The truth can be harsh. The truth can be something no one wants to hear. However, when a football program is in a downward spiral, uncomfortable assessments are going to be made. Should people instantly and automatically take negative evaluations as Gospel truth? No. However, harsh criticism in the midst of failure can’t be completely ignored or pushed aside, either. Is there truth in the assessment? When everything is falling apart, negativity has to be listened to — not trusted, but taken seriously. Is there wisdom in the harsh view of what’s actually going on? Such is reality for USC football and Lincoln Riley right now.
USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer compared Lincoln Riley to Jimbo Fisher, who bombed at Texas A&M after coming to AggieLand with gleaming credentials and significant successes on his resume at Florida State:
Riley’s tenure emits a whiff of Jimbo.
The Trojans, like the Aggies, invested too much in this coach to fire him at the first or even the second sign of trouble. So, you muddle on, telling yourself it’s going to get better, it must get better, you’ve seen this guy do it, … until you finally realize you paid for a coach who inexplicably vaporized into a mist of mediocrity.
The Aggies redefined the standard for high-end coaching contracts when they awarded Fisher a 10-year, $75 million fully guaranteed contract to hire him from Florida State. The hire seemed like a slam dunk, and the Aggies foolishly doubled down with an even richer contract after Fisher’s third season.
Where the similarities begin and end is something USC and athletic director Jen Cohen need to figure out … before it’s too late.
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