The downfall of USC football means the vultures are swooping in. The national talkers and commentators are having a field day, reveling in the Trojans’ demise. Paul Finebaum spared no feelings in his critique of Lincoln Riley.
The SEC Network host took a blowtorch to Riley during this week’s episode of “The Matt Barrie Show” on ESPN YouTube.
After USC’s season came to a close with a 38-20 loss to UCLA on Saturday, Finebaum called Riley a “total fraud” and suggested he should be on the hot seat in Los Angeles.
Heading into the 2023 season, Riley’s USC squad — led by 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams on offense and Bear Alexander on defense — was expected to avenge their Pac-12 title game loss from a year ago and maybe appear in the College Football Playoff. USC didn’t come remotely close to that standard, finishing 7-5. The Trojans lost their five most important games of their season. They went 0-2 in their rivalry games against UCLA and Notre Dame. They went 0-3 against their foremost competitors in the Pac-12: Utah, Oregon, and Washington.
Pundits are ripping Riley left and right. USC is taking a lot of punches right now. The Trojans need a top defensive coordinator and other staff changes if they want to punch back in 2024.
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