FOOTBALL

Saturday Buzz: USC Is Now Linebacker Coach U.

Rob Ryan is still working at USC with the title of assistant head coach for the defense but he is not listed among the coaching staff. Instead, he is listed as support staff.

That could limit what duties he can perform. It also begs the question what he does on a daily basis (on a no doubt exorbitant salary).

Even if he isn’t part of the coaching staff, it still means USC has three coaches who can work with the linebackers: Linebackers coach Mike Ekeler, outside linebackers coach AJ Howard and Ryan.

Should we also mention that defensive coordinator Gary Patterson used to also coach linebackers when he was the head coach at TCU? So there’s four guys with their hand in it.

Now if they can only get a few players to remind fans of any of the past great USC linebackers.

41 thoughts on “Saturday Buzz: USC Is Now Linebacker Coach U.”

  1. I like the new linebacker coaches. Ekeler brings a lot of intensity to the program and has been successful at putting players in the NFL. Other coaches rave about AJ Howard. The linebackers we have are fast. They have great potential. We should be able to smack the Oregon Ducks around like a pinata.

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    1. Sports Illustrated [which has been 100 miles from perfect in preseason rankings] has Oregon ranked #2 and Ohio State ranked # 1 —USC is ranked #13…

      #NotreDameIsRanked#3

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      1. Gee, we play the two top teams because USC avoids tough schools. Where are BYU and Clemson ranked because we know that ND plays a really tough schedule. How far the mighty have fallen, where are the SEC schools? USC is in the best conference in the country by far. Thanks for the good reporting MG. Is Scott on hiatus? Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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      2. KAM: Good thing Riley Coyote is a coward or he would go 1-4 against ND this season.

        DON: John McKay is rolling over in his grave.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Who was USC’s greatest inside linebacker. Let’s all vote.

    Please don’t include outside linebackers like Junior Seau, and Willie Mcginnis on those that played in the center of the defense while at SC.

    My vote goes as follows:

    Richard “Batman” Wood

    Adrian Young-

    Riki Ellison (Gray)

    These are the ones who I feel dominated in the center of the defense.

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  3. Who was USC’s greatest inside linebacker. Let’s all vote.

    Please don’t include outside linebackers like Junior Seau, and Willie Mcginnis on those that played in the center of the defense while at SC.

    My vote goes as follows:

    Richard “Batman” Wood

    Adrian Young-

    Riki Ellison (Gray)

    These are the ones who I feel dominated in the center of the defense.

    Liked by 2 people

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  4. hey wolfman, i know you’re busy counting the linebacker coaches, and i know how you are sick and tired of hearing about UCLA winning streaks, so take a knee whilst i school the Dummies on some important Big 10 news!!

    with yesterday’s Run Rule whooopin of OR yest, Bruins tied an over 100 yr old Big 10 record with 27 straight conference wins!!

    in Softball news, Bruin Megan Grant set the all time NCAA HR record with her 38th blast!! she may be on track to become the first woman to win two NCAA title in different sports, with her B-Ball Natty in hand already!!

    #FeelsSoTingly

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      2. I wonder if Charlie got the idea from the old Selsun Blue commercials where the guy’s face pops out from behind the shower curtains and sez, “My medicated shampoo makes me feel tingly!”……

        #MyTake:AGuyShouldn’tWantToAdmitThat…..

        Liked by 2 people

      3. MG, when this ‘Bucket’ guy goes off topic and starts peddling ucla sports on an SC-blog just to be irritating and boring, I don’t know what to say-

        Liked by 1 person

      4. You COULD say the things I say…but you’re too much of a gentleman…

        “A dying race”

        —Charles Bronson in “Once Upon A Time In The West”

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    2. Man ‘whitebread’ there it was – all you had to do was name a Bruin player with similar chops as USC’s….
      Jerry Robinson 3 straight years 1st team All American
      ….but you didn’t sweetcakes did you….
      Bye bye ‘chuckles’

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  5. Thanks AlmostCertain for the great question. How about Mosi Tatupu from the Pete Carroll defenses? Marv Goux was a pretty good linebacker though undersized compared to current players. How about Ray Maualuga? Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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  6. Seven days to Carano-Rousey!

    The fight doesn’t have the same luster it would have had 10-12 years ago. But it would still be nice to see Gina kick Ronda’s ass!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Yep. I hate to admit it…but there’s trouble ahead in Los Angeles in 2027…..

      #But”Trouble”IsLincoln’sMiddleName….

      #…HeEatsUpTrouble&SpitsItOut….

      #….Right?

      #WhyAreYouLookingAtMeThatWay?!!

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    1. I’m talking about the 2026 “way too early” season predictions, T. —USA Today and Sports Illustrated don’t include UCLA in their Top 40 —but…if you’re talking about recruiting rankings, yeah, UCLA is close to the fricking Top….

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  10. KAM: I hear ucla football is on the rise in their recruitment, that they finally cracked the ‘Top-40’ which means they are talented enough to be in most football games

    DON: ucla never excited me much, but it’d be nice to see again the old SC-ucla rivalry

    KAM: Did you hear about how SC has 4 linebacker coaches?

    DON: Can you imagine the interchange between the 4–‘ Hey man, you got blocking today, I got tackling’

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  11. KAM: Lakers season is ending, they are no match for an outstanding Oklahoma team

    DON: The Lakers showed grit despite being exposed as a team that has a long way to go, with or without their star in the lineup

    KAM: Hard to properly place this Oklahoma Thunder team in history. Would the Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson teams be in the same class as Oklahoma? They play 10-players regularly with little drop-off in talent, and when you have the ball they’re like bees swarming a prey

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  12. SoCal, Lakers have old and slow guys regardless of skin color. The also need a coach who can get them to play consistently as a team instead of a lot of guys playing for stats. Neither L.A. team is managed or coached very well. Color commentators are never good coaches. The NBA needs to expand the court, move the three point line ten more feet away from the basket and have the refs make traveling calls and make it a foul to muscle a defender backwards toward the basket. The present Laker team is pretty much unwatchable. The Thunder are quicker and play a swarming team defense. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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    1. “The present Laker team is pretty much unwatchable. “

      Agree. The whole league has become unwatchable in the regular season. Same offenses with 5 guys spread around the perimeter. Seems like almost half the shots are three pointers. The game has become predictable and boring. No big men dominating the paint. No intense rivalries such as the old Laker/Celtic rivalry. Hell, they score 200 points each in the Allstar game. What a joke.

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    2. Scott, you are an inquiring journalist, why not call him and ask him? Inquiring minds want to know. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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