National pundits know Alex Grinch is on the hot seat, and Lincoln Riley has flopped at USC
Before Saturday’s game against Utah began, the writing was on the wall for the USC coaching staff under Lincoln Riley.
“Let’s start with this upcoming Utah game as a measuring stick for the USC coaches. Cam Rising hasn’t played for the Utes this season, and he might not play in this game on Saturday. If he doesn’t play, USC should definitely be expected to win … but that means that a Trojan loss would be that much more humiliating and unacceptable. Assistant coaches should absolutely be coaching for their jobs against Utah.”
Welp. Guess the USC coaching staff didn’t measure up.
Fans are irate at Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch. National and local college football commentators are also very much aware that Grinch’s hot seat is burning up right now, and that Riley must make big changes before the 2024 season at USC.
Here are some of the media voices weighing in on USC’s disastrous turn over the past few weeks:
DIDN'T HAVE ANSWERS IN THE SECOND HALF
Feels like Coach Riley tried to outsmart his counterpart, too many very difficult plays, to the sideline behind the LOC, or long outside passes with low chance for success. It seems he outsmarted himself. If Moss was in our another least generational QB was in, the play calling…
— USC Trojans News ✌️ (@FightOn2Victory) October 22, 2023
NOT READY
Lincoln Riley’s shown the past month he isnt ready for prime time to be responsible for a program of this caliber. Like I said on this weeks @TrojansWire, “he was given the keys to a Cadillac & hes driven like a Honda Civic cause he thinks he’s a better driver than everyone else” https://t.co/DQyeAc1CPf
— Ian Hest 🟦 (@IanHest) October 22, 2023
NOT HANDLING THE HEAT
Head coach berates game officials. Bans reporter. Prevents team from talking after loss. The guy is really minor league despite the myths https://t.co/Cma1XzdXw5
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) October 22, 2023
TRULY IS
USC officially makes no players available to the media after losing to Utah. That's embarrassing.
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) October 22, 2023
ALUMNI ARE NOT HAPPY
So much hurt In my heart
— LenDale White (@thereal_lendale) October 22, 2023
FACING THE FACTS
Mature people own up to the truth.
That's why we firmly criticize Lincoln Riley — not because we enjoy criticism, but because the criticism is merited and is necessary to share with the public: https://t.co/toqmXbpY3K
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) October 22, 2023
TRUTH
Bad day. Sad day. @Jerrythekid21
— Barstool USC (@BarstoolSC) October 22, 2023
VERY POSSIBLE
The way they are playing USC could be 7-5 when it’s all said and done. Let that sink in.
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) October 22, 2023
UNACCEPTABLE
For the first time in the 14 years I've been covering #USC, the school did not make any players available to speak with the media.@insidetroy said its the first time in his 20+ years that no players were made available to speak.
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) October 22, 2023
PUTTING IT MILDLY
Tough stretch for the Trojans pic.twitter.com/FOjdgtVF3T
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 22, 2023
YES IT IS
It’s coaching. pic.twitter.com/cvyjlwDjKW
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) October 22, 2023
UGLY GAME
Utah: USC’s daddy.
Heck of a game in the Coliseum— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 22, 2023
ONE WORD SAYS SO MUCH
Welp.
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) October 22, 2023
ANOTHER ONE
USC’s daddy pic.twitter.com/THV8W1Y9d1
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 22, 2023
REALITY CAN HURT
Utah… over USC.
Same old Trojans.
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) October 22, 2023
WELL PUT
Utah has beaten USC 34-32 in the Coliseum with a QB who was a walk-on, a TB who is a safety and a HC who is a wizard
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) October 22, 2023
THE NUMBERS
Utah beats USC for the fourth consecutive time. Utes win 34-32 with a field goal at the horn. Bryson Barnes 26-yard scramble sets up the Cole Becker 38-yarder to win the game. Utes improve to 6-1, Trojans on a two-game losing streak with UW, ORE and UCLA left on schedule.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 22, 2023
ALL TRUE
USC didn’t deserve to win that game and now Riley is 0-3 against Whittingham. Trojans season is essentially over.
— Paolo Uggetti (@PaoloUggetti) October 22, 2023
CAN'T IGNORE THIS
Look, Kyle Whittingham is just a much better coach than Lincoln Riley and it's really just that simple.
— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) October 22, 2023
TWO PLUS TWO EQUALS ANOTHER LOSS
The game was in the hands of an Alex Grinch defense.
It ended the way you expected it would.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) October 22, 2023
