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

USC general manager Chad Bowden has hired Max Stienecker to be executive director of player personnel. Steinecker was the general manager at Wisconsin and was at Cincinnati, where Bowden also worked. Here’s the news: Bowden has now hired three people and removed one person and Lincoln Riley is basically an outsider on these moves. I’m going to write about something important tomorrow but Bowden’s got … Continue reading USC General Manager Putting Stamp On Program

I wrote the other day about a USC player wanting to wear No. 55. A reader wrote asking if I thought the player deserved it. My response: Not if they average a few tackles a game. You either come in as a five-star, can’t miss prospect or you have a great season at USC. Remember that Chris Claiborne came to USC wearing No. 55 and … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Standards Must Be Upheld

Did anyone doubt Pete Carroll would hire his sons to coach with the Raiders? His son, Brennan, was just hired as offensive line coach. He was the offensive line coach with the Washington Huskies. Some thought he might stay with the Huskies to continue to forge a path away from his father. But . . . no. Next up? His son, Nate, who was recently … Continue reading The Least Surprising Hire Of The Day

It’s no secret that Lincoln Riley is no friend of tradition to USC football. Just look at his feelings toward the Notre Dame rivalry, which is lukewarm at best. But a former staffer said that Riley was against hosting recruiting dinners with great players from USC’s past. Most schools try to bring out their biggest former stars to recruiting dinners where high school players rub … Continue reading Morning Buzz: Does USC Tradition Matter Anymore?