Man, just a week ago, it felt like USC football actually had the upper hand against Oregon. But after Saturday’s awful showing at Rutgers? Any advantage the Trojans had is gone, just like that. Lincoln Riley squandered his first four seasons at USC, and now he’s on the verge of wasting a fifth. Honestly, this might be his last season in Los Angeles.
Same Old Soft Defense, Zero Depth To Save It
Can we talk defense for a second? It’s the same old story, year after year. New coordinator, same bad defense. At some point, this problem goes right to the top, right? Lincoln Riley fields soft defenses. It was true at Oklahoma, and here in Year 5 at USC, it’s *still* true. We gotta be honest. And to make it worse, there’s zero depth behind them. The inability of backups to play well in previous weeks is really hitting hard now. With no Jahkeem Stewart available and Jide Abasiri getting hurt, it all went south against Rutgers. There aren’t enough fresh bodies to rotate into the game or keep players fresh. Player development? Still not there under Riley, and it’s showing big time.
Where Are The Veterans? This Culture Is Missing
Let’s get real about the culture, too. Lincoln Riley just isn’t creating toughness or accountability. It’s been the case for four-plus seasons now. How much longer can USC put up with this clown show? Where are the veterans stepping up? No one is, with the sole exception of Prophet Brown, whose insane 99-yard pick-six actually saved the Trojans on Saturday. USC simply isn’t getting the well-rounded contributions good teams have. Relying on one big play from one guy, instead of consistent contributions from a seasoned roster, isn’t a sustainable path to success.
Playing Shootout City Is Unsustainable, And Big Ten Roads Are Relentless
Riley might be looking at another team that has to win games by scores like 49-42. And let me tell you, that is absolutely unsustainable over a full season. If Rutgers can make you play like that, what in the world are Oregon, Ohio State, and Indiana going to do? And don’t forget the Big Ten road games. Can anyone name the last time Lincoln Riley went on the road in the Big Ten and actually had his team prepared to play 60 quality minutes? You can’t. This pattern is getting harder and harder to ignore, and it’s a massive problem.
Oregon Is Next: No Excuses Left
Alright, next week against Oregon? That’s the moment of truth. It’s a no-excuses game, plain and simple. The Ducks aren’t even playing all that well, with more flaws than in 2023 or 2025 when they last played the Trojans. If Riley can’t get it done next week, he should absolutely be on the hot seat. Because let’s be honest, this team isn’t winning at Penn State, it’s not winning at Indiana, and it sure won’t beat Ohio State unless that defense suddenly gets a wake-up call that absolutely no one is expecting right now. The pressure is on, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply