Look at the difference between Lincoln Riley and Kenny Dillingham. Riley has talked a lot about the importance of NIL and how USC needed to increase its budget to compete. Dillingham, on the other hand, shows how to survive/thrive without a huge NIL budget. “Nobody comes here cause they get paid more money. So, if you’re a recruit, I’m sorry. You come here because you … Continue reading USC Saturday Buzz: Lincoln Riley Vs. Kenny Dillingham

Eric Musselman said after USC upset Michigan State last week that he and his staff try to eat lunch on campus every day to connect with students. I ran a picture of Musselman and his staff having lunch at Il Giordano at the USC Village with Tounde Yessoufou, the No. 16-ranked player in the nation (he committed to Baylor). Can anyone imagine our boy, Sir … Continue reading If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column

Did you see this quote from new USC cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed? “I like guys that, man, I don’t have to tell you to go bite . . , if you got a guard dog in your house, and you gotta tell him when to bite the people who breaking in? I don’t think that’s a guard dog.” A Big Ten coach who saw it … Continue reading USC Quote Of The Day

Why do people still take what Lincoln Riley says seriously? Remember when he said in 2023 after USC nearly choked away a big lead against Colorado that things were not the same as the previous year, “not to the trained eye, not to a coach.” Yesterday, he said the new staff/coaching hires proved trained people see USC’s progress as a program. “They see things that, … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Lincoln Riley Has Odd View Of Progress

Lincoln Riley said today that new general manager Chad Bowden and his hand-picked team will “run the show” with recruiting for USC. This aligns with what I said this morning about Bowden’s power. Bowden then said USC will focus more on high school recruiting than the transfer portal and make recruiting in California a top priority. You can see the changes from what Riley’s preferred … Continue reading The Riley-Bowden Power Structure Takes Shape

The USC football program is undergoing a transformation and it’s more dramatic than being portrayed. Athletic director Jen Cohen, who has kept a low-public profile, is aggressively making moves behind the scenes. Sources said Cohen hired new USC general manager Chad Bowden and gave him a mandate to run things. They said Cohen is privately frustrated with Riley and the huge contract that Mike Bohn … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Jen Cohen Makes Strong Moves With Football