The fascinating part of this USC-Notre Dame game is that one team is likely to hit rock bottom. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s likely.
Either USC’s defense fails to stop a struggling Notre Dame offense, which will create fresh outrage from the Trojan fan base and turn up the heat on Alex Grinch, or Notre Dame’s offense fails to thrive against a struggling USC defense. If that latter scenario unfolds, Irish fans will want offensive coordinator Gerad Parker to be fired.
Fighting Irish Wire editor Nick Shepkowski told us, “I’m very curious when Notre Dame has the ball. Everyone has moved the ball and scored on USC this year. Notre Dame hasn’t against Power Five programs. If it doesn’t happen Saturday night then it’s not happening this year, and that is simply inexcusable.”
We can’t avoid noticing how fascinating this storyline is. Grinch versus Parker. Let’s be honest: It’s two of the worst coordinators in the country, going up against each other. If one smokes the other, it will be a supreme humiliation for the loser, and the kind of moment which will make fans think (correctly) that the loser needs to be fired immediately and sent to the corner of the classroom to contemplate just how bad he is.
*
Follow Fighting Irish Wire for more on Notre Dame as the Irish prepare to face USC.
Follow Buffaloes Wire for complete coverage of Deion Sanders and Colorado.
Follow Ducks Wire for coverage of Oregon football leading into the big game against Washington on October 14.
Prominent Pac-12 sports journalist thinks USC is likely to fire Alex Grinch before season’s end.
USC and Lincoln Riley need to have a plan in place if Alex Grinch coaches poorly and loses to Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator might actually be worse than Alex Grinch, a fascinating plot point heading into the October 14 renewal of Irish-Trojans.
Brent Venables is coaching Oklahoma far better this year than Lincoln Riley is coaching USC. It’s up to Riley to change that reality against Notre Dame and Utah.