Vanducky No. 1 Share Posted December 19, 2023 Fun read in the Athletic today about USC's cataclysmic season (What went wrong for Lincoln Riley and USC in 2023? ‘Something’s really off there’). Numerous Pac-12 coaches anonymously shred Riley's defense in what should be required reading for any defensive recruits considering that clown show. Some highlights: Quote “It was like a bunch of mercenaries, just trying to get their own stats,” a Pac-12 head coach said. “They were all over the place. You’d toss it outside, and you’d see their guys going all over the place, so undisciplined. It was unbelievable. You had no idea what they were trying to get done.” ... The coaching staff either didn’t evaluate properly or mismanaged the talent. Pick your poison. ... “I’d gone up against Grinch before. It was aggressive, but it was sound,” one Pac-12 offensive coordinator said. “This wasn’t that. This was one of the worst defenses we’ve faced.” 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrw Moderator No. 2 Share Posted December 19, 2023 The dreaded pay wall. Too bad, because I love stories of poor management in any area, but tales of USC football dysfunction are especially gratifying. And, they still think they're the best and the brightest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanducky Author No. 3 Share Posted December 19, 2023 For those without access, here are a couple more that relate to UO and Lanning's culture: Quote “That program was always about being physical,” one Pac-12 assistant said. “That’s something they have thrived on, but they just didn’t show it anymore. If they came downhill at us, we wouldn’t have been able to hold up. Oregon would knock you around. That’s what they want to do. USC didn’t even try to.” ... All of that highlights the questions that coaches and staffers along the West Coast have about building a strong culture at USC. “I don’t know if the priorities of everyone in that building, especially in the locker room, will ever match up to what it was like under Pete back in the early 2000s,” one Pac-12 staffer said. “There’s just so much going on with NIL, all the distractions in L.A. Like, I don’t know if everyone in that building will all have football as priority No. 1. Whereas at Oregon, there’s nothing else to do out there … besides play football and win. They have everyone on the same page.” Play football and win! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrw Moderator No. 4 Share Posted December 19, 2023 On 12/19/2023 at 1:33 PM, Vanducky said: Whereas at Oregon, there’s nothing else to do out there Hey, DAT used to go fishing. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 5 Share Posted December 19, 2023 One has to wonder if Lincoln Riley is another Mark Helfrich. An offensive wonderkind but lacks the skills to truly build a football program... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augduck No. 6 Share Posted December 19, 2023 On 12/19/2023 at 1:41 PM, kirklandduck said: One has to wonder if Lincoln Riley is another Mark Helfrich. An offensive wonderkind but lacks the skills to truly build a football program... Funny you should say this. I remember watching the UO/USC game in Nov and thnking this reminds me the Mark Helfrich days. Says all the right things, has some recruiting chops but can't put it all together. Time will tell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 7 Share Posted December 19, 2023 When it comes to having fun with USC.... 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennsylvania Duck Moderator No. 8 Share Posted December 19, 2023 Malachi Nelson's departure creates many QB questions for USC and Lincoln Riley The USC Trojans are going through a ton of changes right now. One is at the quarterback position. Five-star recruit Malachi Nelson, who was injured in the spring and was not able to get many snaps behind Caleb Williams in his freshman season, has decided to enter the transfer portal. This leaves Miller Moss as USC’s only option for the Holiday Bowl against Louisville. Beyond that, it creates a lot of questions regarding USC’s activity in the portal and the Trojans’ future at the position. We’re going to give you the immediate social media reaction to Nelson’s departure, followed by analysis of what this means for USC football and Lincoln Riley. There’s a lot to sort out here... Malachi Nelson exit raises questions for Will Howard and Maalik Murphy TROJANSWIRE.USATODAY.COM There are a lot of details which need to be addressed here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
