What USC football head coach Lincoln Riley said at Big Ten media days press conference
On Thursday afternoon, after 16 other head coach gave press conferences, it was finally USC head coach Lincoln Riley's turn. Here are some of the highlights of what he had to say.
On quarterback Jayden Maiava
"He started 4 games last year, against really good defenses," Riley said. "He made some huge, unbelievable plays. His arm talent and decisiveness he plays with is really unique. He can be really special."
On safety Kamari Ramsey
"He's another guy that we've really challenged to step up and be a leader vocally," Riley said.
On offensive lineman DJ Wingfield's eligibility battle
"We have no specific updates on DJ right now," Riley said. "The process is ongoing right now. I wish I could comment a little bit more, but we've got to let that play out."
On the future of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry
"My very first thought [when hired as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma] was I get to coach OU-Texas," Riley said. "When I decided to take USC job, my first thought was I get to coach USC-Notre Dame. Do I want to play the game? Hell, yeah. I'm hopeful we can get to the point where it makes sense. The two schools are in radically different situations, one in a conference."
On former USC head coach Pete Carroll's eligibility for the College Football Hall of Fame
"Hard to imagine a guy that's had an impact like coach Carroll had on college football," Riley said. "It's a little difficult for me, and I think a lot of my colleagues, to imagine a hall of fame that exists without him."
On his biggest regret at USC thus far
"We went heavy in the portal in year two, trying to capitalize on that, which was probably the toughest decision, the one we went back and forth on the most," Riley said. "If you asked me my biggest regret up to this point, that's probably it."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Elijah Paige hopes to take on leadership role for USC's offensive line in 2025
For seemingly quite some time now, USC football has gone into each season with one or more established veteran leaders on the offensive line. From Alijah Vera-Tucker, to Andrew Vorhees, to Brett Neilon, to Justin Dedich, to Jonah Monheim, the Trojans have seemingly always had a guy who has been around for four or more years and gone through the ups and downs with the program. This season, USC's o-line does not have that established veteran presence, meaning that the Trojans will be forced to turn to a new generation of leaders. One player who has been looking to step into a leadership role in 2025 is redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Elijah Paige. Representing USC at Big Ten media days in Las Vegas last week, Paige spoke about trying to take on a leadership role on the Trojans' offensive line in 2025. "Teaching [the young guys] everything that I know, the moments that I had that were the 'low points of the season,'" Paige said, via 247Sports. "Teaching them and guiding them so that they don't have to go through the same things that I went through. Telling them everything that I know, playing in different environments, playing against different players, how to go against different pass rushers, just giving them everything that I have, and obviously they know a ton too. They learn the same things that I learned. So yeah, we're just kind of a team. "We've gone through it. We know what it feels like. Obviously, you never want to lose a game, but we've learned a ton from it. Our team's learned a ton. We've learned personally a ton about ourselves, and we're just excited to go out there this fall and play." As a redshirt freshman starting at left tackle last season, Paige was named All-Big Ten honorable mention. Now entering his second season as a starter for the Trojans, Paige will look to develop into one of the top offensive linemen in the conference.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
National college football writer calls Big Ten playoff plan 'absurd'
Blake Toppmeyer at USA TODAY Sports isn't buying what the Big Ten is selling. He isn't alone. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey didn't seem to be interested in expanding the playoff on the Big Ten's terms. Tony Petitti, the commissioner of the Big Ten, has proposed an alteration to the College Football Playoff. Under his plan, the playoff would expand to 16 teams with four guaranteed bids for the Big Ten, four for the Southeastern Conference, two each for the Big 12 and the Atlantic Coast Conference, and a final spot reserved for the highest-ranked non-power conference champion. The three remaining bids would be at-large. "I think everybody outside of Big Ten land has realized that this Tony Petitti plan is patently absurd," Toppmeyer said on The Paul Finebaum Show. Big Ten coaches are behind the plan because they helped Petitti formulate it. And because it helps their conference, in turn, it helps their team. The Big Ten would have held 54 spots in the College Football Playoff over the last 11 years, the history of the playoff, if Petitti's plan were in place. "It would make the regular season worse when you consider 13 of the 16 bids would be rewarded purely off of conference standings and play-in games," Toppmeyer said. "Games like Texas-Ohio State, LSU-Clemson, Michigan-Oklahoma, that we're looking forward to this season, if we were in a world of Petitti playoff plan, those nonconference games would become glorified exhibitions. That's not how you make the season better." As much as the plan has support in the Big Ten, most of the rest of the college football world agrees with Toppmeyer. ACC and Big 12 commissioners have recommended the 5 + 11 plan, for example. But whatever changes come to the playoff will ultimately be decided by the Big Ten and SEC. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has largely hemmed and hawed on Petitti's plan so far. Any changes to the playoff format would have to be agreed on by December 1 to take effect for the 2026 season, and it's looking more like the playoff may not expand at all. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: USA TODAY Sports' Blake Toppmeyer calls Big Ten playoff plan 'absurd'
USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
USC football holds in-house media day before start of 2025 preseason camp
USC football's 2025 fall camp begins this week! The Trojans will kick off practices on Wednesday in preparation for the 2025 season, which begins in just over a month on August 30 at the Coliseum against Missouri State. On Monday, USC held its annual in-house media day ahead of fall camp. This event gave reporters a chance to talk with many of the players and coaches who were not in attendance at Big Ten media days in Las Vegas last week. Here are some highlights/notable quotes from the event: Quarterback Jayden Maiava, on throwing the ball vs. running it "Whatever the defense gives me, I'm going to take," Maiava said. Maiava, on what USC fans can expect from this year's offense "A lot of touchdowns," Maiava said. Defensive lineman Kameryn Fountain "You've got to do what you get paid to do," Fountain said. Offensive lineman J'Onre Reed, on new strength and conditioning coach Trumain Carroll "He's a great guy," Reed said. "He's an honest guy. He's a truthful guy. I think that's why they call him Coach Tru because he gives it to you directly." Defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, on defensive back Prophet Brown ""Prophet has looked great this offseason," Lynn said. "We've played him at nickel and the outside. He's done great at both." Running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr., on JUCO transfer running back Waymond Jordan "We needed this kid in our program," Jones said. "USC needed this young man, because he is is everything that our program and our university stands for. Anytime you can get a young man that's really, really good football player and is an even better person, I think you hit a home run."
