FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: A Leader Of Men Is Needed

One barometer I’ve used to judge past USC coaches was whether they were leaders of men.

Specifically, I used this issue to criticize Paul Hackett, Lane Kiffin and Clay Helton.

After 22 games at USC, it’s safe to say Lincoln Riley also has trouble in this category. He doesn’t strike me as true leader but more like an offensive coordinator-as-head coach.

There’s a certain gravitas you can see in good coaches. The obvious example is Nick Saban. But look at guys like Kyle Whittingham (Utah) or Jonathan Smith (Oregon State) or Chris Klieman (Kansas State).

You might disagree with things they do. They might make mistakes. But there is no question their teams have a common purpose. They aren’t relying as much on supremely talented individuals so everyone has to be united. They have to overachieve.

With Riley, who knows? His teams have an obvious schism between offense and defense. If you are a defensive player, you know you don’t carry the same weight with the head coach. It’s the skill players that hold his attention. He wins with a lopsided talent advantage.

A leader of men also trusts his players. He doesn’t forbid them from talking to the media. And let’s remember Riley didn’t even let players talk on the USC radio post-game show, where they would face softer questions.

A leader of men also engages. Saban takes phone calls on a radio show from fans. Riley secludes himself inside the McKay Center and even that is not enough. He wants his own football building. If I were Carol Folt, I’d tell him to forget about that project. Imagine how Riley would react to that? Petulantly, no doubt. That’s not a leader. Maybe that’s one reason Riley is 1-4 in bowl games. He doesn’t like playing teams that can match up evenly.

  • USC defensive line coach Shaun Nua said this about the defense on “Trojans Live” Monday night. “The problem we have is all 11 guys not being on the same page.” This is after eight games. It’s a revealing comment but also what you might have heard during the Hackett or Kiffin eras.
  • Where are all the people who trumpeted the defense after the Notre Dame game? They disappeared after Utah gained 482 yards in total offense.
  • Remember how offensive line coach Josh Henson said “every spot is up for debate” last week? Michael Tarquin took one snap. Otherwise the starting five took every snap in the game. Now I don’t care one way or another who plays, but why give other linemen hope they might play if you are not going to rotate?

53 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: A Leader Of Men Is Needed”

  1. Well said Scott and yes Riley is quickly being exposed as something no one expected when he was hired i.e. he’s a ‘good’ offensive coach and, seemingly, nothing else.
    As you said USC needs a leader regrettably, Lincoln Riley is not it.

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      1. That idiot Shaun Nua has washed out at everywhere he’s been, Michigan couldn’t get rid of his ass fast enough. Same as all the other programs he’s been at.

        Grinch, Nua and Donte Williams…all incompetent!

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    2. If anyone thinks Lincoln Riley is going to ever get USC to the playoffs, they are delusional. It’s definitely not going to happen this year, and do you really think it’s ever going to happen in the Big Ten? It was a horrible hire, and the quicker the athletic administration admits it, the quicker they can get the right coaching staff in place. I don’t want it do drag out for a decade like it did with Clay Helton.

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    4. Touche. By year end, LR will pull off his mask… and it will be Lame Kiffin. Same level of bravado, same level of self importance, same level of I’m the smartest guy in the room and I know more than everyone else… honestly, unless he makes a 180 pivot- the program will not be able to recover under his leadership. Players being courted by the other top programs will see right through his BS… He’s a decent play caller- not great- as evidenced by when was the last major adjustment you saw him make in his scheme during a game, and shows a complete disregard to every other aspect of the game!

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  2. You love it Scott when USC is screwing up. It makes your job easier. I think you love tearing others down. It makes you feel better about your miserable little life.

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      1. HEY BITCH BOY, YOU NEED TO CRAWL BACK UP WOLF’S ASSHOLE. BITCH BOY IS HERE WHINING AND CRYING ABOUT RILEY AND THE TEAM 24/7. INSTEAD OF TORTURING YOURSELF, JUST STOP WATCHING THE GAMES….PROBLEM SOLVED. THEN WE DON’T HAVE TO HEAR FROM YOUR PATHETIC ASS

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      2. Hello, fanboys……Today is day 2 of Dick Wolf, I mean Dr. Scott Wolf, presenting his
        psychoanalysis of Lincoln Riley. Dr. Wolf will let us know exactly why Mr. Riley is fucked-up in the head, and what the approach to treatment should be.
        Be advised, this might carry on for many days

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      4. Weird how Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan aka CowardlyGabby/TebowObama talks tough and screams like he’s some internet bully…yet….

        Why won’t you rumble with Plow Horse, Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan aka CowardlyGabby/TebowObama???????????

        Cowardly Gabby is a wimp!

        Plow Horse
        JUNE 22, 2023 AT 9:57 PM
        Gabby:

        You have offended my wife, my mother and my father. All sexual inferences. I let the first two go because they are both deceased but not my wife. You are the one who offended my family, not visa versa. I have never brought your wife or parents into anything. It is therefore my call – boxing gym in Pasadena CA, Mr. tough guy. Give me a date and I will make the arrangements. Stop being a chickensh*t.

        And nobody believes you are friends with Dana White. If you ever read the news, he is a staunch conservative who left the country during Covid so that the Dems. couldn’t shut down UFC. He wouldn’t allow a pussy leftist like yourself anywhere near his octagon. Rummaging the dumpster outside of the premises for plastic bottles redeemable for 20 cents doesn’t mean you know Dana White you leftist, racist, pussy.

        Give me available dates.

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  3. Oh, I wouldn’t say Scott has had a “miserable little life,” afterall he was on the goal line when Leinart was pushed by Bush for the winning ND score, and Wolf has been a witness to much of SC lore in his 25-years or more of covering the school

    Now Wolf does have a proclivity to view the world through a somewhat negative lens, but a lot of that is an ‘act’

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  4. Wiley is not a leader?– Seems as if he did ok at OK
    Leaders come in different ‘shades’ and Wiles probably could not give a ‘Whitt’ what anybody says

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  5. At least there are a few Trojans left on the SC bandwagon
    If most of these guys were at The Alamo they would have run away before the arrival of the Mexican army

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      1. No comment. I find fault in both the Repubs and Demos and until some kind of civil political discourse is followed by both parties
        America shall remain stagnated

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      3. EAT SLEEP SHIT BIDEN GABBY…….24/7 …..RINSE AND REPEAT

        SEEK HELP!

        WHY WOULD YOU BE UP BIDEN’S ASS 24/7 WHEN YOU DON’T EVEN VOTE IN ELECTIONS, DIPSHIT?

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      4. SoCal,

        Any Trump news to report? How are the trials going?

        His supporters here seem to have gone silent.

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  8. Some people liked the SC-Utah game–

    “It is looking pretty bleak for my Utes.
    Still out of field goal range, a long way to go
    Wait a minute, that kid quarterback has room to run
    Go kid, go go, my God we’re gonna win this thing!”

    It is all in the point-of-view

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  9. A “gut-wrenching” loss said Wiley and he even got sick over it
    and ‘Trojan Nation’ did not take it well

    But alas not all is lost if SC wins out to be the first 11-2 team to be elected to the Final-4. It is fun to dream

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    1. 11-2 and take a major ass whipping in the CFP semifinals? Wishful thinking is not going to overcome the deficiencies this team has. But one can always hope!

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      3. For being The Coward of the County, you sure fixate on ass whippings, Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan aka Cowardly Gabby aka TebowObama.

        You need to stop being a chicken and go box Plow Horse, Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan aka Cowardly Gabby aka TebowObama. We know that will never happen because you are a blowhard senile coward like your role model Senile Joe.

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    1. There will be 2 sec teams with 2 or less losses (because of the ridiculously easy schedules) that would eliminate a 2 loss SC team.

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      2. Unless every team in the top 10 has two losses, no team has or will get in with two losses. History shows!

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  13. The lead in was whether Wiley was a leader of men
    when in fact he is shepherding primarily late teenagers who are
    not quite mature enough to call “men”
    That takes different strokes than managing older men

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    1. LJ: when in fact he is shepherding primarily late teenagers who are
      not quite mature enough to call “men”
      That takes different strokes than managing older men

      A concept that the blog dunce can’t seem to get his head around

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      1. You are the Blog Dunce, Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan aka Cowardly Gabby aka TebowObama. You are a stupid as your leader Senile Joe:

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  14. Meanwhile, Cal awaits the arrival of SC with what I am sure are
    “pie in the sky” ideas of upsetting the Trojans which of course could happen.
    An 11-point spead seems a bit high for this game but if SC can get back into its usual offensive groove it should score points in bushels

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  15. Riley said that part of the reason for the move to LA was that he would be able to lead more of a normal life, where he was not as much of a celebrity.

    That is a problem. It indicates his very reclusive nature and he is in a job that requires an extrovert. You can be a great OC without being an extroverted person, but you cant be a shrinking violet as a HC.

    I also think Caleb’s personality has big flaws and they are showing up. He is easily frustrated and withdraws from this team instead of turning that frustration into fire in the belly of everyone around him. During good times, he allows his teammates to believe that Caleb will bail them out and during bad times, he is off in the corner sulking.

    To some extent, I dont blame Caleb. It must suck to have a whole team that is failing and asking you to bail them out. It must suck to know the defense wont have a single complete game this year against a Power 5 offense.

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    1. You should blame the “Glory Swine.” Had the CHUMP run a scant 6 or 7 second play prior to his snazzy “Go ahead TD,” the bozos WIN.

      #Oh well; LR = losing regularly

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  16. If I were a handicapper and left my SC bias behind
    I would say Wash and Ore will probably play again
    and this time for the Pac-12 championship

    Oregon St and surprising Utah are each saddled with a loss
    and both must play Ore and Wash

    SC would have the most difficult road, needing both another Utah loss (likely with games against Wash and Ore), and then running the table
    after Cal with Wash, Ore and sucla

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    1. Interesting! A strategy with undersized DLs so they don’t get creamed and can make some tackles, is slanting to the run formation side. As this article indicates, slating requires LBs to fill the vacated gap. No fill and you have Grand Canyon. This is what Grinch feels is the only way he can defend with these players. Everything exacerbates when you’re recruiting defensive players.

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