FOOTBALL

My Analysis Of A Leaderless Effort Vs. Oregon

I said last night this was one of the most shameful USC losses I ever witnessed and now I will explain. It had nothing to do with losing to Oregon. That was something I knew had a pretty good chance of happening.

No, the shame started with the controversial hit by linebacker Desman Stephens and then USC’s reaction. It all stems from having a gutless leader at the top who never takes responsibility and creates/tolerates embarrassing behavior.

Why can’t USC play defense? Well, it can’t even control how its players act on the sidelines so how can it exhibit discipline on the field? This is a program without a leader. A false prophent. Did you see the way Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck interacts with his players last night? They believe in him. There is never a feeling anyone believes in anything Lincoln Riley does.

OK, let’s back up. Stephens was a total embarrassment last night. After the hit, he was smiling, laughing and celebrating with his teammates on the sideline. By halftime, the nation’s neutrals had fully turned on him and USC. So what did Riley do? He let Stephens back on the sideline in the second half to jump around, cheer and look sillly.

Did he ever once show concern about the condition of Donte Moore? Did a single adult on the sideline talk to him about his gross behavior?

Asked why he was on the sideline in the second half, Riley said, “Because he’s on our football team.”

Again, a spineless answer from a coach whose team plays with no backbone.

If that wasn’t enough, you had USC players trying to get into with Oregon players in the tunnel after the game. More classless behavior from the leaderlesss Trojans.

Everyone else — not me — said this was the biggest game of the Riley Era, mainly because they all smelled blood from Oregon’s lackluster start to the season and sensed a big win coming.

Did USC play inspired? The defense gave up 504 yards offense, worse than any game last season. Did you see the back seven of the defense make plays consistently? I’ve written about them since January and apparently I’m the only one who saw them as a sore spot on the team.

Where was defensive coordinator Grandpa Patterson last night? Why isn’t USC throwing an array of blitzes at Oregon? How many reps did Dylan Raiola get in practice last week? USC rarely tested the backup QB and he made them look silly.

Here’s a play that shows how gutless Riley is. USC had the ball with a 4th-and-7 situation at its 49-yard line with 7:19 remaining. Oregon led, 34-27. A punt pins Oregon deep in its territory.

But Riley went for it because he had no faith in HIS defense. Oregon soon faced a 4th-and-3 at the USC 42 and went for it. Imagine if it were 4th-and-3 at the Ducks’ 25. They punt and USC has a chance to tie the game. Instead, the Ducks went for it and got the first down.

Riley went for it because he doesn’t believe in defensive stands or leading with your defense. He’s an Air Raid guy who just wants the ball back.

USC has allowed eight touchdown drives of 75 yards the past two games. All we hear about is the strength coach and the No. 1-ranked recruiting class. But teams are driving right down the field. Where are the in-game adjustments?

Remember how Riley said the new football building was making all the difference in the world? Does USC look different this year?

Which brings us to the fan journalists. They have been a constant chorus the entire offseason about how this is USC’s year. Just like their hero, Riley, they take no accountability. Instead, they are pointng fingers this weekend, conveniently forgetting everyone they said leading up to this moment.

It’s hard to be proud of a USC that plays with no class and little heart. But they are a perfect reflection of their coach.

31 thoughts on “My Analysis Of A Leaderless Effort Vs. Oregon”

  2. EVERYONE on this site needs to watch the Riley post game presser. As he was after LAST year’s loss to Oregon, he was asked ONE tough question and again he went into his angry, Faye Dunaway stare. He then went on to make comments about the game which only would’ve made sense if the game ended in 3 overtimes rather than a 2 TD loss. To wrap up he said “I live in reality, not fantasy.”

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    1. “I’m going to get past this one, get my a$$ up in the morning and go back to work and get ready to go suffer more with these guys. And again, you guys will say whatever you want to say outside. That’s your job. I get it. I respect it. I know we have a damn good football team in here, and we’re going to keep going.”

      And he lives in reality not fantasy ?

      BTW, why do you want to ” go suffer more ” ?????

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      2. And that roughing penalty was…shall we say, not an obvious one to call IMO, given the dozens of penalties, many that are obvious, that go uncalled.

        Off the top of my head, a dirty facemask on Wafle right after he made a tackle for a loss in the backfield, and that twisted his head (official was right there) , the third down holding and PI on KDW that was ruled incomplete, the official was right there, Bowman being held with two hands on two routes come to mind.

        Bad officiating is part of the game on both sides, but on 3rd and 10, late in 4th, competitive ballgame at that point, Abisiri had a head of steam, his hand is going for the ball, Raiola didn’t go down.

        However, not to excuse a terribly coached game, with one of the worst displays of sportsmanship I have ever seen by Stephens.

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  3. The combination of Stephens and the loss is an awful look for the HC. Virtually every sports page in the country, including the LA Times is either explicitly stating or implicitly suggesting Riley should be fired.

    I was grossly embarrassed by Stephens’ celebration and the sideline. That simply can’t be permitted, and that falls on the HC (and the DC).

    Riley is an OC, not an HC. He promised at his hiring that USC would be the “mecca of college football.”

    Pete Thamel reports that Riley’s buyout at the beginning of this year was $72 million. Apparently, Riley received a one-year extension for making the Pac-12 championship his first year.

    At the end of this season, the nominal buyout will be around $60 million, and USC should negotiate that down with his agent.

    The whole point of having a highly-paid athletics director is that they can find excellent coaches that are not marquis names, such as Cignetti, Jon Sumrall, the former Tulane coach who beat Riley, and he is now excelling at Florida. Even the gutties now have a real HC.

    This is the worst I have felt since Pete left.

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      2. Wanda Austin…a perfect example of how lack of leadership has been the scourge for USC for many years.

        C’mon Jen, do what you are supposed to do. Get an HC. And if the university refuses, then you should resign.

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    2. SC fires Puckers, hires a ” search firm “, at some hilarious price, they look at some washed up names, SC goes ” Yeah ” and it’s rinse and repeat. Maybe SC should think outside the box and look at coaches who have won at lower levels, built programs from squat, but that probably won’t happen.

      Would the BYU coach leave for SC ? He’s a tough SOB, his players play tough football, don’t know if he’s the guy but he’d be an improvement over Puckers, and what you saw last night with that SC thug wouldn’t happen under him, not a chance.

      And Puckers is NOT even a good OC. Good OC’s can score in the red zone, Puckers can’t because his flag football offense can’t function in short fields.

      I wouldn’t hire Puckers for anything.

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  4. The reason Patterson didn’t blitz? He tried it once and got burned. The last 2 games have shown us that no matter how many guys we send, we can’t get a sack…… and the guys behind them can’t cover.

    #SeemsLikeAProblem

    #[IfIWereGaryPattersonIWouldn’tDoInterviewsEither]

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  5. Riley went for it late because the ANALYTICS said that’s what you do. Analytics ??????????

    Guy has no clue, none.

    Is Washington beatable ? Yes, Will SC beat them ? Toss up.

    Same for Penn St, but it’s a road game and well all know how Puckers does on the road, same for Indiana ( not a good QB ) and Wisconsin, all roads games against beatable opponents, will SC win any of the games ?

    The Ohio State game is going to be a disaster.

    Maryland, winnable, but by then will the team even care ?

    ucla, loss and it might be a blowout loss.

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    1. Coach Riley [to the troops before UCLA game]: “Okay, we’ve lost our last half dozen games…. but this one is for the City…this one is about PRIDE.”

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  7. right on, wolfman! you saw this coming and are proven correct once again! not even the most rabid Fanboys, Homers and Company Men can dispute the iron in your words!! two points if i may:

    Patteson apparently has no ability to coach up or scheme up a way to exert any pressure on opposing QBs!! if i am correct SC has a total of 3 sacks in 5 games. the game was lost mostly because the OR back up sat back there unmolested with a perfect pocket and was able to step into his tosses, whereas Maiava was often throwing across his body or off back foot due to pressure!

    second thing is, i am seeing more and more video of Stephen’s antics on sidelines. how could it be with dozens of coaches and staff on the sidelines, NOT ONE had the guts to tell Stephens to shut up and sit down?? a bunch of spineless wimps!! wolfman, if i was A.D. i would call Riley onto my office and chew his ass so bad R. Lee Ermey would be embarrassed. and tell him if any of this ever happened again him and staff would be fired mid-game and escorted out of stadium!

    #Wolfman4A.D.

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  8. KAM: In about a 5-week period in October and November the SC football team travels to Penn St, Wisconsin and Indiana

    DON: In joining the Big-10 SC knew there would be traveling hardships but the money was too good

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    1. Is there some reason you’re leaving Carol Folt out? Forced us into Big Ten. Left us in serious debt. Hired one screwball embarrassment after another.

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