FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Fallout From The Epic Failure

Have you recovered from the Alamo Bowl yet?

I can still hear “the game is not over” in my head.

So USC finished with a 9-4 record. Same as Michigan, Iowa and Illinois. None of those schools are paying a scarecrow $11 million to stand on the sideline, however.

How does anyone accept 9-4 as a significant step forward? I don’t think most of the people who read this blog do but there are plenty of others out there who spin it as successful.

What were we promised four years ago? I’ll tell you. Lincoln Riley said at his introductory press conference USC “is going to be the the Mecca of college football.” No one remembers this.

With 15 losses the past three years? The Mecca? The guy has been such a fraud, it’s laughable. Go recruit linemen. Get some linebackers. Become a physical team. Establish a culture.

  • Mario Cristobal, Year 4 vs. Lincoln Riley, Year 4. Discuss!
  • The excuse makers have been out in full force since the Alamo Bowl, citing the opt-outs and young players USC was forced to use against TCU.

Here is one thing I will say to that: TCU’s leading receiver against USC was senior Eric McAlister, a first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection. TCU’s leading tackler against USC was senior Kaleb Elarms-Orr, a first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection.

So why did two first-team All-Big 12 seniors decide to play for TCU in the Alamo Bowl while USC couldn’t get Eric Gentry, Anthony Lucas, Bishop Fitzgerald or Kamari Ramsey to play?

Maybe that’s a culture difference between the two programs. Just something else the fanboys do not want to consider.

  • Joel Klatt keeps finding ways to put his foot in his mouth.

“It does not behoove anyone to schedule Notre Dame,” he said.

Klatt would never say that if Notre Dame games were on Fox instead of NBC.

64 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Fallout From The Epic Failure”

  1. KAM: USC’s Lincoln Riley Faces Backlash for “Window Is Open” Postgame Comments After Loss to TCU.

    In four years as USC’s head coach, Lincoln Riley has just two bowl wins and has yet to reach the  Playoff. According to Riley Coyote, however, the window for success in Southern California is opening—but his postgame comments following the loss were met with intense backlash.

    “This place is doing all the things you need to do to bust that door down, and I really believe a window here has opened up,” Riley said postgame. “It’s taken a lot of effort and commitment from a lot of people over four fun but challenging years to get it open, and it’s open now.”

    DON: One fan repsonded, “Nothing says our cfp window is wide open like losing to TCU in the Alamo bowl.”

    Another person wrote, “He has had 4 years, gutted another program and no better for it but hey the window is open.”

    “Could this guy be any more clueless?!? 35-18 over 4 years! Sound familiar Clay Helton?!?” Another person shared.

    One more fan commented, “feel sorry for USC fans that will have to endure Lincoln Riley for a few more years. You’ll always be pretty good and flashy, but he’ll always run from Notre Dame and lose big games. I’d rather do a full rebuild than be perennially unable to win it all.”

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Let’s hire Miami’s defensive coordinator. He turned OSU into a one dimensional team and the Miami D-line controlled the line of scrimmage, including 5 sacks of the OSU QB.

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      1. 67 — we’ll see how “open the window” is if we get somebody of that caliber….

        #I’mHoping & Praying…

        #But….

        #…I’llBelieveItWhenISeeIt

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Michael, my suggestion is almost certainly fantasy. There is probably a higher probability of Carol being hired as a grad assistant…

        Liked by 1 person

      3. You know what worries me, 67? Most quality coordinators don’t want to join head coach who has to get into the playoffs to keep his job…. especially if that head coach has reputation for losing more big games than he wins…. and is facing the toughest schedule of his career..

        Liked by 1 person

      4. P. S.

        Lincoln will have to assure any potential hire that his salary keeps him safe for 2 years…

        [Remember –all those phone calls he said he was getting were coming in before he blew the Alamo Bowl]….

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Last add:

        I just watched that USC fumble recovery for a TD in the closing moments of the 4th quarter —that call could have gone the other way….

        Liked by 1 person

      6. Michael, I am not a superstitious guy, but I look at every coach who has left USC since Pete:

        Kiffin and Sark are now considered among the top coaches in the country.

        Coach O wins a natty at LSU

        Even Helton is arguably doing better at Georgia Southern than at USC (after Sam left)

        We have been waiting 16 years…how many more years? Five more?

        What we should look for is a DC hire that can obviously step in as HC. Then – maybe – there will be a tarmac next season if the losses pile up.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. I guess Jen would have to more or less assure someone of the caliber you’re talking about that they’ll be the coach -in-waiting….

        #…WhichMightLightAFireUnderLincoln..

        #[OrHeCouldJustGetPneumoniaMoreOften]

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Christibal has had waaaay more money available to him in NIL since he walked on campus.

    No fan of Riley’s but outside of last year, the teams have been on different trajectories when it comes to paying players.

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    1. KAM: Who’s fault is that?…https://webmail.lerctr.org/~transit/healy/goof.wav….

      DON: Who had more millionaire and billionaire alumni, USC or Miami? Let’s ask AI!

      Search Assist

      The University of Southern California (USC) has more billionaire alumni, with 17, compared to the University of Miami, which has 1 billionaire alumnus. And, USC also has a higher number of ultra-high net worth alumni, totaling 2,645, while the University of Miami has 1,970. So this woe is poor little ole me argument is a pathetic lame excuse for the hired help educrat’s incompetence in running SC’s Athletic Department.

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    2. Another B.S. excuse. USC’s problems have nothing to do with NIL. It has everything to do with culture. USC is soft, The U is not. End of story.

      Liked by 1 person

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  3. KAM: That Ohio St Coach Day is no better than Wiley. All he had to do was stop Miami from scoring at the end to give the Buckeyes a chance, and he blew it

    DON: Coaches are peas in a pod

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    1. KAM: The Ohio State Coach Day won the National Title last year.

      DON: Riley Coyote hasn’t won a thing in 4 overpaid years. New year, same old excuse making from the 9 layer dip loving rah rahs.

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  4. KAM: That Ohio St Coach Day is no better than Wiley. All he had to do was stop Miami from scoring at the end to give the Buckeyes a chance, and he blew it

    DON: Coaches are peas in a pod

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    1. KAM: Congratulations, that has already been voted “Dumbest Take of 2026” with 355 days to go.

      DON: Day had been in the College Football Playoffs 5 years. Riley Coyote : ZERO in 4 years at USC.

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  5. KAM: How are the Israel and Russia negotiations coming along?

    DON: The Israel-Gaza Peace Plan only depends on all the Hamas disarming, and all the Russians have to do to have Ukrainian peace is to give up the swaths of territory they have snatched.

    KAM: In other words, it is a piece of cake

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Melania is gonna have a hard time topping her New Year’s outfit next year….but I hope she tries….

      #…AndIHopeSheKeepsTryingEveryYearAfterThat…

      Liked by 3 people

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      2. We’ll know when we play Ohio State, John….[Boy, will we ever}…..

        #[ForOurSake,IWishOhioStateHadn’tBeenEmbarrassedLastNite]

        Liked by 2 people

  7. I don’t hate Lincoln — I feel sorry for him. He is smart and talented ….but he’s not a Big Time coach: he lacks Cristobal’s killer instinct, Pete’s understanding of “attack defense”, McKay’s knowledge of ‘when to gamble, and when not.’

    Miami was taking all kinds of chances on their last 2 possessions against Ohio State. They trusted their players to make the plays. Riley was afraid to do anything on first and goal [and…second and goal… and third and goal] but run Miller up the middle [when it was clear to everybody TCU’s D-Line was better prepared than our O-Line to succeed in that situation]. For all his talk about our elite receiving corps and the mobility of his QB…. the only play Lincoln called was ‘running back up the middle.’

    That is not what most people think of when they talk about “a money coach.”

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. KAM: MG, perhaps the most disturbing thing about the TCU Debacle was the regression we saw in Maiava.

      DON: The pre-Alamo Bowl hype was we would see the Hesiman Trophy candidate for 2026. Instead he looked fundamentally flawed and confused the entire game. How many of his deficiencies were covered up all season by the “Jump Ball” passing strategy to Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane?

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      1. Is it too late for USC to transfer Lincoln’s 2026 salary into Makai Lemon’s account? Would the NCAA be okay with this? How ’bout The Contract Clause Of The United States Constitution? Would Thomas & Alito go along?

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Well said!

      when have you ever heard him take the responsibility?? 4 years of the same thing- I have yet to see 1 area of notable improvement in the team. One person mentioned Nil was an issue- you can’t tell me Indiana had more nil than SC over the last few years- it was coaching that created a culture that brought excellence to Indiana. LR has brought mediocrity.

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      1. Proof will be in the pudding: If Lincoln hires from within or gets [another] third rate Defensive Coordinator to replace Lynn, we’ll know “the window” ain’t that open…

        #[PersonallyIThinkTheAlamoBowlBroughtTheWindowHalfDown]

        Liked by 2 people

    1. By the way, his 35-18 record overall is a little deceiving. His record the past 3 years? 24-15! (.615)

      That is down there with these clowns:

      Larry Smith 0.632

      Ted Tollner 0.564

      Paul Hackett 0.514

      But hey! A window has opened!! LMAO

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  9. In the words of The Nature Boy Ric Flair, “To Be The Man You Gotta Beat The Man”.  USC football used to be the man.  Now, they don’t want to be in the same stadium as The Man. We saw that in the Alamo Bowl.  Now that 2026 is upon us and USC is NOT playing in a major bowl game, it is time we all face facts.  USC has lost its soul and has morphed into the college football version of the Dallas Cowboys.  What do USC and the Cowboys have in common?  A once great football tradition that was symbolized by winning big games and winning big bowl games and championships, that has been ruined by egotistical and incompetent leadership, despite having advantages that most organizations/schools don’t.  It’s been 31 years since the Cowboys went to and won a Super Bowl and 17 years since USC has been in the National Championship picture.  Yes, they mixed in a Rose Bowl win in 2017, but what has USC done since on the national stage?  Like the Cowboys, nothing.  Yet, every year we keep hearing this is going to be the year that USC makes the CFP and gets back to national relevance.  What do we get?  One loss after another to a big time opponent when it counts.  How did all of this happen?  Simple, incompetent leadership in the athletic department and the sidelines.  

    When Pat Haden was hired by Max Nikias as A.D. I had high hopes that USC would not only weather the draconian NCAA sanctions, but they would take these bastards to court and sue their ass into oblivion.  Instead USC put their tail between their legs and let the NCAA run roughshod. This shouldn’t have been a surprise though with Haden being a dyed in the wool Domer who previously was their color commentator on N.B.C.  As USC A.D. remember when he said, “Notre Dame is the Gold Standard of College Football.”  This began a slow and steady decline of not only the football program, but the athletic program.  For example, why was U.S.C. one of the last major football programs to fully understand what N.I.L. was really about? How many quality players did USC lose out on due to this?  Now we are stuck for the foreseeable future with CLR.  Him bailing on O.U. because he did not want to deal with the SEC should’ve been a huge red flag and we’ve all seen the fruition of that mind set with the cancellation of the N.D. series, because CLR wants to play a third cupcake and back door his way into the CFP.  Throw in an A.D. like Jen Cohen, who is basically useless. I.E. USC Baseball playing their games in Irvine and not having enough money to finish the on campus baseball facility, and it’s easy to see why U.S.C. is in the situation it’s in.  In short, our entire university leadership apparatus needs a good, old fashioned enema and start anew with people who know what it is to be a Trojan.  Happy New Year and FIGHT ON!

    Liked by 7 people

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    1. If Lynn actually said that before the game it’s pretty fricking unforgiveable …and I hope we kick Penn State’s butt every year we play them until we get Lynn fired….

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      1. Micheal,

        I forgot about the incomptency at the AD level. My bad. With Jen Taco Lita Cohen in charge, we will never see SC back at its glory years. Welcome to the medicority of SC football and being at the level of Oregon St.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. The Rose Bowl canceled the pregame festivities on the field. At least they haven’t canceled the bands’ halftime performances, (yet).

    That’s what many of the fans came to see! 😜

    Liked by 2 people

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  13. I posted late yesterday that my son is interning for an NIL startup, and also was told that Whittingham asked about the USC DC position. How is that not a no-brainer? Perhaps Riley would have felt threatened.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Perhaps?!! That’s a given!! He wouldn’t dare bring anyone who might overshadow him.

      Sort of like Harris wanting to bring in someone as her running mate who wouldn’t outshine her. As low as that bar was, she found a way to do it with Walz.

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      2. Yes, it’s amusing. NO ONE who actually cared about the Constitution would have ever voted for someone who already qualified for the 25th amendment before he took office.

        But they lie about having done that in 2020 the way they lie about everything else.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. here is what AI came up with when I asked for the next Curt Cignetti:

        Who needs an AD? Just let AI do the hiring.

        If you’re looking for the next Curt Cignetti—i.e., elite coach, zero hype, wins everywhere, still invisible to blue-bloods—here’s the short list that actually fits the profile (not the Twitter darlings). The Best Bet (If I had to pick one) Jon Sumrall — Tulane

        Why he screams “Cignetti trajectory”:

        • Relentless winner: Took over after Willie Fritz (no small task) and didn’t regress.
        • Defensive identity: Tough, disciplined, adaptable. No gimmicks.
        • Culture builder: Players don’t transfer out in droves—huge signal.
        • Underhyped: Tulane + defensive coach = ignored by casual fans.

        If a mid-tier P5 wants a program fixer instead of a press-conference star, this is the guy. The “You’ll Feel Smart in 3 Years” Tier Bob Chesney — James Madison

        • Track record: Multiple national titles at Holy Cross → instant credibility at JMU.
        • Why it works: Same mold as Cignetti—detail-obsessed, culture-first, no excuses.
        • Key tell: His teams improve midseason. That’s coaching, not talent.

        If JMU keeps winning after Cignetti left, Chesney’s phone will ring.Jamey Chadwell — Liberty

        I know, Liberty baggage. Ignore it for a second.

        • Results: Wins everywhere he goes (Charleston Southern, Coastal, Liberty).
        • Edge: Offense evolves year to year—he’s not married to one scheme.
        • Market inefficiency: Many ADs irrationally discount him → opportunity.

        If you’re purely outcome-driven, this is a steal. Deep Cut (True Under-the-Radar) Will Hall — Southern Miss

        • Inherited a mess, quietly stabilized it.
        • Prior success at West Georgia was no fluke.
        • Why he fits: Not flashy, not loud, but his teams don’t beat themselves.

        This is the kind of hire that looks boring… until you’re winning 9 games. Defensive Nerd Pick (Very Cignetti-esque) Bryant Vincent — Louisiana–Monroe

        • Took over a graveyard program and made it competitive.
        • Hyper-focused on fundamentals.
        • Zero hype, zero nonsense.

        If he wins at ULM, that’s basically proof of coaching divinity. One Name I’d Avoid (Hot Take)

        If someone tells you “just hire the hottest OC,” run.

        • Cignetti isn’t a scheme merchant.
        • He’s an institution builder.
          Most “offensive geniuses” flame out when recruiting or culture matter.

        Bottom Line

        If you want Cignetti 2.0, look for:

        • Multiple stops, multiple rebuilds
        • No reliance on one system
        • Players outperform recruiting rankings
        • Media ignores them

        My bet:
        👉 Jon Sumrall is the next one to make a P5 AD look like a genius.

        If you want, tell me:

        • Which program (rebuild vs. reload)
        • P5 or G5
        • Tolerance for controversy (Liberty-type baggage)

        Liked by 1 person

      3. So Cal – I just checked on your question and it gave:

        “short answer – no.” Success!

        I think I may go for AI over Jen…

        Liked by 1 person

      4. My A. I. Search results: “Jon Sumrall —but handsomer, cuter build and better singing voice..”

        #Damn!GuessIGotTheGayA.I.ThisTimeAround

        Like

      5. Better Result: “Someone who doesn’t mention “windows” after getting his butt kicked.”

        Like

      6. His windows remark is right up there with his Oct 2024 statement of: “If You Change Two Plays This Year, Then We’re 5-0.”

        He is as out of touch with reality as Libs are.

        Like

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