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Saturday Buzz: Does Lincoln Riley Fit Into This Maequee Group?

If you look at the coaches who won national titles the past 10 years, they all seem to come from a cold-blooded culture with strong leadership.

Cignetti, Day, Harbaugh, Smart, Saban, Swinney.

Now I ask you: Does Lincoln Riley fit into this group culturally?

Can Riley lead the way these coaches could at their peak? I say peak because someone will inevitably point out Swinney’s decline. The point is these guys exhibited traits during their championship time that was miles above what Riley’s done.

Can you see USC winning a national championship?

14 thoughts on “Saturday Buzz: Does Lincoln Riley Fit Into This Maequee Group?”

  1. Clemson does not pay nearly as much as the big NIL schools, and they are paying the price for that.

    Among the group listed above, and among those active, perhaps Cignetti and Smart are the best. OSU fans still worry about Ryan Day delivering on the biggest stage, despite an amazing W-L record. Their natty was over Oregon, which I think was more of a poser that year, and might always be a poser and not able to compete with the very best.

    Harbaugh can get a lot out of a team in a short period of time, but somehow things go south after a handful of years wherever he goes.

    At the end of the day, it seems that the winning strategy is to find the next diamond in the rough. Riley is perhaps by far the best QB developer among that group, but far from an HC who can be compared with the best.

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  3. Amusing to hear the Dummies lamenting their purchase of the Cyber Truck of the coaching world, Lil’ Lord Riley!! protected by an astronomical buy-out, Riley has the comfortable i don’t care attitude such a contract provides. doesn’t mingle with students or show up at rallies.

    reminds me of a story in the World Champion LA Times. John Wooden’s first contract paid him 6K a year, back then for some reason the Student Body President signed his pay checks. the student body Prez was the great Rafer Johnson who also played for Wooden, so in effect, Wooden’s boss was Rafer Johnson!

    #ChesneyLeaderOfMen

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    1. Sheesh, the gutties were even morons way back in the day…since when do students sign checks from the university? Talk about a conflict of interest problem…

      And as far as Chesney goes, thus far he has only been a leader of Holy Cross and Madison teens. And he was down 34-6 at the half versus the Quacks in the playoffs before the quacks put in their third string to prevent injuries to the starters in the second half.

      #WhyMustIAlwaysPointOutTheObvious?

      #QuitDayDrinking,ItIsLeadingToDelusions

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  4. Winning coaches know how to motivate players. And they instill a culture of toughness – “anybody, anytime, anywhere.” Riley appears to be lacking in these areas. But perhaps Patterson and Eckler can turn things around. Marv Goux helped McKay and Ed O helped Pete. And if the incoming offensive and defensive line recruits are as good as advertised that will change the culture. Perhaps we will see some smash mouth football because our guys are now bigger than the other guys.

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      2. MickeyG: You’re an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill.

        #YourRightI’mTheBrando

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  5. Big mistakenot hiring Ed Orgeron to replace Lane Kiffin. It takes some maturity to get over the ego trip by young people of being a boss. John McKay was on Don Clark’s staff but mature and not afraid to be a leader. John Robinson was on McKay’s staff and while much more genial than McKay, he had maturity and leadership ability. Orgeron fit that same mold….experienced and mature with leadership ability. That is why I like Gary Patterson who has maturity, knowledge and leadership ability; and, I don’t think that he will stand for anything less than hard work. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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    1. Agree …and ya know what else? The schedule is so impossible that I believe it’s gonna push the team to new heights. That’s what Ali said about getting ready for big, bad Sonny Liston: “You can beat up on easy opponents, you can talk big and act tough all you want — but sooner or later you’re gonna have to walk into the lion’s den and try to take the meat outta the lion’s mouth. If you die trying people will feel sorry for you —but if you don’t go in everybody will know you’re a phony.”

      #2026:”TimeToWalkIntoTheLion’sDen&KickHisAsz”

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      1. Great analogy. To be the best, you play the best. That is why USC was soft in the soft Pac 12 even though they were winning. Same thing with Oklahoma in the Big 12. It’s all about the leadership and the coaching……Indiana is the wake up call. Thanks, Michael. Dan, Class of 1962

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  6. Tuvok was able to infiltrate the Maequee but was never really a member of them, as I suspect Cowardly Lincoln never will either.

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