Tag: lincoln riley

Former USC players react to John Robinson’s death

Marcus Allen, Ronnie Lott, Anthony Munoz, and the other great players John Robinson coached at USC reacted to the legendary coach’s death at age 89.

On Monday, legendary USC football head coach John Robinson passed away at the age of 89. Upon learning of the news, several of Robinson’s former USC players chimed in with their memories of the coach.

1981 Heisman Trophy Winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen

“Words are inadequate for a person that has impacted your life in such a way; you can’t even describe it. The impact John had on his players, particularly myself, is so deep and profound. Knowing him was life-changing.

He was a great man and a great coach. I love him so much. He was one of the greatest teachers, motivators and psychologists of all-time. Everything we were on the field was a reflection of him.

John Robinson is one of the greatest Trojans ever. I always wanted to go to USC, and my time there was better than I could’ve ever imagined – and he made it special.

It’s a sad day, but it’s also a day of celebration of a great man.”

All-America Safety and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott

“Coach Robinson was one of the greatest college coaches ever, and his love for USC and his love for the game of football was second to none. I’ve always felt that while playing for him, he gave us the ability to feel like we were larger than life. And his commitment to making sure that we had more than just football in our lives was so superior. This is a sad day for all of the Trojans that played for him, but it’s a great day for God that He has one of the best coaches ever right by his side.”

All-America Quarterback Paul McDonald

“It’s a sad day for the Trojan Family, a legend is gone and he will be missed. I remember my first team meeting under Coach Robinson during training camp. He wrote our goals on the board: ‘Beat UCLA, Beat Notre Dame, Win the Rose Bowl, Win a National Championship.’ My initial reaction was, ‘Whoa, the bar is very high here!’

Coach Robinson was very demanding, but in a human way. He had great interpersonal skills, and he knew how to connect with people. He made you want to play hard for him and to run through walls. You cared for him because he cared so much for you.”

Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz

“When I think about John Robinson, I think about the impact he had on us, not only as football players but as individuals. I think about the things I learned at USC: how to prepare and how to compete. Those are things you need not just in football, but also in life. Those are true life lessons that were taught to us under John Robinson.”

All-America Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson

“Rip Coach!

If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to live the Dream I’ve been living 🙏🏾

#FightOnForever”

Current USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley

“It’s a tough day. One of the greatest things at our university and our football program is honoring all of the greats that have come before – the coaches, the players and everyone that has made this place special. Days like this are especially tough, but we can remember all the memories and incredible accomplishments that Coach Robinson was a part of here at USC. From our entire football family, we want to offer his family condolences and let them know that we appreciate Coach, and he will forever be a huge part of USC football.”

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The brutal truth is that UCLA’s DeShaun Foster has outcoached Lincoln Riley

No one can debate that DeShaun Foster has gotten more out of minimal UCLA talent than Lincoln Riley has extracted from his USC team in 2024.

Few if any people thought this would happen before the 2024 college football season began, but at this point, we have to admit it is true and reflects reality. Yes, UCLA football coach DeShaun Foster has outcoached USC football boss Lincoln Riley in 2024. It feels jarring and disorienting to say it, but it’s true. How can it not be? UCLA has a chance to make a bowl game this season, something which didn’t seem very likely when the Bruins stumbled early and faced a daunting Big Ten schedule. USC started 2-0 this season and seemed to have a chance to achieve something. Yet, everything has spiraled for USC, all while UCLA has made steady improvements.

UCLA has done something USC has not done this season: Win a Big Ten road game. Moreover, UCLA has done so multiple times, winning at both Rutgers and Nebraska. UCLA has also beaten Iowa, all while USC has failed to beat Maryland and Minnesota. You can’t say UCLA has had an easier schedule than USC in the Big Ten, yet the Bruins and Trojans have carved out relatively similar resumes. This much is clear, too: UCLA has overperformed expectations while USC has underperformed, and it’s not even close.

There’s only one question left: Can Foster and UCLA actually beat USC and Riley later this month? That would be the ultimate humiliation for the Trojans if it happens.

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USC President Carol Folt plans to retire in 2025, and Lincoln Riley is paying attention

Carol Folt retiring in 2025 will focus attention on the new USC president’s view — and handling — of the Lincoln Riley situation with Trojan football.

On Friday, USC President Carol Folt announced that she would retire at the end of the academic year, which is in the summer of 2025. Folt’s legacy as a steward of USC football will earn mixed reviews, but this much needs to be said: USC successfully hiring Lincoln Riley in November of 2021 showed that Folt cared about football success more than a lot of her fiercest critics thought she did. Folt received a lot of apologies — and goodwill — from USC fans after the Riley hire. Until then, a lot of USC fans and alumni reasonably thought she didn’t care about the sport, given that Clay Helton stayed on the job far too long.

Lincoln Riley knows that the next USC president will step into a situation where Riley will be coaching under intense pressure. This season is a bust. The 2025 season needs to deliver the goods; it always did need to become a strong statement about the health of USC football. Riley was always going to need a big 2025 at USC. Now, with a new president coming in the door next year, it becomes even more important for Riley to correct the mistakes and address the shortcomings we have seen this season at USC. His buyout is still large, which might mean he will coach USC in 2026 regardless of who becomes president, but a change in leadership is certainly a plot point to pay attention to for the USC football program and its embattled head coach.

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The big loser in USC football’s quarterback change? Eric Musselman

Eric Musselman and USC are 2-0, but the football team was still the big story of the week due to its QB change. It’s a reminder about what gets the headlines.

Monday night at USC basketball was supposed to be all about Eric Musselman. Coaching his first game in charge of the USC men’s basketball program, the “Muss Bus” impressed in his debut. The Trojans dominated UT Chattanooga in a wire-to-wire 77-51 victory. Unfortunately for Musselman, however, he only had the spotlight for barely an hour after the game ended. That was because around 10 p.m. local time on Monday night in Los Angeles, it was reported that the football team was making a change at quarterback, and turning to Jayden Maiava to start against Nebraska.

Suddenly, Musselman and the basketball team were pushed to the back page. With the attention of USC fans naturally turning toward the big football news, they quickly forgot about the impressive performance from Musselman’s team in a game they had just watched.

Oh, and to top it all off, there was an election the next day — that was kind of important.

Fortunately for Musselman, Monday was only the first game of a long season. He and his team will have plenty of other opportunities to play their way back into the spotlight. USC beat Idaho State on Thursday in a game which was not on national television. It’s just as well: USC didn’t play particularly well. Yet, the Trojans are 2-0 and are trying to build something special under Musselman.

For the time being, however, being pushed aside by football in the news cycle must have been at least a little bit frustrating for the new head coach.

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USC QB change needs to be a turning point for Lincoln Riley in one specific way

Lincoln Riley has not made a mistake by waiting to start Jayden Maiava, but there is something Riley can learn for the future. Let’s have a discussion about that.

The USC football story of the week, the quarterback change from Miller Moss to Jayden Maiava, is an important move by Lincoln Riley. It makes sense on some obvious levels, chiefly because Riley and USC needed to get a look at Maiava before the end of the season. USC isn’t playing for a championship. It can afford to give Maiava the keys to the car and see how the offense performs.

This move isn’t being made primarily to help USC win. That’s part of the calculus, but it’s not the main reason. Riley is giving Maiava a chance to compile game tape and presumably keep him within the program in 2025. Not playing Maiava might lead the quarterback to transfer out of USC. Riley doesn’t want that, and he can’t afford that. Winning on Saturday is secondary, not primary, in this calculus.

This brings up a point: While Riley should not be criticized for waiting this long to start Maiava, we can point out that having two quarterbacks with different skill sets could be turned into a tactical advantage.

Miller Moss can have a package for him. Jayden Maiava can have his own package of plays. Both could play and give USC more versatility.

Consider this: When USC got stuffed near the goal line by Washington last Saturday, imagine what might have been different if Maiava, a dual-threat quarterback, had been on the field. Washington couldn’t crash down against the run as aggressively, knowing a Maiava bootleg was a possibility.

We’re not criticizing Riley for how he handled his quarterbacks this year, but we are pointing out that in the future, if Riley doesn’t have a Caleb Williams-level superstar at quarterback, he could consider using two different guys in specific situations with specific packages. He could optimize his resources and get more from his offense. That’s our modest point.

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Trojans take center stage on Sunday Night Football

Sam Darnold and Michael Pittman were able to share the field on a very special USC Sunday night in the NFL.

On Sunday evening, the Indianapolis Colts battled the Minnesota Vikings in a nationally-televised NFL showdown. For USC football fans, it was an opportunity to watch several of their former stars in the spotlight. They took hold of the spotlight and didn’t let it go.

Former USC quarterback Sam Darnold had an impressive evening for the Vikings. He completed 28 of his 34 pass attempts for 290 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions, leading Minnesota to a 21-13 win.

Perhaps Darnold’s most impressive play of the night was a touchdown he threw on the run. Under pressure by several Indianapolis defenders, Darnold rolled to his right and delivered a dime to fellow Trojan Jordan Addison, who hauled in a diving catch in the corner of the end zone.

Addison finished the game with five receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. He also added a nine-yard carry on the ground.

Meanwhile for the Colts, fellow former USC wideout Michael Pittman Jr. had a relatively quiet night. The 2019 Biletnikoff Award finalist caught just one pass for 14 yards.

Darnold and Pittman were teammates for two seasons at USC. They connected on several big plays during their time together in Cardinal and Gold, perhaps none bigger than a deep ball down the sideline during the 2017 Pac-12 Championship Game against Stanford.

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Timing was important in USC quarterback change

One reason for this USC quarterback switch from Miller Moss to Jayden Maiava really stands out. It reinforces why this was the right time to make the move.

On Monday night, it was reported that USC will be making a change at quarterback. After redshirt junior starter Miller Moss struggled in a loss at Washington, the Trojans will turn to redshirt sophomore UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava when they take on Nebraska.

While segments of the fan base had been calling on head coach Lincoln Riley to make a quarterback change for several weeks prior, the timing was seemingly challenging. After Moss had an up-and-down day in a loss at Maryland, the Trojans had a short week, returning to the field just five days later against Rutgers.

Against the Scarlet Knights, Moss played well, completing 20 of 28 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. It was enough to silence the doubters for at least a week. On the road in Seattle, however, he threw three interceptions in a 26-21 loss, once again raising questions about his future as the starter.

There is no good time to make an in-season quarterback change, but with the Trojans having a break this upcoming week, it is about the least bad timing they could ask for. Maiava will have a full two weeks of practice before his first start in Cardinal and Gold.

Further, USC will not leave Los Angeles County again this regular season. The Trojans will play two of their final three games at home, with the one “road” game coming against crosstown rival UCLA at the Rose Bowl. Hence, Maiava will not be thrown into any truly hostile environments the rest of the year.

It is obviously a tough break for Moss, who opened the season by leading the Trojans to a signature victory over LSU and had been having a solid season overall. Yet, with USC sitting at 4-5, Riley desperately needed to switch something up in order to potentially make a bowl game and salvage something out of what has been a lost season.

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National columnist says Miller Moss is taking the fall for Lincoln Riley at USC

Miller Moss is not the problem with the USC Trojans’ struggles, rather Lincoln Riley is covering up his own failure.

After starting the season 3-1 and moving up to No. 11 in the AP Poll, the USC Trojans plummeted with losses to Minnesota, Penn State, and Maryland. The Trojans are just 1-3 in their last four games, but the weight of the struggle seems to have fallen on the wrong shoulders.

It was announced earlier this week that quarterback Miller Moss lost the starting job to transfer Jayden Maiava, but Moss and the offense are not entirely the problem. The Trojans have scored 21 or more points in eight of their nine games this season while scoring 28 or more in three of their last four.

This season, Moss has a 64.3% completion rate with 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Four players — Woody Marks, Makai Lemon, Zachariah Branch, and Ja’Kobi Lane — all have 32 or more receptions, while Lane (5) and Lemon (3) are amongst the teams’ top TD targets.

The Trojans rank fifth in points scored this season in the Big Ten behind Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana.

While the offense surely has room to improve, it is clearly still performing at high levels, which begs the question: Is Lincoln Riley just using Miller Moss as a scapegoat to cover up his atrocity of a season?

College football columnist Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire makes a good point when he notes that the quarterback is far from the only reason USC has struggled in 2024. This is not a one-man problem:

Moss didn’t play particularly well in their last game against the Washington Huskies, turning the ball over with three interceptions. Moss doesn’t have terrible numbers by any stretch but this feels like someone having to take the fall. Maiava could provide a spark for this team but even when the quarterback play has been good, this team has found ways to lose.

USC has lost as a team this year, meaning that in the games USC lost, the blame generally couldn’t be placed on any one player or position group. Some position groups have been more disappointing than others, but a little bit of everything has gone wrong in these games. To an extent, the move to Jayden Maiava might be Lincoln Riley’s way of hoping that the other USC players will step up to help their quarterback.

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Lincoln Riley benches Miller Moss as Jayden Maiava gets the start vs Nebraska

Quarterback Jayden Maiava will start for the Trojans in their upcoming matchup against Nebraska, replacing Miller Moss.

Here’s a big story in the world of USC football: It has been confirmed that Jayden Maiava will be promoted to starting quraterback when USC faces Nebraska in two weeks. Lincoln Riley benching Miller Moss is a decision that comes with some questions.

An obvious first question is this: Why are the Trojans allowing Nebraska two weeks’ notice to game-plan for the change?

Miller Moss and Maiava have different play styles, so releasing this news so early gives an unnecessary advantage to Nebraska in being able to plan for the change.

In terms of head coach Lincoln Riley, it seems as though this move can only negatively impact him.

If Maiava can turn around the team and his promotion to starter is positive, we will be forced to ask why Riley waited so long to make the change.

If the change is for the worse, Trojan fans will feel further confirmation that Riley needs to go and does not have what it takes to turn this program around.

One thing is clear: At least this team is trying. At least the coaching staff has not thrown in the towel, even though the season has not gone the way anybody hoped. Whether Maiava will be a positive change is yet to be seen, but developing the sophomore transfer against a beatable Nebraska team is something that should get fans excited.

Former USC QB offers perspective on Trojans’ tough season

Former USC quarterback Max Browne talks about the process the Trojans need to follow in order to restore the toughness they have lost.

It is no secret that USC’s 2024 season under Lincoln Riley has not gone according to plan. After another frustrating loss on Saturday, the Trojans now sit at 4-5 and need to win two of their final three games just to make a bowl game.

It feels like a decade ago that USC won 11 games in Lincoln Riley’s 2022 debut season. Following the loss, former USC quarterback Max Browne argued that in hindsight, the 2022 success is largely responsible for USC’s 2024 failures.

“In hindsight, the 2022 season was the worst thing for USC,” Browne said in a tweet following the game.

“Gave the program the illusion the right foundation was being built in Year 1 reaching the Cotton Bowl. Instead, it was because of a super human QB and set an ‘all star’ transfer portal identity into the team.

“Most programs in Year 1 take their lumps, but use it to establish a foundation of grit, physicality, and toughness.

“If you don’t establish that mentality in Year 1, it’s extremely difficult to change course because if you all the sudden become a hardass in Year 2, you run the risk of losing your locker room as it comes across inauthentic.”

The “super human QB” that Browne is referring to is, of course, Caleb Williams. USC’s 2022 success was largely based around Williams being Superman on the football field and constantly bailing out his team. Because USC was winning with Williams’ heroics at the time, however, they failed to establish an identity of toughness and physicality.

Now, with Williams no longer around to erase USC’s mistakes, the team’s lack of toughness is being exposed. Despite being in the third year of the Lincoln Riley era, it feels like the Trojans are in the first year of a rebuild.

When you are paying your head coach as much as USC is paying Riley, that simply is not acceptable.