FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Questions Entering The Season

Here are two questions as USC heads toward the season:

No. 1: Can Lincoln Riley survive?

With a huge 10-year contract and buyout, Lincoln Riley’s been pretty safe even amid the general disappointment of his first four seasons. But as Riley enters Year 5, there is a feeling USC’s administration might be willing to make a move if he doesn’t advance to the playoffs. Patience is thin and expectations high so Riley could be under pressure.

No. 2: Is Gary Patterson as good as advertised?

Getting former TCU coach Gary Patterson to be USC’s defensive coordinator looks like a home-run hire. But will Patterson need to be a miracle worker? USC’s defenses have consistently found ways to falter in key moments under Riley. Can Patterson change the culture? If he can, the season has a much better chance of being a success. 

  • Former USC guard Nick Young said this recently on The Shop: “(Alijah Arenas), my nephew, he got $3 million for 1 year to go to USC. Why would I go to the NBA and be a 2nd round pick, non guaranteed?”

12 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Questions Entering The Season”

  1. KAM: I have heard about outrageous sums of money paid to college basketballers

    DON: It only takes a few good guys to make a basketball team win, but you need a boatload of players to run a successful football team

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  2. WILEY: So here we are finally on the cusp of another season and one in which I plan to redeem my football reputation. I am better than I’ve shown

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  3. KAM: The jury’s out on Patterson

    DON: What worries me is he has complicated defensive schemes, like having 2 separate calls for the Front-7 and the Back-4

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  4. Question 1. One can only hope he doesn’t survive

    Question 2. Nope

    Question 3 If Riley fails, and don’t see any reason he won’t, will SC make an out of the box hire like Indiana did or go for the star hire again ?

    McKay, out of the box hire

    Carroll, out of the box hire

    Robinson, can’t say he was a star hire nor an out of the box hire in 1976

    Hackett, Robo 2 and Helton were lazy hires

    Kiffin, Sark, Riley, star hires and fails.

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  5. Kiffin and Sark finally figured it out because they addressed their issues and grew up.

    Riley is like Helton – he is not willing to do that.

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    1. Not sure Sark has it figure out, he’s the recipient of huge NIL money at Texas and has won nothing.

      Kiffin is the better coach, but until he learns defense wins championships, he’s going to come up short.

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  7. Scooter,

    To have SC improve, they have to do two things:

    1. Get rid of Jen Taco Lita Cohen and bring in someone that knows SC traditions such as football, baseball, basketball, track, swimming. Get back to SC’s roots.
    2. Get rid of the pencil neck geek head coach. High school coaches are better. Dude at Bosco, Mater Dei, and even that start up at Santa Margarita, I think his name is Carson Palmer are better.
    3. Simplify the defense. You want players to react and act, and not have to think on what they have to do.

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    1. YOUR COMMENTS ARE EXACTLY WHY WE CALL YOU “MISTER1960’s FOOTBALL”

      I AM EMBARRASSED FOR YOU

      PS……JEN SAID YOU COULD USE A GOOD AZZZZ—–WHlPPING

      PSS….ANY NEW RACIST JOKES……SLO PA-TR0LL WAS ASKING

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      1. Fake gabbbby,

        In terms of brains, my money is on an amoeba over you in intellegence.

        Rot for brain, you live on your forte, which I mentioned. Jen Taco Lita cohen is leaning on women sports that are new and do not cover the influence as the others have nor does it bring in the money. What a maroon.

        Now, it is time for you to go see your boys, the West LA Choir Boys and get lubed up because they have been missing you.

        Liked by 1 person

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