BREAKING: USC Flips Georgia Safety Steve Miller Scott Schrader (WeAreSC) — 2025 MISS ST commitment Stephen Miller (6-2, 185) from Greene County HS in Greensboro (GA) entered his SR season wanting to display his versatility. The On3 three-star DB prospect did just that and USC offered. On Friday Miller took his first trip to Los Angeles for a USC and visit. He spent Friday on campus and Saturday at the Coliseum watching the Trojans play PSU. Although the Trojans lost, the experience was enough for Miller to flip his commitment to USC. “The atmosphere is great, like amazing,” Miller told WeAreSC. “The… Read more »
The Coliseum this past Saturday was something I haven’t witnessed in a long time. It literally rivaled the intensity you see at the 100k stadiums or SEC games. Our fans actually caused Penn St to struggle hearing. I can see this kid being impressed by the atmosphere. I’ll admit, it was electric.
There has been a lot of talk about all the great coaches SC has brought in and how much the defense has improved. It has improved. It couldn’t get any worse from last year.But this defense is still mediocre at best. SC’s defense is ranked 62nd in yards given up….44th in pass yards given up…..80 in rush yards given up and 41st in points allowed. Compare that to Washington which is 9th in total defense, Utah 17th, Oregon 19th, ASU 31st, Cal 41st and UCLA 67th. For all of the accolades, USC’s defense is still mediocre. They are thin when… Read more »
Apparently, Dan Lanning is way more popular than Lincoln Riley…
Per Matt Zemek (Trojans Wire) — “Lincoln Riley is failing to create steady consistency with the various units on his team. He is not getting paid to swing and miss, but that’s what he is doing right now.
“Riley is like the San Diego Padres in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers: completely whiffing in big moments.”
As far as Dan Lanning is concerned, the book is still out on how great a coach he really is. He was the DC one year at Georgia and he had the best talent in the nation and at Oregon he has the best team money can buy.To me, the book is still out on LR and I’m willing to give him more time…….Mainly because as far as I am concerned, this is year 1 for him since he wasted his first 2 years with Grench.
Hopefully see toughness maybe some ball skills … why wasn’t that ball slapped away at any point during bobbled trick play TD catch vs PennU.
Ramsey is our best player but prove it on final series drop pick.
Lanning beat up on Riley last year and he’s undefeated and now ranked #2 in the nation after beating an OHIO ST team with more talent. I never said he was a great coach yet. He’s just getting started, but he’s already kicking butt. So far, he’s obviously far ahead of Riley and hasn’t developed the reputation for specific weaknesses like Riley has that need to be fixed if he is to be successful. We’re all willing to give Riley more time which is good — because he desperately needs it. It’s awfully nice of you to give Riley a… Read more »
Who cares? In today’s CFB world, stability ranks somewhere down below zero.
The Ducks are cleaning up for now. Forlorn, already-out-of-the-PO-picture USC should be so lucky.
CFB World Thinks Oregon Took Strategic 12th Player Penalty to Aid Upset Victory vs. Buckeyes It was one of the most electric endings to a college football game this season.
I heard. And if it was on purpose you see the result. Lanning in the past has gambled on 4th downs, maybe aggressively a few times and lost because of it. But you see his program growing and he got the better of Coach Day at the end.
I’m not so quick to give LR a free pass for the mistakes & shortcomings he has done since coming to LA. Not with the kind of money he is being paid. A coach making half less makes those kind of mistakes.
The podcasts today all are questioning what is Lincoln Riley’s problem with timeouts and mis-managing the clock? At his post game pressers he keeps saying he has to get better but he keeps making the same mistakes. He did the same ritual against Penn St. he did with Minnesota and maybe Michigan. He didn’t use timeouts when he should have and left time on the clock for the opponent to come back and tie or win the game when he could have denied giving the ball back. I get the sense they are blaming Riley as much as anyone for… Read more »
Lincoln Riley’s career was at a low point before the collapse against PSU in the Coliseum, and now he’s managed to sink even lower. Poor guy. I really feel for him. I’m pretty sure he never dreamed the USC rebuild job would pose this much difficulty, and I don’t think he had a clue he would be competing against the more physical B1G when he took the USC job. Physicality is definitely not his strong suit, no matter what platitudes may spill out from his lips in post-game pressers. LR’s really being measured now and I hope he’s up to… Read more »
Most of LR’s problems are self-inflicted. The Cat left the cupboard bare…I get it. But this is year 3. Nobody has defied the laws of physics, the 1st Law is still F=ma, so until he starts recruiting some big fast guys for the lines, USC will continue to get pushed around and worn down.
It’s strange to become the team that USC beat over and over again in different ways throughout so many years while the Trojans were building into an elite program that dominated Rose Bowls, and big games and took on all comers in the modern era with coaches like McKay, Robinson and Carroll. It seems pitiful to have to look back so far. Now we are the team that gets worn down in the 4th quarter. We’re the team that can’t make the big play while our opponent sucks and grinds the life out of us with superior coaching strategies and… Read more »
I think the first change is to not look for offensive-oriented pass geniuses. All of the Great SC coaches since the 60’s (modern college football) wanted teams who were tough as nails on the lines, had great running aspects for the offense and enough passing to keep defenses honest. No more QB guru’s as head coaches.
Lincoln Riley may have hurt the cause of aspiring pass-happy offensive coordinators in their quest to become head coaches more than any other coach in recent history. Personally, I’ve always liked coaches who hugely emphasize defensive strength and speed on that side of the ball. Fantastic defensive stops are one of the greatest parts of the game to observe. Getting punked by an incredible D is massively demoralizing to a team. USC could sure use a lot more of that. I hope Lynn sticks with USC past this season and also gets the Trojan D back on track after some… Read more »
There are some Head Coaches like Andy Reid that can manage the game and call the offense. LR can’t. There is some major multitasking required for all the input. Watching the clock, when or if to call time out, down and distance, getting input from the booth, figure out the next play or two, communicate to your players on the field and bench, motivate the bench, kick a field goal, punt or go for it. Did I forget anything else? Riley needs to be the head coach, hire a quality OC, fire Henson and hire a quality OL coach, coaches… Read more »
I get the feeling LR calls plays like kids play video games, not paying any attention to how much time is left strategy-wise and engrossed in the moment. And then at the last few seconds playing at a high pitched fever playing in a panic.
Since post game Saturday, there’s been so many good observations on what needs to be done to remedy this lagging program. From coach firings, to player changes, to clock management, the list goes on. Mostly all legit. Since we’ve upgraded our D staff, the shear physicality has improved. It’s a consensus that our lines are inadequate for B1G competitiveness. Yes Riley, no matter how we spin it, is not known for line focus. Yes, couple of guys Stoops recruited and Riley inherited became Sunday qualified, but it’s mostly finesse position focused. The concern I have, and some do, is even… Read more »
Big Ten Week 8 spreads Oregon vs. Purdue Date: Friday, Oct. 18 Kickoff time: 8 p.m. ET Location: Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. TV information: FOX Spread: Oregon minus-30.5 Nebraska vs. Indiana Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Kickoff time: Noon ET Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. TV information: FOX Spread: Indiana minus-4.5 UCLA vs. Rutgers Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Kickoff time: Noon ET Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. TV information: Fox Sports 1 Spread: Rutgers minus-8.5 Wisconsin vs. Northwestern Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Kickoff time: Noon ET Location: Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill. TV information:… Read more »
I predicted 8-4 before the season. LR then got my hopes up for nine, maybe even 10 reg season wins there when the C&G Kool-Aid got to me for a very short spell before realism set in. Now, eight wins still looks like a good bet to me, maybe even nine if injuries don’t wreck us. The loss of Gentry really hurt, and looking as good as we did for a while against PSU without Gentry was great to see, until it all caved in. Miller Moss is playing like he’s simply shellshocked as a result of the constant hits… Read more »
The OL has proven to be a big problem in pass protection, as many of us feared pre-season (not me in my Cardinal and Gold Hype-Train sunglasses). Maybe the trick is more runs (run-blocking is an easier skill) with enough passing to keep the defense honest.
Defenses have game-planned us since the loss at MICH. Riley needs to adapt and, shockingly, rely less on his passing plays. He showed he can do this in the first half on Saturday. It will be interesting to see if he wakes up and smells the coffee.
His career never been on the line … JFC, if worried about not giving ball back to PennU, let clock run all the way down and call TO after stupid default run call on 1st or 2nd down
But get it together man! You are incomplete control, 1 minute left ball at midfield 1st down 3 TO just needs FG to win
wth is going on with this guy
DDS a balanced offense is needed in playing better opponents and that is what Trojan football has a history of having one. Even in the Garrett through the Bush seasons we threw lots of passes. We supposedly have WRs with talent although this soft zone defense seems to prevent them from finding open space. If the talent wasn’t there then why are our opponents trying so hard to rush Moss most plays? I know our pass blocking sucks but there is still enough fear out there our passing game is dangerous? I partly think due to our lack of depth… Read more »
Need some Maivia packages … RPO with that big fella running it and safe short passes to keep Ds guessing.
Joyner needs to touch the ball in 4th quarter too and a lot more for that matter.
The D well just try and survive, not a whole lot to work with anymore didn’t even look like a Mountain West team vs Minny and PennU.
“I think probably tackle is probably his natural spot,” Lynn said of Thompkins earlier this week. “So now that he’s going to be taking more reps in there, I think it’s going to keep on getting better and better each week.”
Lincoln Riley’s inability to recruit consistently at Mater Dei, failing to tap into a Southern California school’s enormous talent pool, can be viewed as a central reason for his failures at USC. Riley could replenish USC’s offensive and defensive lines by bringing in Mater Dei talent, but he’s not doing so. Dan Lanning and Oregon are doing a better job, and that simply can’t happen.
Eric Gentry has announced that he is done for the season and that this will be a red shirt season. He is looking forward to coming back next season and playing for USC, Coaches Lynn and Riley.
Gentry and Raesjon next year is a good start. Hope he (EG) can stay healthy. Concussions seem to be something that are hard to overcome, how can you train to prevent them?
Anthony Lucas out for the rest of season with leg injury.
If the team plays lethargic with no energy it will be another poor decision added to the others made by LR. I wonder if the team was undefeated or with one loss still in the hunt for the playoff, his decision on this would be the same?
The Athletic grades every Big Ten football team at midseason: From A-plus (Oregon) to F (Purdue) Teams are graded on a curve based on expectations, not who can beat whom. Indiana: A+ Oregon: A+ Penn State: A Illinois: A Ohio State: A- Nebraska: B+ vs Trojans Nov 16 in L.A. Iowa: B Minnesota: B- Wisconsin: B- Michigan State: C+ Rutgers: C+ vs Trojans Oct 25 in L.A. Washington: C+ vs Trojans Nov 2 in Seattle Northwestern: C USC: C- Maryland: D+ vs Trojans Oct 19 in College Park, MD Michigan: D UCLA: F vs Trojans Nov 23 in Pasadena… Read more »
Jeez! I guess that is why we are all so mad!
At least the rest of our schedule is filled with many underachievers, like us.
We have six more games against these underachievers (except NEB) to turn it all around. Maybe Zach Branch will come to life!
I think a huge issue may be whether Miller Moss remains the starting QB if he has another difficult game like he just did vs PSU.
I love the pocket thrower Miller for his devotion to USC and the class act that he is.
But the much bigger and more elusive Jayden Maiava may be better for this team because of USC’s deficient O-line.
Mix in some RPO packages for Maiava … it will make everything easier for all involved.
Normally I would be laughing at the ruins for being lower than USC, but this season is a waste. LR has sold the same bowl of crap that Helton sold. Moss was promising, but is so shell shocked I think he is afraid to take a snap now. Who could blame him? The protection he gets is Junior College level at best. We have seen the best we are going to see if this team already.
USC Heisman Trophy Winner Matt Leinart Inducted into Orange Bowl Hall of Fame The 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Leinart played six seasons in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2019. He is currently a broadcaster for FOX Sports. Leinart is the first Trojan player, coach or administrator selected to the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame. Joining Leinart as 2024 inductees are Urban Meyer, who led the Florida… Read more »
I have to ask, What does Josh Henson do? In his 3rd season, the OL lacks size and depth, average at run block, terrible in pass block. He must not be doing much during games since game and clock management and play calling break down at critical moments. Is he the Alex Grinch of ’24?
Can Zachariah Branch learn to catch and then run? Watching him is frustrating because he drops as many as he catches. Most of his drops look like he’s trying to run before he has the ball secured. No doubt he’s very fast, but without the ball in his hands what good is he? I’m guessing he’s also afraid to take a hit. So far his best play was as a decoy on a fake reverse. There’s some coaching that needs to happen before he’s ready for the next level.
Zach branch can’t catch the ball, run his routes right, make defenders miss, or field punts properly. Besides those issues, all is good. Seriously- he should be given a seat on the bench, and he can watch Makia Lemon demonstrate how it’s done correctly..On the flip side, his brother Zion deserves more snaps.
Poor Zach Branch is definitely one of the bigger disappointments in the country as both a special teams threat and a WR. He seems lost out there. Yet because of his speed, quicks, and change of direction skills, many of us remain convinced the undersized meteorite will somehow come to life and pull off some crucial game-breaking stuff that makes us all rise from our seats and cheer. Maybe playing against some upcoming lesser competition will help spring Zach out of his funk. But I agree, as of now, Zion deserves more snaps and should be given a bigger role.… Read more »
It appears the weather will be good for Saturday’s game vs Maryland in College Park. It can change quickly, and I experienced it when I lived and worked in Bethesda, MD for Lockheed Martin in 1997-1998. Here’s hoping it will hold up and SC doesn’t arrive jet lagged. Travelling from LAX to either Washington Dulles or Baltimore Washington Airport can be a drain. I did it several times. 5-hour flight, 3-hour time difference basically wipes out a day. Yes, these are 20-year-old kids, but until a person gets used to the travel demands, it can still wear a person out… Read more »
Last year we took a Central Valley Honor Flight from Fresno to Baltimore. Plane load of old guys, like up to 97 years old and we all never missed a beat. Part of being pumped up for a big event I think.
Time To Get Back On Track
If the Trojans expect to make anything out of this disappointing 3-3 season, they absolutely have to beat MARYD (+7.5) on the road in College Park this Saturday (1:00 PT/FS1).
That shouldn’t be too much to ask, but it’s still a long cross-country trip, the kind that has caused USC problems this season.
The 3-3 Terrapins were blown out by 3-3 Northwestern, 37-10, at home this past weekend and lost by 14 points at Indiana two weeks before that.
When does the team leave for Maryland? Anybody? They need to leave tomorrow to avoid the jet lag. The latter they leave the worse it will be Saturday night.
Team leaves Friday, not sure when.
Sounds like short workout and then mid morning departure
They will be zombies on Saturday, great planning USC.
Another Dan Lanning vs Lincoln Riley Comparison
The Athletic ranks undefeated ORE as the #1 team in the country based on the fact that they beat OHIO ST, a much better win than TEXAS has.
3-3 USC is ranked at #39.
TEXAS hosts GA this Saturday in Austin (4:30 PT/ABC/ESPN+). Should be a great one.
nytimes.com
One of the two has a billionaire benefactor who writes checks for any player the head coach wants. That helps.
That’s why the U of Oregon team is no longer referred to as the Ducks by me. They are the Oregon Philnights.
It’s just lucky USC doesn’t play ORE this year, or we’d be the Dead Ducks! 😂
Good one!
I have come to terms with the fact that Riley is going to be the USC HC for a while. With so much invested in him it would really be hard on USC to buy him out and then replace him. I think we have been beat up recruiting wise by Oregon simply because of money. Had USC offered the same amount I believe the players would have signed USC. If they cannot come up with what it is going to take to get players, then we have to probably put ourselves in the class with Clemson. Our expectations are… Read more »
I agree Steveg. Fortunately there are enough recruits out there where Oregon can’t grab them all. Riley needs to back away from over recruiting skill players as he does. You can play freshmen WRs & RBs when the well runs close to drying out holding off recruiting them every year. But you can’t do that with linemen & linebackers.
BREAKING: USC Flips Georgia Safety Steve Miller Scott Schrader (WeAreSC) — 2025 MISS ST commitment Stephen Miller (6-2, 185) from Greene County HS in Greensboro (GA) entered his SR season wanting to display his versatility. The On3 three-star DB prospect did just that and USC offered. On Friday Miller took his first trip to Los Angeles for a USC and visit. He spent Friday on campus and Saturday at the Coliseum watching the Trojans play PSU. Although the Trojans lost, the experience was enough for Miller to flip his commitment to USC. “The atmosphere is great, like amazing,” Miller told WeAreSC. “The… Read more »
The Coliseum this past Saturday was something I haven’t witnessed in a long time. It literally rivaled the intensity you see at the 100k stadiums or SEC games. Our fans actually caused Penn St to struggle hearing. I can see this kid being impressed by the atmosphere. I’ll admit, it was electric.
Great to hear. We need that badly. Thanks for your impression! ✌
There has been a lot of talk about all the great coaches SC has brought in and how much the defense has improved. It has improved. It couldn’t get any worse from last year.But this defense is still mediocre at best. SC’s defense is ranked 62nd in yards given up….44th in pass yards given up…..80 in rush yards given up and 41st in points allowed. Compare that to Washington which is 9th in total defense, Utah 17th, Oregon 19th, ASU 31st, Cal 41st and UCLA 67th. For all of the accolades, USC’s defense is still mediocre. They are thin when… Read more »
Apparently, Dan Lanning is way more popular than Lincoln Riley…
Per Matt Zemek (Trojans Wire) — “Lincoln Riley is failing to create steady consistency with the various units on his team. He is not getting paid to swing and miss, but that’s what he is doing right now.
“Riley is like the San Diego Padres in Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers: completely whiffing in big moments.”
trojanswire.com
As far as Dan Lanning is concerned, the book is still out on how great a coach he really is. He was the DC one year at Georgia and he had the best talent in the nation and at Oregon he has the best team money can buy.To me, the book is still out on LR and I’m willing to give him more time…….Mainly because as far as I am concerned, this is year 1 for him since he wasted his first 2 years with Grench.
Steve Miller…..He’s a 3 star and he some big teams going after him. Maybe they see something in him that no one else sees.
Hopefully see toughness maybe some ball skills … why wasn’t that ball slapped away at any point during bobbled trick play TD catch vs PennU.
Ramsey is our best player but prove it on final series drop pick.
Lanning beat up on Riley last year and he’s undefeated and now ranked #2 in the nation after beating an OHIO ST team with more talent. I never said he was a great coach yet. He’s just getting started, but he’s already kicking butt. So far, he’s obviously far ahead of Riley and hasn’t developed the reputation for specific weaknesses like Riley has that need to be fixed if he is to be successful. We’re all willing to give Riley more time which is good — because he desperately needs it. It’s awfully nice of you to give Riley a… Read more »
Lanning’s 12 guy on field was genius … but like everyone there since Belotti, he will jump ship once 1st great offer comes
Who cares? In today’s CFB world, stability ranks somewhere down below zero.
The Ducks are cleaning up for now. Forlorn, already-out-of-the-PO-picture USC should be so lucky.
CFB World Thinks Oregon Took Strategic 12th Player Penalty to Aid Upset Victory vs. Buckeyes
It was one of the most electric endings to a college football game this season.
si.com
I heard. And if it was on purpose you see the result. Lanning in the past has gambled on 4th downs, maybe aggressively a few times and lost because of it. But you see his program growing and he got the better of Coach Day at the end.
I’m not so quick to give LR a free pass for the mistakes & shortcomings he has done since coming to LA. Not with the kind of money he is being paid. A coach making half less makes those kind of mistakes.
ORE is surely getting massively more bang for their buck out of Dan Lanning (28-5/6-0) than USC is for Lincoln Riley (22-11/3-3).
The way Riley has coached at USC, you would think this was his first head coaching job.
Grinch was his to fire, no pass given for that brutally bad decision to retain him.
After this past weekend, we’re not going to win another big-guy recruiting battle head to head against Oregon for a while. Let’s just be real.
Not head to head with Oregon. They wrote checks we cannot or choose not to. Either way, our average recruiting has been their gain.
Riley’s not winning with Xs and 0s. He needs to recruit better Jimmys and Joes.
The podcasts today all are questioning what is Lincoln Riley’s problem with timeouts and mis-managing the clock? At his post game pressers he keeps saying he has to get better but he keeps making the same mistakes. He did the same ritual against Penn St. he did with Minnesota and maybe Michigan. He didn’t use timeouts when he should have and left time on the clock for the opponent to come back and tie or win the game when he could have denied giving the ball back. I get the sense they are blaming Riley as much as anyone for… Read more »
Lincoln Riley’s career was at a low point before the collapse against PSU in the Coliseum, and now he’s managed to sink even lower. Poor guy. I really feel for him. I’m pretty sure he never dreamed the USC rebuild job would pose this much difficulty, and I don’t think he had a clue he would be competing against the more physical B1G when he took the USC job. Physicality is definitely not his strong suit, no matter what platitudes may spill out from his lips in post-game pressers. LR’s really being measured now and I hope he’s up to… Read more »
Most of LR’s problems are self-inflicted. The Cat left the cupboard bare…I get it. But this is year 3. Nobody has defied the laws of physics, the 1st Law is still F=ma, so until he starts recruiting some big fast guys for the lines, USC will continue to get pushed around and worn down.
It’s strange to become the team that USC beat over and over again in different ways throughout so many years while the Trojans were building into an elite program that dominated Rose Bowls, and big games and took on all comers in the modern era with coaches like McKay, Robinson and Carroll. It seems pitiful to have to look back so far. Now we are the team that gets worn down in the 4th quarter. We’re the team that can’t make the big play while our opponent sucks and grinds the life out of us with superior coaching strategies and… Read more »
I think the first change is to not look for offensive-oriented pass geniuses. All of the Great SC coaches since the 60’s (modern college football) wanted teams who were tough as nails on the lines, had great running aspects for the offense and enough passing to keep defenses honest. No more QB guru’s as head coaches.
Lincoln Riley may have hurt the cause of aspiring pass-happy offensive coordinators in their quest to become head coaches more than any other coach in recent history. Personally, I’ve always liked coaches who hugely emphasize defensive strength and speed on that side of the ball. Fantastic defensive stops are one of the greatest parts of the game to observe. Getting punked by an incredible D is massively demoralizing to a team. USC could sure use a lot more of that. I hope Lynn sticks with USC past this season and also gets the Trojan D back on track after some… Read more »
There are some Head Coaches like Andy Reid that can manage the game and call the offense. LR can’t. There is some major multitasking required for all the input. Watching the clock, when or if to call time out, down and distance, getting input from the booth, figure out the next play or two, communicate to your players on the field and bench, motivate the bench, kick a field goal, punt or go for it. Did I forget anything else? Riley needs to be the head coach, hire a quality OC, fire Henson and hire a quality OL coach, coaches… Read more »
I get the feeling LR calls plays like kids play video games, not paying any attention to how much time is left strategy-wise and engrossed in the moment. And then at the last few seconds playing at a high pitched fever playing in a panic.
Absolutely, GT
Since post game Saturday, there’s been so many good observations on what needs to be done to remedy this lagging program. From coach firings, to player changes, to clock management, the list goes on. Mostly all legit. Since we’ve upgraded our D staff, the shear physicality has improved. It’s a consensus that our lines are inadequate for B1G competitiveness. Yes Riley, no matter how we spin it, is not known for line focus. Yes, couple of guys Stoops recruited and Riley inherited became Sunday qualified, but it’s mostly finesse position focused. The concern I have, and some do, is even… Read more »
Big Ten Week 8 spreads Oregon vs. Purdue Date: Friday, Oct. 18 Kickoff time: 8 p.m. ET Location: Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. TV information: FOX Spread: Oregon minus-30.5 Nebraska vs. Indiana Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Kickoff time: Noon ET Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. TV information: FOX Spread: Indiana minus-4.5 UCLA vs. Rutgers Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Kickoff time: Noon ET Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. TV information: Fox Sports 1 Spread: Rutgers minus-8.5 Wisconsin vs. Northwestern Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Kickoff time: Noon ET Location: Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill. TV information:… Read more »
Weather suppose to be good this week, maybe the O can destroy this terrible Maryland D but not getting hopes up anymore
I predicted 8-4 before the season. LR then got my hopes up for nine, maybe even 10 reg season wins there when the C&G Kool-Aid got to me for a very short spell before realism set in. Now, eight wins still looks like a good bet to me, maybe even nine if injuries don’t wreck us. The loss of Gentry really hurt, and looking as good as we did for a while against PSU without Gentry was great to see, until it all caved in. Miller Moss is playing like he’s simply shellshocked as a result of the constant hits… Read more »
The OL has proven to be a big problem in pass protection, as many of us feared pre-season (not me in my Cardinal and Gold Hype-Train sunglasses). Maybe the trick is more runs (run-blocking is an easier skill) with enough passing to keep the defense honest.
Defenses have game-planned us since the loss at MICH. Riley needs to adapt and, shockingly, rely less on his passing plays. He showed he can do this in the first half on Saturday. It will be interesting to see if he wakes up and smells the coffee.
Unfortunately that is one trait LR has proven to be incapable of doing.
That’s what concerns so many of us, I think.
His career never been on the line … JFC, if worried about not giving ball back to PennU, let clock run all the way down and call TO after stupid default run call on 1st or 2nd down
But get it together man! You are incomplete control, 1 minute left ball at midfield 1st down 3 TO just needs FG to win
wth is going on with this guy
DDS a balanced offense is needed in playing better opponents and that is what Trojan football has a history of having one. Even in the Garrett through the Bush seasons we threw lots of passes. We supposedly have WRs with talent although this soft zone defense seems to prevent them from finding open space. If the talent wasn’t there then why are our opponents trying so hard to rush Moss most plays? I know our pass blocking sucks but there is still enough fear out there our passing game is dangerous? I partly think due to our lack of depth… Read more »
Need some Maivia packages … RPO with that big fella running it and safe short passes to keep Ds guessing.
Joyner needs to touch the ball in 4th quarter too and a lot more for that matter.
The D well just try and survive, not a whole lot to work with anymore didn’t even look like a Mountain West team vs Minny and PennU.
I think moss needs to take some series off so he can regain his composure. Regardless, the other guy needs some work