FOOTBALL

My Analysis Of A Complete Meltdown In Wisconsin

Before the season, I thought USC would probably lose to either Penn State or Wisconsin because those were games that Lincoln Riley really struggles winning.

But never in my wildest dreams would I imagine Wisconsin would hold Riley to 7 points, the first time in his 10-year-career his team failed to score double digits.

Wisconsin had 58 yards passing and only 200 yards of offense and still won by 17 points.

It was an extraordinary result but it simply illustrated all the things I have railed against Riley for years and showed why his time has been up for a long time despite the delusional faction of pundits (mentioned below) and fanboys who support him.

I’ve never liked the offensive lines under Riley. People swore all offseason this year was great because the entire line returned intact. USC rushed for 40 yards against Wisconsin when you took away the sack yardage.

That’s unforgiveable, especially when it can’t ever convert in short-yardage situations. People love to focus on the wide receivers but good teams win by running the ball. I’ll never understand why so many are blind to this deficit.

Even when USC was playing all those cupcakes at the outset of the season, I said the Trojans’ physicality was a problem despite all the offseason claims about the strength coach improving the team.

Wisconsin gave USC a no-nonsense whipping from a physicality standpoint. Their offense pushed the pile and really gave the Trojans problems on quarterback RPO plays. Their defense was easily superior.

Games are won at the line of scrimmage and Riley can’t handle these Big 10 teams that value strength. It’s a big reason he also struggled with Notre Dame and Oregon.

Here’ the other thing: I don’t think Riley tackles enough in practice or holds physical practices. USC just looks flat-footed too many times on defense and that’s a reason why things look the same no matter who is the defensive coordinator.

That doesn’t absolve Grandpa Patterson on that touchdown play where Wisconsin had four players defended by only two USC players. He didn’t have the defense aligned and didn’t call a timeout. Of course, the head coach should have called the timeout but he’s not paying attention to the defense.

Also: Wisconsin won without even testing the shoddy pass defense!

I keep saying Jayden Maiava struggles on the road. Oregon and Nebraska last year. Last night was a disaster. He cannot handle pressure.

Then the special teams. USC hired Mike Ekeler but every game has at least one blunder on special teams.

I could go on but let’s look at the big picture.

Where’s Joel Klatt, Yogi Roth, Josh Pate, RGIII and Colin Cowherd? All they do is glaze Riley. What will they say this week? They have repeatedly embarrassed themselves with their defenses of Riley.

I’m tired of hearing Riley and others say the culture has changed. The culture has not changed! It will never change under Riley. He has none of the leadership traits of John McKay or Pete Carroll.

USC could easily lose three more games in part because Riley is not a leader of men. He never rallies the troops. He doesn’t instill any belief.

Is USC stuck with him because of his grotesque buyout?

Well, a solution would be if Baylor or TCU came calling for the Texas native. Frankly, he’s probably calling them first.

But if he gets hired elsewhere, that salary could offset his buyout.

That is our best hope to remove this fraud from a football program that is crying out for much more of a leader than him.

37 thoughts on “My Analysis Of A Complete Meltdown In Wisconsin”

  2. Hi John, I gaht a kweshtion for u. Whut do u call a teem that looses to a tamater can?  Missus Ed wuz thnkn an emptee cerial box, I wuz thinkin a ding-dong or ho-ho wrappur. Thanks a lot.

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  4. Scott is dead on center mass again. It was a physical line of scrimmage beating. Wiley is an air raid 7-on-7 wants it to be a video game mindset type (we’ve seen it before and recently, lest anyone forget Harrellsbury under Helton). Nothing will change until they get the head coaching job right. And step one is obvious and overdue …

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    1. Im traveling and can’t master my new tablet so forgive a more garbled reply than usual…..folt carefully erected a second rate culture that spawned distress at every level….this team and it’s coach are products of that effort….urban Meyer could still save our sorry football program….but toxic usc ironically considers him toxic…

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  6. Sadly, this is so much worse than Clay Helton late in Helton’s tenure at USC.

    You got to give it Mr. Wolf, he saw this coming five years ago.

    Jason Eck or Spencer Danielson for next coach? The one characterstic that is needed for sure, a type A, alpha guy at the top of the organization. And somebody that doesn’t need a shoulder tapper.

    Wisconsin’s offense was almost identical versus the gutties, with 150 yards rushing, 60 yards passing, but they only scored 7 points that game.

    What was really inexcusable was zero adjustments against the Wisco pass rush. WTF was that about?

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    1. KAM: The Badgers defense recorded five sacks against quarterback Jayden Maiava in their dominant 24-7 upset victory over No. 16 USC. Wisconsin had only 12.0 team sacks through their first six games of the season before last night’s bonanza.

      DON: Heading into the matchup, the Trojans’ offensive front had only surrendered 7.0 sacks over their first six games. However, the Badgers’ constant pressure completely disrupted the pocket, nearly doubling USC’s season-long metric in a single evening!https://webmail.lerctr.org/~transit/healy/going.wav…

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      1. Not to mention the multiple grounding penalties (and at least two others that should have been called but they got away with on technicalities based on the ball landing near a receiver that Maiava never saw).

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    3. Riley is more offense smart than helton….and helton is more football smart than riley…..but neither of those statements rise to the level of a compliment….

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  7. KAM: Jen “Taco Lita” Cohen fiddles as the football program burns.

    DON: Meanwhile Oregon fires their OC after another abysmal outing in a loss to crummy Illinois Saturday.

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      2. A blind mancan see that Lincoln wasn’t cut out for this…..he may even beat Ohio state or Indiana….but he wasn’t cut out to be our coach IN THE PLAYOFF ERA…..

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  8. Pete is still teaching a class on campus isn’t he? No, I’m not suggesting bringing him back (although he would even in retirement do better than Wiley could in his dreams) … just wondering: he must pay at least a little attention, right? What must he be thinking about this? A thought or two about hammering Wiley’s air raid mentor not so big game Bob once upon a time?

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  9. Eck at New Mexico, Danielson at Boise, Stein at Kentucky, these guys deliver more with less talent.

    I hate to think what will happen versus Ohio State’s and Indiana’s D lines.

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  10. Scott, your assessment is correct and it was demonstrated on the field of play last night. The play fake up the middle and QB running free around end was a staple of their offense that should have been on all of the film that Patterson supposedly watches for hours on end, yet the D end for USC came crashing in to stop the fake every time instead of watching the QB. That is a lack of coaching preparation. Running a special teams player on the field at the last second to allow the defense to do the same and not calling a TO Prevented a FG with the five yard loss. That is all on coaching malpractice. why were seven defensive players in pass defense when Wisconsin was not passing and is a running team….that is coaching stupidity. No quick passing game consistently and no running attack except the same run up the middle on first down is a lack of coaching. Like you, this game proved that LR should be fired immediately. I still hope that we can beat UCLA and Maryland because this coaching staff will never beat OSU or Indiana who have real head coaches. But, regardless of any late season wins even over UCLA, LR has to go sooner rather than later. For the sake of the players who have had to put up with incompetent coaching, I hope that they can win at least one meaningful game for their self pride before they move on. Still fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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    1. Absolutely – the seniors deserve better leadership. Let them go out with a signature win. But that can’t happen with Mr. Skinny Jeans at the help.

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      2. KAM: Riley Coyote is trending on X, and SI’s Bryan Fischer just called for his head:

        Lincoln Riley Has Run Out of Time at USC

        After the Trojans’ debacle against Wisconsin, it’s clear their five-season investment in the head coach is falling far short of their lofty ambitions and a fresh start is needed.

        DON: The heat is on!

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      3. Lincoln spits pneumonia saliva on heat…..speaking of which, I bet he feels a case coming on…

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  11. Wolf, you did not like Pete.

    You called h8m Caesar.

    Stop being a fraud yourself.

    If SC happens to win the next 2 difficult game, what will be your narrative then?

    This was a trap game but no excuses coming off a bye. Dominating stats but losing by 21 is tough.

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  12. Facts are stubborn things, and well – Scott just brought the facts.That game was a demonstration of physical dominance.It took so very little in terms of high octane talent, which of course USC has in abundance.The Riley flying circus is a dismal failure.I loved Mike Leach (as a personality) I can’t stand Graham Harrell or any other disciple of the air raid offense.It’s just a cheap alternative to good blocking – and also an admission that your O-line can’t cut it. I’ve had quite enough, thank you. When Bucket drops by, tell him I said, “Thank you sir – may I have another!”

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