FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Two Big Questions For Big Ten Move

This seems simplistic but as USC gets ready to move to the Big Ten, there are a couple overriding issues:

Can USC block? Can USC tackle?

Those are not exactly hallmarks of the Lincoln Riley era. Did you watch the Ohio State-Michigan game? Can you imagine USC on the field with those teams? With their linemen?

Yes, there are other issues. Can USC run the ball? Can it play special teams?

But the first two are pretty basic and not guaranteed by Riley.

If you can tell me USC can block and tackle, I’ll start feeling pretty good about next season.

58 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Two Big Questions For Big Ten Move”

  1. “If you can tell me USC can block and tackle, I’ll start feeling pretty good about next season.”

    Just saying it makes it so, huh? Ahhhh, to live in that world.

    Gabriela, is that you? 😛

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    2. I did not, but have been telling myself to check it out.

      I’m so so on Midler & Parker. But loved Kathy Najimy in Sister Act. Her character was the always cheerful & positive thinking person I try to be. (No one needs to tell me, I’m not always successful at it. I never claimed to be.)

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      1. Got it, So Cal. [btw, I can’t stand Midler or Parker when I see them in interviews —but I enjoyed the crap outta that movie—- bet you like it, too]….

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  2. Why is SC having so much trouble getting a top DC ? You would think that with the people available they would be snapping one up ASAP. Big recruiting dates are coming, kinda need a DC and maybe some new staff to recruit defensive players, work the portal don’t ya think ?

    If the hire goes past the first big recruiting date, just chalk it up to another Riley fuck up.

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    1. If I am a hot shot defensive coach with head coach aspirations I am picking my next school carefully so it is not career suicide.
      Problem is SC may not have that many serviceable players so before you can coach them you got to find them

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      2. On the one hand smart young coaches don’t want to go against LSU, Michigan and Penn State in 2024 with our players —on the other hand they know they’ll be measured against what Grinch did this year….
        #…ButALossIsStillALoss…

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      1. Oh, there’s one other thing on Carol’s mind…
        “I’m so tired of seeing Santa Monica’s homeless population when I go to dinner —I’m thinking more and more about Bel Air Estates….”

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      2. Budda,

        I thought the money generated by the sports programs stay in the Athletic Department? If you are saying that Folt the Dolt move money from one department to another, then SC football is done for. That money can be used for recruiting, NIL, for the baseball program, track and field, and for the other sports.

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  4. Unless CLR changes his entire philosophy of football next season is going to be one long ass whopping after another. Four of the first six games are going to be against vey physical teams; LSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Penn State. USC has nowhere near the talent on the offensive and defensive lines to compete against these teams. On the back half you have Washington, UCLA and Notre Dame. I

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  5. Everyone above already responding to this post have already nailed the landing – but I will add another way of expressing the same sentiment: blocking and tackling? what does that have to do with 7-on-7? ah, those pesky ‘dominate the line of scrimmage’ annoyances …

    Just compare OU-SC’s (read LR) response to this state of affairs (big picture the failures dating back to 2010, immediate issue hiring a DC and improving the entire staff) in comparison to Alabama (original Saban hiring or poaching California recruiting opportunities by bringing in SarKiffian), Ohio State (hiring Meyer immediately after a losing season or anger over a 1-loss season), LSU (hiring Kelly one year removed from EdO winning a national title), etc. etc.

    Nothing will change … except LR running through the remainder of his disastrous tenure like Helton did, made worse (much worse) by playing an unforgiving conference schedule.

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    1. …may I add the following, James?
      We’ve already seen what happens to Lincoln when he’s in a first rate conference: losses to Utah, Washington and Oregon….followed up by rolling over to UCLA….
      #NowAddToThatLotsOfTraveling&BadWeatherIn2024
      #HopeTheExtraDoughIsWorthIt,Carol…
      #…Cuz…
      #…OurPlayersAreGonnaPayThePrice

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      1. Yes, exactly …

        If only the Spanos didn’t own the Chargers, so Telesco wouldn’t be their GM, so Staley wouldn’t have been hired (didn’t Dr. Seward and Mr. Renfield have such a discussion?) …

        But they could at least get the firing of Staley over with …

        Then he could go back to his Peter Principle ceiling … and USC could hire him (not that they would of course! hahahaha … okay, everyone off the floor and back to work!) … and that would put pressure on LR to change (not that it would work … hahahaha …) …

        “Dr. Jack! I am a sane man …!”

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      1. Think Parker said something to that effect when the Nostromo successfully returned to space early in “Alien” …

        Traveling West to East – believe there is a huge body of evidence (particularly in the NFL) demonstrating the deleterious effects …

        I do recall the 2008 team absolutely annihilating Virginia …

        But guessing a team with the likes of Jurrell Casey and Everson Griffen (among many others) can’t exactly be compared apples-to-apples with an LR OU-SC squad …

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      2. Thanks, James…now I’m worried about a toothy, dragon-tailed creature bursting outta Lincoln Riley’s chest during his first Big Ten Day video…
        #AndIREALLYDon’tWannaSeeCarolStrippingDownToKillIt…

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      3. Watched one of my favorites this past weekend, that I hadn’t watched for many years, A Walk In The Clouds.

        Giancarlo Giannini and Anthony Quinn were incredible in their roles!!

        Liked by 2 people

      4. John Hurt also a tour de force as Caligula in “I Claudius” (only surpassed by the brilliance of Derek Jacobi in the title role) and as Winston in “1984” …

        Just as

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      6. So Cal –I brought my daughter to see A Walk in The Clouds when it played in Santa Monica. It’s about the only movie I ever picked out which she enjoyed. She still loves it

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  8. And what is all this clap-trap about SC having a poor 2024 Season;
    Wiley has shown he can bring in a boatload of PTs (Portal Transfers)
    and so now all he has to do is be a better evaluator of the talent, and so–
    LSU (on a neutral field) even game
    Utah St win
    Michigan (will have 2 weeks to prepare but won’t matter) loss
    Wisconsin at home win
    at Minnesota win
    Penn St at home even game
    at Maryland win
    Rutgers home win
    Nebraska at home win
    at Wash loss
    at sucla win
    ND at home win

    So that compiles to 8 wins, 2 losses and 2 even games

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      1. Georgia, Michigan and Alabama don’t have a ‘Celeb’ caliber quarterback, but it is the line play that comes into play
        and no way Wiley charades SC 2 years in a row

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      2. A few things to consider, guys — Washington loses Penix at QB, Matteo Mele at center, Devin Culp at tight end and ALMOST their entire defense [including ALL their d-backs] to graduation….. and Michigan could lose Harbaugh to the NFL…..

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    2. It could happen…. 8 wins would be HUGE in 2024 [crap, 8 wins would be HUGE in 2023 — maybe our team is embarrassed enough to show up in that bowl game with Maryland]…..
      #LookAtUs…
      #NowWe’reHappyWithOwns’Pre-SeasonPrediction!

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      1. Not quite, Michael, only the top 4 teams from the “Top-12” get a first round bye, so that means the other 8 teams have to win 4 games to be champs, the days of Alabama-type dynasties may become extinct

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      2. I’m wondering what Lincoln is thinking right now about who to grab as our QB and tackles for the LSU game — dollars to donuts it won’t be guys presently on the team.

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    1. A great dual threat QB and a couple of first rate tackles outta the portal could change our fortunes considerably [Lincoln gets that…and he also knows he has to bid a fond adieu to his entire defensive coaching staff]…..

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      1. The Portal seems to provide only low-hanging fruit and Wiles doesn’t seem to ‘have the necessities’ to mine the local high schools

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      2. The problem with some —but definitely not all [I give you Austin Jones and MarShawn Lloyd]— of our portal guys was Riley didn’t know how to use them. Totally wasted Dorian Singer.

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      5. It’s Lincoln’s job to convince Moss to stay. Nelson can leave if he wants. [But, let’s face it —we don’t presently have the right guy to stand up to LSU or Michigan]……

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    1. Henson was one of the best. Emphasis on “was.” He doesn’t bring the enthusiasm he used to have….and it shows in the energy level our line displays against top flight teams.
      #Let’sGetAYoungTurkToBringSomeNastinessToThe2024Line…
      #…They’reGonnaNeedIt

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  13. The Portal has not worked, and will not work moving forward to re-build this program. We must recruit to build a foundation first relying as we have on the portal for so many players has resulted in an unstable football program. I look at the USC football program now as if it is the “leaning tower of pisa”…no foundation holding the structure up.

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    1. If you want to recruit better, somebody is going to have to deal with NIL. SC seems to think that NIL doesn’t exist. Whoever deals out the money will have the best coaches and players. Whoever has the best coaches and players will win championships.

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  14. Well at first I thought Scott referring to block and tackle had some sort of pulley system. Or a metaphor such as; everyone else is using block and tackle while USC is in its lever and fulcrums scheme.
    I, like so many other fan boys, want to see an announcement that a new defensive coordinator has been hired, but it stands to reason any available defensive coordinator available before bowl game assignments are announced is not going to be a home run hire. I am willing to wait for a while. Some media outlets are saying Nebraska will supply USC with their DC. Nebraska? That’s a base hit, maybe ground rules double, but better than three losses and you’re out.
    Can’t stay long here I gotta get back to the real blogs. I like what I see here though.

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