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USC Morning Buzz: Expectations A Problem? More Like Excuses

It’s not the expectations that weighed USC down, but the excuses.

But Lincoln Riley made this comment on his weekly “Trojans Live” comedy club appearance.

“Did the expectations weigh us down at times this year? Yes,” Riley said. “But I’m never going to compromise the expectations. We’ve just got to learn how to handle them better.”

USC, which was one game away from the College Football Playoff last year, could not handle the expectations in 2023 with the best QB in the country?

I don’t think it’s expectations. It’s having a laughable defense. It’s getting popped in the mouth by teams that don’t mind going toe-to-toe with you (Notre Dame, Utah, Washington, Oregon).

What were the expectations against UCLA? None. But USC had the energy level of a corpse.

That game was played by a team with a coach who mailed it in. And it showed. No, it wasn’t expectations. It the was excuses.

  • Riley also said this about hiring a defensive coordinator.

“This is USC. You’re going to have a chance to hire just about anybody that you want. We want people that have a proven track record and people that have done this at a high level.”

He literally has not followed this policy this with anyone on the current coaching staff. So this is a big departure. Is he up to it? It’s not hard. You just throw a lot of money at a proven defensive coordinator.

And then let that coordinator bring in his people to fill the rest of the staff.

Riley is really going to be out of his comfort zone if that happens because he’s had insular staffs at Oklahoma and USC.

57 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Expectations A Problem? More Like Excuses”

    2. “I gotta do better”

      – Lincoln Riley

      This motherfucker ‘Ol Mule Shoe should have been working his ass off to do better since the day USC hired him seeing how they’re overpaying him every year, cleaned up his real estate mess in Oklahoma and gave him free use of a private jet wnehever he wants it.

      Instead he couldn’t be bothered to give a fuck about this season as he casually threw it away, fuck him!

      Jen Cohen needs to get rid of his dumbass

      Liked by 1 person

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  2. And Wolf starting out as a journalist no doubt had aspirations of winning a Pulitzer or two, those are the expectations and lofty goals before life’s realities slap you in the face

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    1. As bad as an equivocation gets. Comparing a fringe industry specific award with a Heisman winner leading his team to success do not exist on the same plane. Look, I loved that a wunderkind QB rolled into the program and honestly SC did nothing to bring that kind of swag in other than hire his former coach. That said, SC provided an NIL platform unlike anything he’d have found elsewhere. There’s give and take. You gotta give some to take some. CW has taken his. Then when it’s time give some he checks out? Sorry can’t be an apologist like Sparrow and say all good, u do u bro. There are string attached. It is what it is. Don’t like it don’t get involved.

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  3. The team takes on the personality of the coach – and when the coach mails it in, the team gets the memo (as in the last game vs. ucla). Riley has yet to understand this fundamental concept. Much like the other truism: that offense sells tickets while the defense wins the games. Lincoln has all the intensity of a wet noodle, and he’s just as likely to hire personalities like him as D-coordinator. Further, he may not make any additional coaching changes beyond that (which is sad, considering O-line, special teams, and S&C deserve special attention). I’ve never seen a clearer case for a back-to-the-foundation program rebuild. The only hope is that the new AD Jennifer Cohen realizes that this could be worse than Helton Part 2 for USC, and the money siphon that went with it (even with the Big 10 move), and she gets personally involved in the selection process. Were this to happen, it would do two things: (1) vastly improve the potential to hire the right talent coaches to a winning football program while simultaneously demonstrating to Lincoln Riley the result of his coaching acumen to date, and (2) potentially bring Lincoln Riley to seek other employment without the money penalty of having USC terminate his contract for convenience. The question that needs to be asked is: “how good a head coach is Lincoln Riley when he does not have a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback playing for him?” Whether that’s the question we want to ask or not, we will apparently be getting that answer next year…

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    1. S,

      Good write up. However, and it is my opinion, I don’t think Cohen can pull the strings to either, make Riley upgrade his coaching staff or to release Riley. I think she is over her head in this situation. I hope you are correct about Cohen forcing changes though and for the better.

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      1. STFU…..YOU CLUELESS SACK OF SHIT….JEN JUST GAVE YOU TWO MIDDLE FINGERS……GO EMPTY THE DROOL BUCKET!

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    1. You can’t do that, John! 😞

      This blog needs you incredibly rational folks. Those of us who sometimes let our emotions get the better of us will go off the rails without you guys.

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      1. Slo Cal is incredibly perverted, he likes females that look 12 years old

        So Cal

        NOVEMBER 20, 2023 AT 4:12 PM

        Doesn’t matter if she looks 12.

        That’s just sick, he needs help or to be incarcerated

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      2. You sound like a fucking kiss-ass idiot….you’re ready fucked up between the ears….knock knock!

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      3. “Doesn’t matter if she looks 12.” Scott isn’t sick for merely mentioning she was on the sidelines on Saturday.

        Love the way you make shit up in your head. Don’t lie about Tebow & Gabby not being the same person. No one else makes up the sick shit in their head the way she does.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. quit trying to deflect from the fact you’re a pedo who loves to jack off in the outhouse watching kid porn….you are one fucked up old man….SEEK HELP!

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    2. Sparrow Calypso

      NOVEMBER 21, 2023 AT 4:35 PM

      Yeah, this season was so much fun with all the carping Posters I think I will sit out next year

      Yeah, you’re going to retite one of your many screen name aliases?

      I’m sure you’ll come up with a few more impostor names to replace whoever.

      Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.

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    1. That fraud Lincoln Riley will say whatever it is he thinks the idiots who believe his dumbass want to hear so long as he can continue collecting his paycheck.

      Riley is laughing all the way to the bank…he doesn’t give a fuck

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  6. It wasn’t the “expectations” that weighed SC down so much as it was allowing UHA and Wash to get long long runs at the end of those 2 games turning wins into losses

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  7. Certainly Oregon will be favored over Wash, but does it matter with Ohio St, Michigan, Florida St and Georgia undefeated
    and Texas and Alabama just behind

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      2. FUCKING LAME!…..no one gives a shit what you say…..Mr.Pedo. You are one sick man getting a hardon looking at kiddie porn

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      3. You should play that for MG although I have a hunch it is too late for George Tirebiter, may he not be bothered with SC ever again

        Liked by 1 person

      4. MG is still here, lurking. Has to be! He couldn’t just drop us, cold turkey. No way he would allow that loser to run him off completely!!

        Too funny, that the loser actually thought MG & I were the same person. I’m not nearly as nice as MG. Well, not all of the time anyway.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. MG was a sock puppet….so how in the fuck is he “lurking”. You are one stupid old man. I see why NO ONE ever responds to you. Go find something productive to do and quit being a peat.

        When are you going to meet up with Gbby, you limp-dick coward?

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      6. No one else cares who was posting as “MG”. His posts were appreciated. Amazing that you’re too stupid to get it.

        Then again, you were stupid enough to claim it was a crime, so we shouldn’t be surprised.

        Liked by 1 person

      10. No, you’re the one who’s sick. Scott mention a celebrity being on the sidelines and YOU claimed he was sick, because you think she looks 12. Why? Because your twisted mind is always in the gutter.

        Her being on the sidelines is no different than Snoop having been on the sidelines during the PC years or Matthew McConaughey being on the sidelines of the Texas games. Heck, it’s no different than the big deal they’re making about Taylor Swift being at the KC games.

        Only YOU would claim Wolf is sick for mentioning it. You did that because you always assume people are guilty of the same things you’re guilty of!

        Liked by 1 person

      12. Pedophile Slo Cal said,

        So Cal

        NOVEMBER 20, 2023 AT 4:12 PM

        Doesn’t matter if she looks 12.

        Slo Cal admitted he’s a pervert right there. That is exactly what he said, he can’t deny it.

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      13. The limp-dick troll let the cat out of the bag…he told us his true thoughts and it’s obvious he’s a PEDO……his old lady caught him jacking off to kiddie porn….one sick old man….

        Like

      14. Calling bs on the shit you make up in your twisted head is not whining & pouting. No one else took that comment the way you did, because no one else is as messed up in the head.

        That is exactly why at least a half dozen people have suggested you seek professional help. Quit lying about it.

        Liked by 1 person

      15. CLUELESS!…… YOU’RE A DISGUSTING PEDO….Joe is laughing his ass off….no one gives a fuck what you have to say Mr. Irrelevant!

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      18. Which trumpster here in this blog said he pulled his groin muscle, was it Slo Cal or MG? Now you why, they probably were kid watching near an elementary school

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    3. “NO ONE ever responds to you.”

      As John & I are in the middle of a chat. Also, Plow Horse having stated how false that statement is.

      I give you…THE VILLAGE IDIOT!!! LMAO

      Her stupidity knows no bounds.

      Liked by 1 person

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      2. I really don’t care if it’s zero. No one does. MANY posts don’t get replies. No one cares but the one idiot who acts as if she’s still in junior high.

        The one who denies how many people have asked her to leave and how many have suggested she seek professional help. Like a child, she copies & pastes the suggestion and directs it towards me, as if anyone has suggested that, other than maybe one of her many identities on here. LOL

        She lives in her own version of reality. It’s very sad and I should do as GameTV suggested…”ignore the animal”.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. STFU…….no one on that clown show scott wolf blog gives a shit about what you say…..How many times have you been depressed because no one responded to your political bs….I know you don’t go there to talk football, you have no football knowledge.

        Quit arguing with people and go get me an extra large bottle of lube…..tiny is a calling

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      4. Slo Cal said he’s going to have a feast on Thanksgiving with all his grandchildren around…he’s sick!

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  9. All you need to know about Riley – and the future of this program as long as he or someone like him (or Helton, etc) is the head coach – is contained in these statements. This is as close as he has come to accepting responsibility or admitting to the enormous problems/failures within the program … and presumably only as a matter of goading/instruction from on high from those who are so idiotic they think all of us are to be so easily duped (and since so many sheep were grazing during the past 15 years, why not?)…

    The poster here with the tag “Yesterday U” is the winner on USC Football The Price Is Right … now watch the spinning wheel and be entertained!

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  10. I think that if Riley keeps Kliff Kingsbury it is an equally bad sign. KK is a proven air raid loser. Again and again. If this is the guy that Riley wants to run the offense when he is out sick, that shows how much influence KK has on Riley. Which is a HUGE problem.

    You also need to see whether Riley will fire either Henson or either of the receivers coaches. Players at both of those positions underperformed.

    So is Riley going to make changes on defense, but then refuse to upgrade the offense? Probably.

    I want to see them play Paige and Noa and maybe Banuelos in the bowl game and see if they can build out an offensive line that performs at even a decent level. If those players are solid, then the coaching of the o-line is not an issue. The proof is in the results

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    1. ‘Ol Mule Shoe will probably try and convince USC to hire KK to take over the job when he leaves, looking out for one of his hick friends to also take USC for fools so that he too can laugh all the way to the bank.

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  11. For those teams still in the “Final-4” race there are interesting games–
    Oregon St will not beat Oregon -13.5
    Ohio St will not beat Mich -3.5
    Auburn will not beat Alabama -14.5
    Florida might beat beat-up Florida St -6.5

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  12. Recall at the beginning of the season there were some Trojans who were happy that SC would be getting a bye before the Pac-12 Championship game the following week but SC fell 3-games short of making that game

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