Latest news with #USC-NotreDame
USA Today
25-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What USC football head coach Lincoln Riley said at Big Ten media days press conference
This week marked Big Ten media days in Las Vegas. Over the past three days, coaches and players from every program in the conference spoke to the media, in addition to Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. 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."
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
USC's Lincoln Riley feeling 'refreshed' as pressure mounts to win in Year 4
While the rest of the college football world spent the summer whipped into a frenzy, swept up by the specter of revenue sharing or congressional intervention or one of the many other landscape-altering changes looming over the sport, Lincoln Riley was able to actually step away and take a breath. In four years as USC's coach, Riley hasn't had many chances to really unplug. There was the sprint ahead of his first season, and the heavy portal push ahead of his second. The third came with a new conference, new defense, new expectations, new pressure. The fourth, by comparison, is starting on a more relaxed note than Riley is used to. There were no phone calls taking up half a day of his family vacation. His fly fishing went mostly unbothered. He even golfed at Pebble Beach in May. Read more: Lincoln Riley 'absolutely' wants to keep USC-Notre Dame game on schedule 'I'd say I'm feeling as refreshed and recharged as I've been in a long time,' Riley said Thursday during Big Ten media days. Never mind that the pressure for Riley to win at USC has perhaps never been so high, coming off a 7-6 campaign in which the Trojans needed a comeback bowl win to scrape past .500. The path to winning has arguably never been so uncertain, either, with the advent of revenue sharing completely upending how championship rosters are constructed. In spite of that backdrop, this past summer still felt less daunting to Riley than the rest. He says he didn't feel the offseason chaos that some of colleagues have described in the wake of the House settlement. Some of that added calm he credits to Chad Bowden, USC's new general manager, and his handpicked front office, who have taken personnel matters largely off Riley's plate. Immediately laying claim to the nation's No. 1 recruiting class for 2026 hasn't hurt in building that trust, either. But it's more than that, according to Riley. 'There are less big fixes going on right now, you know?' he said. 'It's like you've got the house built, and it's kind of all about the finishes now. You're not trying to put up a wall or anything like that.' Whether USC is actually that close to being a finished product is up for debate. The Trojans' win total has declined in each of Riley's first three seasons, during which his record is worse than that of his predecessor, Clay Helton. Now the Trojans enter his fourth with a raw, unproven commodity at quarterback, a threadbare linebacker room, and an inexperienced offensive line that could already be down a projected starter. There's also the matter of their fourth-quarter issues last season, which saw the Trojans inexplicably cough up leads in five of their six losses. But Riley looks at it differently. 'It's the first time where we had an opportunity at the end of the game to win every single game that we played,' he said. 'The really good teams separate in a lot of their games, and they win the close games they end up in. That's typically how it happens, and that's what we've got to become. And so the way to do it, every part of your program has to be pretty strong. "We've graduated from being way behind in this area, and being pretty decent in this area to, like, every right now is either good or pretty darn good. Now it's just about taking those small steps in all those areas to, I guess, hypothetically push you over the hump.' The biggest leap in that regard could once again be on defense, where USC went from one of the worst units in the nation in 2023 (121st in scoring defense) to respectable (56th) under defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn. That was no small feat, considering where they came from. And the Trojans have added considerable talent to its defense since. The front seven should benefit greatly from the return of linebacker Eric Gentry and defensive end Anthony Lucas from injury. And on the interior, USC brought in two massive transfers on the interior, as well as a five-star freshman. 'I think the depth, the talent level, and the size of the defensive line, I mean, there's honestly really no comparison to this time 12 months ago,' Riley said. But the Trojans' path will inevitably, at some point, come down to their quarterback. Riley reiterated his confidence in Jayden Maiava as the Trojans' starter, even as he once again heaped praise on five-star freshman Husan Longstreet. Left tackle Elijah Paige said Thursday that he has seen a major change in Maiava since he entered the offseason as the presumptive starter. Read more: USC athletics eliminates a dozen jobs as it manages new revenue sharing expenses 'He's taken a complete 180,' Paige said of USC's quarterback. "[In the spring,] he commanded the offense, and that's what this team needs.' Of course, everyone is feeling optimistic this time of year, with more than a month still remaining before USC kicks off against Missouri State. But Riley isn't the only one who feels those finishing touches underway. 'We've gone and gotten some of the very best people in the business,' Riley said. 'They're not going to attach themselves to something where they don't see the progress. 'And you do not get a recruiting class like this unless there's a crazy amount of momentum within the program. Like, I don't care what else you have. If you don't have momentum, you do not get a class like we have.' Sign up for more USC news with Times of Troy. In your inbox every Monday morning. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman makes case for rivalry with USC to continue
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman makes case for rivalry with USC to continue Recently, the future of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry has come into question. Although the two storied programs have met every season but one since World War II, they have not extended the series contract beyond the 2026 season. According to reports over the last month, the future of college football's greatest intersectional rivalry appears to be in serious jeopardy. Recently, in an interview with Fox sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman stressed the importance of continuing his program's rivalry with the Trojans. "I mean, you know, you think about rivalries, and I'm sure you can go back to when you played high school football or maybe even before that," Freeman said. "I think back to my high school years, right, and I was from Ohio, played at a high school named Hubert Heights Wayne. Our big rival was Centerville Elks. The guys that come from Centerville that you might know – AJ Hawk, Kirk Herbstreit, Mike Nugent, some really great players. But, that was a huge rivalry, right. Then you go to Ohio State and you play Michigan every year. "The thing about rivalry games is nobody cares what the record is. You win that game, you view that season as a success. "Before I ever got to Notre Dame, there's memories I have in my head of great plays in the USC-Notre Dame rivalry. And, I think it's important to continue that rivalry. "If they ask my opinion, I want to continuously play USC every year, you know? It takes both parties to tangle, right, and it's got to fit both institutions and, you know, they're in a conference and we're not. When do we play? All of those different things. But, I think it's important that we continue to have this rivalry." For one of the most storied rivalries in the sport to come to an end would be a true college football travesty. Hopefully—for the sake of all football fans—Freeman will get his way, and the two schools will be able to work out an agreement to extend the series long-term.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former USC players lament potential loss of Notre Dame rivalry
Former USC players lament potential loss of Notre Dame rivalry Many former Trojans are paying close attention to the developments surrounding the USC-Notre Dame football series Right now, the storied USC-Notre Dame rivalry appears it could be in serious jeopardy. The two schools do not have an extension to the series scheduled beyond 2026, and according to reports, they appear to be far apart on terms. Naturally, the news has not been positively received within the USC community. In the days following the news, several former Trojan players have lamented the possibility of the rivalry ending. "Losing the SC vs Notre Dame will be the dumbest thing I've ever witnessed," former USC offensive lineman Zach Banner tweeted. "My love and passion for that rivalry is 1 of the biggest reasons I moved my life to SoCal…" In addition, former USC running back Petros Papadakis, now an LA sports radio host and Fox Sports college football analyst, ripped Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley for allegedly trying to get out of the series. "College football has been taken over by the television companies, one of which I work for as you know," Papadakis said in an interview with John Canzano on sports radio 750 The Game in Portland, Oregon. "But honestly none of that in my opinion has anything to do with USC-Notre Dame, and should not have anything to do with USC-Notre Dame. And that's the beauty of USC-Notre Dame is that it transcends conference realignment, it transcends the NIL, and it transcends all of these different twists and turns in the sport. If it can survive World Wars it should be able to survive the selfishness and the absolute myopic nature of the era we live in. "It's ridiculous to think that it wouldn't. Because Lincoln Riley doesn't like it? Who the hell is Lincoln Riley in the grand scheme of things when it comes to USC and Notre Dame? "Lincoln Riley trying to wriggle out of Notre Dame. I've got news for you, if you can't beat Maryland or Minnesota, what the hell are you worried about playing Notre Dame or not. Collect the revenue. USC is not even close to competing. And if they were fourth in the Big Ten, trust me having Notre Dame on their resume, win or lose, is a lot better than beating someone 60-0 that is Missouri State. It's just very sad to me . . . any argument being made, the Big Ten, travel, all of this stuff. It all goes by the wayside. It's USC-Notre Dame. There's billions of dollars involved and the players are getting paid. Are you kidding? We're not going to play this? It's the dumbest thing I've heard in my life." Papadakis is certainly known for being a bit of a contrarian, and he has a noted history of negativity on air towards his alma mater. But he does make some valid points. Riley has been at USC for less than four years, and the expanded college football playoff has existed for less than one. For those two things to cause the end of one of college football's greatest rivalries that has been around for nearly a century would truly be a shame.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New report suggests USC-Notre Dame football rivalry is in danger of ending
It is certainly a tense time at USC football, particularly regarding the future of the USC-Notre Dame football rivalry. The two schools, who have met every year but one since World War II, do not currently have a contract for the series beyond 2026. On Monday, Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated reported that the series appears to be in serious jeopardy. According to Forde, "USC has expressed reluctance to enter into a long-term deal due to uncertainty about the future College Football Playoff format, and while assessing the demands of greater travel as a member of the Big Ten. USC has broached the idea of moving the game to a season-opening spot on the schedule, sources tell SI." Advertisement Forde later updated the story to include statements from both USC and Notre Dame officials. "'We want the USC–Notre Dame rivalry to continue, which is why we offered an extension of our agreement,' USC associate athletic director Cody Worsham tells SI. 'It's a special game to our fans and our institution. We will continue to work with Notre Dame on scheduling future games.'" Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua added, "I think Southern Cal and Notre Dame should play every year for as long as college football is played, and SC knows that's how we feel." While college football has changed a ton over the decades, the USC-Notre Dame rivalry is one of the few constants that has remained constant. Hopefully, the two schools will be able to come to an agreement, and one of the great rivalries in all of sports will not fall victim to the new era of college athletics. This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Report suggests USC-Notre Dame football rivalry could soon be stopped
