How come tailback Woody Marks, who has played just 10 games at USC, can speak more eloquently about the importance of the UCLA and Notre Dame games than Lincoln Riley, who has been coaching here for three seasons?
“These games matter to the people and they matter to us, and we’re trying to do it for the people and us and this organization,” Marks said Wednesday.
Keep in mind that Marks has played at Mississippi State the previous four seasons, which is about as far away from Los Angeles as you can get, but he sounds more like a Trojan than Riley ever did.
You know why? Because Riley lacks empathy.
He cannot see past his precious offense and having his every need catered to by others. Who is driving him somewhere? Who is giving him his new football building? Is the athletic director giving him everything he wants?
Crosstown Rivalry? UCLA? Notre Dame? Who cares? They don’t serve the purpose of Little Lord Lincoln.
Others are noticing. A former player told me this week: “How about Riley just interacting with players on the sideline during a game? Do you ever see him go up to a player and make a coaching point at the time it happens or shortly after? No, he just ignores everyone and just talks into the headphone or yells at referees.”
This automaton cannot comprehend traditions or rivalries. He probably thinks the only rivalry that matters is Texas-Oklahoma. He would rather kill the Notre Dame series if it does not serve his purpose. Zero empathy.
- Parker Jefferson, a three-star 6-10 center from Inglewood High School, committed to Minnesota over USC. Eric Musselman finished No. 2 again.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
I don’t believe John McKay “….you ever see him go up to a player and make a coaching point at the time?” I know he had Marv Goux but if you’re focusing strictly on Riley there isn’t much difference save lack of victories by Riley. We’ll see how this ends Saturday evening esp with a new USC president looming.
As to the 3 star Inglewood HS – that school district is on the verge of collapse…Morningside HS is shuttering its’ doors June 2025.
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You’re comparing McKay to Riley ? McKay was prickly with a lot of his players but he would recruit locally, went to booster club events, was witty and got the rivalry games, Riley does none of this.
And McKay never curled up in the fetal position claiming he had pneumonia
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Understand your counter and yes Riley msy, in fact, be an awful hire. Saying that not sure what matters savecwins abd losses. McKay was on a very hot seart prior to 1962….he won his 1st NC and the rest is history.
Having an engaging connected coach is an added plus but nothing beats winning ask the PIT Steeler players what they thought of Chuck Noll same with Lombardi’s teams and Tom Landry…if Riley turns this around all angst will cease and if not…he’ll be justifiably sacked.
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When I was growing up 40’s-60’s SC usually had many former trojans on the staff if not as head coach. This is what you get with current thinking of not hiring former SC athletes.
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Back in the day, the LAT would run a story each day during USC-UCLA rivalry week featuring one of the great games and what those games meant for the city. No more.
There is, however, a nice piece about Woody in LAT today. Without him, USC is 4-6, maybe 3-7.
What a lost season. With so much parity in college football, this team could have done something other than occupying the basement of the Big 10.
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Lincoln Riley is not a Trojan. To him, USC is a big paycheck with a lot of perks. The last time I checked, coaches like John McKay, John Robinson, and Pete Carrol ALWAYS wanted to play the big boys, anywhere, anytime. Just look at their records in the big bowl games. CLR, by nature, is not a very competitive person. That’s why he left Oklahoma and the SEC for USC and the Pac-12.
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PC was a Trojan either but he understood what the ND and ucla games mean, even Larry Smith got it.
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Urban Meyer didn’t come from Utah but he knew that the Utah vs. BYU game was the biggest game Utah would play every season. Meyer would refer to BYU as ” The school south of us ” He never called BYU, BYU.
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Scooter,
If Riley was such a great coach, then why does he not recognize that the run offense for SC is their strenght with Marks. Just run the ball against ugly. Same with nd unless Riley cancels the game and schudeles Mater Dei instead for that Saturday.
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I have a totally different take: CLR showed loyalty to Moss and gave him every chance to prove himself, to the point of losing the season. When the writing on the wall was clear he made the switch, and he actually IMO coached his best game in the 4th qtr against Neb. I think QB recruits see that culture. I have huge issues with his play calling but I was energized with the adjustments I saw last week. In retrospect bringing CW here was the worst way to start his tenure.
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I’ll wait until after the YUCLA game to start chewing out Wiley
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I’ll wait until after the YUCLA game to start chewing out Wiley
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I’ll wait until after the YUCLA game to start chewing out Wiley
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I’ll wait until after the YUCLA game to start chewing out Wiley
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I’ll wait until after the YUCLA game to start chewing out Wiley
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A different compute and same repetitious problem
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Whatever
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“Some Understand Being A Trojan, Some Don’t”
No better way to describe everyone’s least favorite poster!
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