36 thoughts on “National Media Starting To Attack Lincoln Riley”
Finebaum may have a point. “You have a generational quarterback and you finish 7-5.”
The fix is going to require a total overhaul of the Reilly system. I think he is smart, and dedicated, but what he is trying to do at USC is not working. It is not just the defense.
He really needs to re-examine his offensive approach including the air raid because it appears that teams have figured it out. Receivers are not open. Defenses are not fooled by his multiple formations. If you gave Chip Kelly the Trojan roster he likely would have won 10 games.
I don’t think he’s smart nor dedicated, if he was smart he would have fired Grinch after the Tulane game. If he was smart he would change his game plan once in a blue moon. If he was dedicated he’d recruit the shit out of So Cal and beyond.
you dipshit…you have no fucking idea what “air-raid” looks like….USC ran the ball 328 times, passed 384, and scored 32 TDs on the ground and 30 through the air.
That averages out to 4.5 more passes per game than runs. Looks fucking balanced to me when you ran an average of 60 offensive plays a game!!!!!!!!!!
You sound clueless 90% of the time regarding football
Buddha: I think you need to recognize that Reilly has a history of accomplishment. He has guided 3 Heisman winners and multiple top offenses over the last 10 years. You don’t accomplish that if your not smart, creative, and dedicated. Give the man some credit. Now it is time for him to pivot away from the Air Raid attack because it is not fooling defenses as it once did. And contrary to your assertions, his 2023 recruiting class was very good. He is not going to be fired. Hopefully, he will recognize his shortcomings and make the necessary adjustments. I believe we would have won 10 games this year if we had just an average to above average defensive coaching staff and a better offensive line coach. These problems can be corrected. The future is not as bleak as you suggest.
Michael Guarino Calypso awakened from his coma after being struck in the head by a coconut thrown ar him by some pineapplehead with three more new screen names
Who is Finebaum, never heard of him, and who does he think he is talking such trash about the worst “coaching job by anyone” when he looks like the only way he could have gotten on a football field is as a
kick place-holder
“Well, the frst half of the season went real well but too bad there was a second half. All I got to do by next Season is find 5 guys to play on the offensive line and 11 guys to play defense”
One thing I completely agree with is that Riley is so focused on the QB position that he neglects the rest of the team. I think that without a great QB, Riley is sunk.
I would really like to see Riley turn this around and prove everyone wrong, but I am concerned that his ego is too fragile to be willing to completely re-make himself. He is going to try to change everything except himself, which is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Paths forward:
1. Riley leaves USC. If he cant muster the guts to remake himself, that is the best path.
2. Riley does a deep dive on himself and makes major change. Get a psychologist with a focus on performance. The immediate results are very difficult to predict, since changes are unpredictable. Anywhere from 6-6 to 10-2 season. But year 2 could see more improvements in results. This is the only path that leads to a team fans can be proud of.
3. Riley makes substantial changes to his staff, but minimal changes to himself. Results will be poor, might end with a 6-6 to 8-4 season next year. But year 2 will see little improvement above that.
4. Riley makes changes, but they are not deep. The ceiling is 8-4, but could go as low as 4-7. The team is really on the ropes in the Big 10.
The paths forward from here are not easy, this team is a complete mess and it is highly unlikely that Riley is the guy who will turn USC into a player development team.
Simply based on Riley’s stint at USC, it hard to be less than impressed. With all the hype heaped on the Riley hire, his second year has been disastrous. If I didn’t know better I would deem him a crapy head coach…heck, he’s not even a good play caller. If he doesn’t make huge strides to right this ship in the next year then this hire would have been another disaster.
Celeb’s ‘swan song’ fell flat not because he lost but that he didn’t seem to be trying too hard and was obviously avoiding running to avoid getting hurt and then blowing off the media again. Strengthen the offensive line and a Moss or Nelson might be just as productive
Riley has proven that you cannot take the best player in college football and win without a good team support around him. It is just how the game works. If he had decent support around him (O line, Defense), just decent, not spectacular he would have been sitting right now at possibly #3 or #4 in the nation. The tebows on this site are still idiots.
Pete Thamel Sources: USC is targeting Illinois Defensive Analyst Jim Leonhard to be the team’s next Defensive Coordinator. Except something to be formalized in the upcoming days.
Thanks for the update Charles. Hope Thamel is correct. On3 reported a few weeks back that Leonhard was a mid west guy who had no desire to coach at USC.
What Woof doesn’t say (but I suspect is well aware of) is that the national media is targeting Riles…but not stating that he should be removed (and in one prominent article asserting that he shouldn’t be on the hot seat)…the national media (read pro/controlled by-SEC and anti-everything else) just wants to cast a negative light on USC to ensure it remains laid low, but doesn’t want to go so far as to contribute to anything that might lead USC to finally do what it stubbornly refuses to do (hire a competent plus head football coach with adequate resources and control allocated to).
The SEC … I mean the national media … says “USC – no Johns or Petes … Clays, Kiffs, Sarks, and Riles for you …”
Herbstreit laughing somewhere (recall his ridiculous fronting for Helton) foolishly thinking that the brief Urban Meyer era meant that the Buckeyes were now welcomed to the in group by the good ole boys …
The mainstream sports media just loved Helton. He was the perfect guy to keep SC just where they wanted them…..mediocre and not great. But Finebaum is a USC hater. He hates SC the way I hate Oregon. Oregon is the enemy. They buy players and are therefore able to come to SoCal and steal all our great players because the players will follow the money. SC has advantages that no one else has. We have the ability to become a dynasty if we get the right guy. So you have to hold us down so that we don’t step out of our lane. That’s what the NCAA and PC was all about. That’s why SC almost got the death penalty while other schools who do far worst get their hand slapped.
On PMS this afternoon both Papadakis and Smith were very blunt on the need for AD Jen Cohen to encourage Riley to move to the NFL or begin looking for a replacement a year hence based on, save for the San Jose, NV & Stanford games USC was lucky to have won 4 more they almost could have lost. That good coaches improve a team as the season wears on unlike what happened under Riley this year. They also noted were USC to face San Jose ‘now’ mid-November – the Spartans would probably defeat the Trojans. They also were blunt on Riley’s seeming unpreparedness in facing USC’s 2 historic rivals – Notre Dame & Ucla. That thosexteams understood the significance in being prepared and showed it unlike USC. Also how indifferent Williams was, regardless of stats, in the Ucla game.
Nor sure what happens next but Riley is not going anywhere for at least another year. Caleb Williams was a remarkable talent but Williams is in for a rude shock next year if he moves onto ths NFL his sense of entitlement is just what LBs love to exploit.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
Finebaum may have a point. “You have a generational quarterback and you finish 7-5.”
The fix is going to require a total overhaul of the Reilly system. I think he is smart, and dedicated, but what he is trying to do at USC is not working. It is not just the defense.
He really needs to re-examine his offensive approach including the air raid because it appears that teams have figured it out. Receivers are not open. Defenses are not fooled by his multiple formations. If you gave Chip Kelly the Trojan roster he likely would have won 10 games.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think he’s smart nor dedicated, if he was smart he would have fired Grinch after the Tulane game. If he was smart he would change his game plan once in a blue moon. If he was dedicated he’d recruit the shit out of So Cal and beyond.
Stop giving this guy so much fucking credit.
LikeLiked by 4 people
you dipshit…you have no fucking idea what “air-raid” looks like….USC ran the ball 328 times, passed 384, and scored 32 TDs on the ground and 30 through the air.
That averages out to 4.5 more passes per game than runs. Looks fucking balanced to me when you ran an average of 60 offensive plays a game!!!!!!!!!!
You sound clueless 90% of the time regarding football
LikeLike
Buddha: I think you need to recognize that Reilly has a history of accomplishment. He has guided 3 Heisman winners and multiple top offenses over the last 10 years. You don’t accomplish that if your not smart, creative, and dedicated. Give the man some credit. Now it is time for him to pivot away from the Air Raid attack because it is not fooling defenses as it once did. And contrary to your assertions, his 2023 recruiting class was very good. He is not going to be fired. Hopefully, he will recognize his shortcomings and make the necessary adjustments. I believe we would have won 10 games this year if we had just an average to above average defensive coaching staff and a better offensive line coach. These problems can be corrected. The future is not as bleak as you suggest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Keeping Grinch on for another year was not about Wiley
being “smart” but being loyal to a friend which he won’t repeat
LikeLike
Mr. Wolf is two days late with this story.
I posted this video when it first came out
LikeLiked by 1 person
Scott had overdosed on chili cheese fries
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mr. Wolf didn’t like me talking about his fanboy boyfriend Ryan Abraham and now the comment is awaiting “moderation”
I suppose next he’ll want a “Sieg Heil” posted after every comment now
LikeLiked by 1 person
If Scott was into censoring you wouldn’t be able to get in one word out of every three you write
LikeLiked by 2 people
Michael Guarino Calypso awakened from his coma after being struck in the head by a coconut thrown ar him by some pineapplehead with three more new screen names
gotroll22 has some impostor competition
LikeLike
Who is Finebaum, never heard of him, and who does he think he is talking such trash about the worst “coaching job by anyone” when he looks like the only way he could have gotten on a football field is as a
kick place-holder
LikeLike
Plow horse, I couldn’t have said it better. A lot of people don’t realize the offense is just as out of sync as the defense.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Scooter,
I will listen to the Trojan Live show at 7 PM on 790 Radio tonight. I want to see how he spins this dumpster fire.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Well, the frst half of the season went real well but too bad there was a second half. All I got to do by next Season is find 5 guys to play on the offensive line and 11 guys to play defense”
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Real well” = we beat teams with a combined W-L record of 26-40.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mr.1970s football is a low-IQ football honk…..pathetic!
The breath still reeks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
One thing I completely agree with is that Riley is so focused on the QB position that he neglects the rest of the team. I think that without a great QB, Riley is sunk.
I would really like to see Riley turn this around and prove everyone wrong, but I am concerned that his ego is too fragile to be willing to completely re-make himself. He is going to try to change everything except himself, which is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Paths forward:
1. Riley leaves USC. If he cant muster the guts to remake himself, that is the best path.
2. Riley does a deep dive on himself and makes major change. Get a psychologist with a focus on performance. The immediate results are very difficult to predict, since changes are unpredictable. Anywhere from 6-6 to 10-2 season. But year 2 could see more improvements in results. This is the only path that leads to a team fans can be proud of.
3. Riley makes substantial changes to his staff, but minimal changes to himself. Results will be poor, might end with a 6-6 to 8-4 season next year. But year 2 will see little improvement above that.
4. Riley makes changes, but they are not deep. The ceiling is 8-4, but could go as low as 4-7. The team is really on the ropes in the Big 10.
The paths forward from here are not easy, this team is a complete mess and it is highly unlikely that Riley is the guy who will turn USC into a player development team.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wiley doesn’t have “paths” in front of him, more like Freeway-10 after the fires.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Simply based on Riley’s stint at USC, it hard to be less than impressed. With all the hype heaped on the Riley hire, his second year has been disastrous. If I didn’t know better I would deem him a crapy head coach…heck, he’s not even a good play caller. If he doesn’t make huge strides to right this ship in the next year then this hire would have been another disaster.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Celeb’s ‘swan song’ fell flat not because he lost but that he didn’t seem to be trying too hard and was obviously avoiding running to avoid getting hurt and then blowing off the media again. Strengthen the offensive line and a Moss or Nelson might be just as productive
LikeLiked by 2 people
Riley has proven that you cannot take the best player in college football and win without a good team support around him. It is just how the game works. If he had decent support around him (O line, Defense), just decent, not spectacular he would have been sitting right now at possibly #3 or #4 in the nation. The tebows on this site are still idiots.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are my witness to the contest, steveg, and I am leading 35,000 to second place 29,000
LikeLiked by 1 person
Correction– 36,000 to 29,000
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tebow gave you two middle fingers, Mr Know-it-all.
The shit you say over on Allen’s blog is lame!
LikeLike
Referring to Tebow in the third person the same way she does about “Gabby”. LOL
You’re not fooling anyone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You senile limp-dick troll…..quit obsessing over Gabby and Tebow….you’re a fucking weirdo….
LikeLike
Up-and-down sports fans are wave-riders who are riding high when the waves are kicking and then bail with the inevitable wipe-outs
LikeLike
Pete Thamel Sources: USC is targeting Illinois Defensive Analyst Jim Leonhard to be the team’s next Defensive Coordinator. Except something to be formalized in the upcoming days.
LikeLike
Thanks for the update Charles. Hope Thamel is correct. On3 reported a few weeks back that Leonhard was a mid west guy who had no desire to coach at USC.
LikeLike
Could be, but Leonhard would be a fantastic get given his DC success in the Big Ten.
LikeLike
Leonhard is in the coaching profession, and professionals get paid. If the money is right, then he will be a west coast guy quick.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What Woof doesn’t say (but I suspect is well aware of) is that the national media is targeting Riles…but not stating that he should be removed (and in one prominent article asserting that he shouldn’t be on the hot seat)…the national media (read pro/controlled by-SEC and anti-everything else) just wants to cast a negative light on USC to ensure it remains laid low, but doesn’t want to go so far as to contribute to anything that might lead USC to finally do what it stubbornly refuses to do (hire a competent plus head football coach with adequate resources and control allocated to).
The SEC … I mean the national media … says “USC – no Johns or Petes … Clays, Kiffs, Sarks, and Riles for you …”
Herbstreit laughing somewhere (recall his ridiculous fronting for Helton) foolishly thinking that the brief Urban Meyer era meant that the Buckeyes were now welcomed to the in group by the good ole boys …
Speaking of Urban Meyer …
LikeLike
The mainstream sports media just loved Helton. He was the perfect guy to keep SC just where they wanted them…..mediocre and not great. But Finebaum is a USC hater. He hates SC the way I hate Oregon. Oregon is the enemy. They buy players and are therefore able to come to SoCal and steal all our great players because the players will follow the money. SC has advantages that no one else has. We have the ability to become a dynasty if we get the right guy. So you have to hold us down so that we don’t step out of our lane. That’s what the NCAA and PC was all about. That’s why SC almost got the death penalty while other schools who do far worst get their hand slapped.
LikeLiked by 2 people
On PMS this afternoon both Papadakis and Smith were very blunt on the need for AD Jen Cohen to encourage Riley to move to the NFL or begin looking for a replacement a year hence based on, save for the San Jose, NV & Stanford games USC was lucky to have won 4 more they almost could have lost. That good coaches improve a team as the season wears on unlike what happened under Riley this year. They also noted were USC to face San Jose ‘now’ mid-November – the Spartans would probably defeat the Trojans. They also were blunt on Riley’s seeming unpreparedness in facing USC’s 2 historic rivals – Notre Dame & Ucla. That thosexteams understood the significance in being prepared and showed it unlike USC. Also how indifferent Williams was, regardless of stats, in the Ucla game.
Nor sure what happens next but Riley is not going anywhere for at least another year. Caleb Williams was a remarkable talent but Williams is in for a rude shock next year if he moves onto ths NFL his sense of entitlement is just what LBs love to exploit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So Scott, you said the same word as Finebaum. The difference is that Finebaum has a lot of credibility and you have zero.
LikeLike
scott is a third-rate blogger who should be writing for the National Enquirer.
LikeLike