FOOTBALL

My Analysis Of A Disorganized USC Program That Narrowly Escaped Vs. Washington

Sometimes, it is necessary to step back and state the obvious in order to look at the big picture.

USC is in Year 5 of the Lincoln Riley Era. He said before the season everything was in order for the program to flourish and set up to be a nationally relevant program.

With that said, look at USC. It is a disjointed team. It is undisciplined. It is not physically imposing. It does not tackle well. The basics of football often elude it.

Simply put, it does not look like a team that could beat any competent team in the nation. You can see why Riley wants no part of Notre Dame. The Irish would dismantle pretenders like the Trojans.

The Greek chorus spent the past 10 months telling us about the superstars and amazing collection of talent assembled by this fantastic coaching staff. Has it looked like it at any point this season?

Instead, it has bad habits ingrained into its core. People expected USC to be angry and blow out struggling Washington by showing its true character traits. But what we got (again) was another inconsistent performance that nearly turned into a devastating last-minute loss.

That is what this team is: A reflection of its coach, who cannot inspire, lead or produce fundamentally sound football.

Does he even respect the integrity of the game, forcing true freshman QB Jonas Williams into the game on two-point plays?

While the media wrote (with Riley’s blessing) that Jayden Maiava had made a huge improvement in the offseason and was ready for the national spotlight, I wrote on this blog and even in Lindy’s magazine that you never know which Maiava you will get, and too often he produced indifferent efforts.

Every year, we have to hear about the penalties that kill drives, prolong the other team’s drives and just destroy momentum.

People were shocked at the tackling on the sideline on the 42-yard TD by Decker DeGraaf. Did they watch the TCU game? The same thing happened there too.

How does a senior safety get burned on a 43-yard completion on fourth-and-2 in the final two minutes?

Why does everyone call general manager Chad Bowden a genius? Yes, he helped compile the No. 1-ranked recruiting class.

But he did it at a cost. Bowden screwed up by not being more active in the transfer portal. It’s obvious USC needed more help at linebacker and defensive back. Did it really need 35 freshmen? How about 30 freshmen and five more transfers?

No, the staff were too obsessed with bringing in the huge freshmen class. How many are making a significant impact? It needed more transfers.

The only good part Saturday is that a segment of fans (mostly students) have finally had enough and started to voice their displeasure. It’s long overdue.

56 thoughts on “My Analysis Of A Disorganized USC Program That Narrowly Escaped Vs. Washington”

  1. wolfman you know these trOjies better than anyone, what you say is true as rain, yet somehow they are 5-1 and still in contention. as a true romantic, i am still pulling for a SC-Gutty showdown with both teams poised for the playoffs! it will take a lot of luck, but it is still in play!! a nice escape against WA can build some momentum! wolfmn i’m counting on you to motivate the trOJies to make it!!!

    #AskingTooMuch??

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    1. Yes. .It’s asking WAY too much, Charlie.

      I saw the light last night.

      USC is, at best, a top 25 team. It is not a playoff team. Jayden is, at most, a top 25 QB —- he won’t be drafted in the first or second round.

      We Trojans should be happy when this team wins. They are doing the best they can. They aren’t capable of doing more. Same goes for our coaching staff.

      Time to face reality.

      Liked by 4 people

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      1. P. S.

        The only bad thing about Riley is: he KNOWS all this. That’s why he didn’t wanna face Notre Dame.

        #HeShouldn’tHaveSaidAnythingAbout”OpenWindows”

        Liked by 3 people

      4. My only condition: that I can pick one of wolfman’s cheer-groupies to stand in as my Dulcinea.

        #PureAndChateFromAfar

        Liked by 2 people

  2. KAM: The Trojan Daily blog said about Scott Wolf that Scott has an “irrelevant trademark negative approach” to USC

    DON: They also claim to have more thoughtful posters than Wolf’s

    Liked by 2 people

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      4. Daily Trojan to Scott [for criticizing worst defensive play in last dozen years of college football]:

        #”Everything is ‘no’ with you.”

        Like

    2. KAM: Has the thoughtful Rah Rah Trojan Daily Blog ever been right about USC football the last 2 decades? Besides the 9 layer bean dip at the tailgate parties, that is….

      DON: What is there to be negative about? Besides USC becoming irrelevant in college football over the last 21 years and going through 6 head coaches and 4 ADs and the team getting worse in Year 5 of $110 Million Dollar Man Riley Coyote?

      Liked by 3 people

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  3. It was a joke of a game, this reminded me of Helton’s 2017 opening game vs. Western Michigan. And a lot more Helton games.

    Hate to admit it, I was a stinkin’ fan boy when Riley was hired. I saw that Grinch turned the defense around in one season at Oklahoma, and I saw that Riley was 15-6 vs. ranked opponents at Oklahoma, and I figured that all he needed was the draw of USC and that he would deliver top 5 teams.

    And speaking of bad officiating, check out this video. Alani Noa gets the 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, just trying to protect Jaden from a totally over-the-top blindside cheap shot.

    https://x.com/CoachDanCasey/status/2106552663877861828

    Liked by 3 people

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      1. Speaking of officiating, Washington got credit for two long runs when multiple USC linemen were being held by their jersey sleeves …it was impossible to miss….

        Liked by 2 people

    1. We lost a couple of guys, including our veteran center —but that’s no excuse for the blocking on every pass play, two point conversion and Jayden’s only called run….

      Liked by 2 people

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  6. “People expected USC to be angry and blow out struggling Washington by showing its true character traits.”

    It’s not that some of us thought we would be “showing our true character traits”. It’s that we thought UW was really bad.

    What we showed is, we’re not much better…if at all.

    Liked by 5 people

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  8. Think about this.

    SC is a 99 yard int return and a 48 fumble return from being 0-3 in the Big 10.

    Rutgers goes in a scores, SC loses, not to mention the Rutgers DB who clanked an INT in the endzone or SC doesn’t score there.

    Last night, if Bubba doesn’t rumble in from 48 out, SC loses.

    Sadly, Baylor won and is now 4-1, unless they lose out Aranda isn’t going anywhere, SC has no one to foot Riley’s buyout, no NFL GM with a brain would hire Riley to do anything.

    Yes, Penn State is awful, but it’s a road game at 7:30 at night, and we all know how Riley does on the road.

    USC football is D E A D

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Take away the 99-yard interception and Stewart’s 48-yard fumble recovery to a td and you have an entirely different ballgame and minset with SC not necessarily losing either game

      Liked by 2 people

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  10. Our next coach needs to be paid as follows:

    $600K per conference win

    $300K per non-conference win, unless it’s a ranked opponent. Then, the $600K applies.

    $750K for a non-CFP bowl win

    $1M for a CFP win in the first two rounds

    $2M for an NC win.

    That way, he will have EARNED his $11M!

    Liked by 4 people

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    3. You win your 3 conference games (unranked opponents) and 7 of your 9 conference games, you get $5.1M! There are a lot of coaches who wouldn’t mind that.

      Then you add the potential to more than double it?! Yes. Some would be up for the challenge.

      No more than a 3 year contract to start.

      Liked by 2 people

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  11. DON: What is disconcerting is how SC’s offense was outscored 21-19

    KAM: If they wish to remain happy after visiting Happy Valley then they will need more points than 19

    Liked by 2 people

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  13. DON: The “For the Rose Bowl games’ between SC-ucla are reserved for yesteryears, probably never to be repeated

    KAM: It was easier to win in the Pac-12 days than the current Big-10

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Guess the voters weren’t impressed with our safeties waving to that Washington Tight End as he ran by them for a 42 yard touchdown…..

      …or Jayden overthrowing a receiver on the easy play to end the game….

      Liked by 3 people

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    2. People [not experienced with football] watching that play would have NO idea what football is about or how it is played…

      #”SoYouTryToPutAHandOnTheRunnerAsHeRunsBy?”

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. Mora got tired of 50 points being scored against him week after week…

      #UnfortunatelyForMoraThingsGotWORSEAfterThat……

      #[IGuessMoraDoesn’t”OWN”AnythingAnyMore]….

      Liked by 1 person

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  17. Wolfman, bolted upright in bed last night with a Eureka moment…dreamed up a simple yet effective way to solve SC’s coaching woes…hire a new Co-head coach who will have all play calling responsibilities. Inform Lil’ Lord his duty is to stand next to new coach on sidelines for whole game to advise. Give the new coach a 1yr 100k non-guaranteed contract. The overly proud Riley will vamoose, no buy-out required. Hire co-coaches for any of his bloated staff who remain. Lawsuit, sure, but cheaper than $77mil, and I know for a fact MickeyG will take the case for a case of Johnnie Walker Blue Label (or possibly a 7-11 Gift Certificate).

    #It’sPureUnadulteratedGenius

    Liked by 2 people

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