U$C

[azcat49]

His pops has been on radio and said the same. Those national deals with Wendy’s, the heisman house and a few others has made him millions.

At some point he will run out of eligibility and be drafted. If I was one of those non elect teams I would still draft him and look to get 4 or 5 NFL ready players for him

Of course who knows how accurate these numbers his family is talking about are

[Merkin]

Look how much Malachi Nelson is going to make without taking a college snap.

And apparently other schools offered him quite a deal more.

[Chicat]

[Merkin]

[CatsbyAZ]

In the aftermath of USC’s loss last night, had the Trojan post game radio analysis airing, and in the midst of all the negativity aimed squarely at Lincoln Riley and his antisocial pressers, one of the broadcast contributors made what I thought was a very apt critical comparison of Riley: “He’s college football’s Mike D’Antoni!”

[TheCatInTheHat]

I was returning home from a fairly long trip last night, and I caught some of the first half of the game on the plane, then I remembered to tune in the USC broadcast driving home. Pete Arbogast almost broke crystal wine glasses hitting a high-C while shrieking about a USC touchdown. But, the mood eventually turned somber. I'm no Utah fan, but USC makes me view everybody they play in a more positive light. Plaschke seems to like to put the hex on every team in the region by declaring that they "should" be champions, but he's an idiot. Whoever coaches at Oklahoma and USC will have good players fall into their lap. The trick at USC is motivating their self-centered prima donnas. They all want to be rich stars, but they don't necessarily deal well with adversity.

[azcat49]

So in this world of big money NIL deals, does Caleb Williams play out the year? He can’t win the Heisman, can’t get to the playoffs and USC will likely lose at least two more games even if he plays.

If the school is paying a player a decent amount, do they have the right to tell him to play or forfeit the dough?

[EastCoastCat]

So in this world of big money NIL deals, does Caleb Williams play out the year? He can’t win the Heisman, can’t get to the playoffs and USC will likely lose at least two more games even if he plays.

If the school is paying a player a decent amount, do they have the right to tell him to play or forfeit the dough?

It’s a ludicrous proposition and anyone suggesting it should have their head examined.

First, any NIL clause most assuredly has some sort of performance clause where the player can’t just voluntarily sit out if they are not injured. You think Wendy’s and those other companies would be okay to keep shelling out big buck when their famous spokesperson has decided to not even play especially on upcoming nationally televised games?

Second, the Trojans only have 1 conference loss so they are still playing for a Pac 12 championship. You seriously think SC is going to pack in the season just to accommodate Caleb? Riley would be crucified nationally and Williams reputation would take a huge hit with potential Pro suitors.

If USC was an under .500 team with 1 game left that would be a different story but to sit out now would be moronic for several reasons.

[azcat49]

Well ECC I certainly wasn’t thinking of the next game or two.

I was just bringing a hypothetical to this new world of college kids being paid.

They don’t play in minor bowl games now (the big stars) which USC is likely to receive. They also are likely to lose two or maybe three games and then what?

I assume if he is coming back like pops says then he will play. If he is going to the league then maybe his agent tells him to sit although his recent play has certainly cast some doubt if he really is the #1 QB in the league.

Should be an interesting test of what done of these kids might be thinking. After Call they have UDub, Oregon and UCLA in consecutive weeks. I don’t see them better then 8-4

[azgreg]

[Chicat]

Jeepers, why?

[Chicat]

Talk about a team falling apart.

[CalStateTempe]

They and ucla are gonna have so much trouble in the BIg.

The money won’t be worth it in the end.

[CalStateTempe]

They are actually getting weak opponents in Maryland, NW, Indiana, Rutgers etc

[dmjcat]

They are actually getting weak opponents in Maryland, NW, Indiana, Rutgers etc

I think you are looking at it wrong.

They just exchanged the UA/asu/Colorado for Penn State/Ohio State/Michigan.

As USC they have generally been the 800lb gorilla in the conference. In recent times Oregon, Utah and UW have occassionally displaced them. In the B1G they now have at least 2 or 3 additional powerhouses they have to overcome. Frankly, I think they are in a worse place as far as being competitive.

[CalStateTempe]

They are actually getting weak opponents in Maryland, NW, Indiana, Rutgers etc

I think you are looking at it wrong.

They just exchanged the UA/asu/Colorado for Penn State/Ohio State/Michigan.

As USC they have generally been the 800lb gorilla in the conference. In recent times Oregon, Utah and UW have occassionally displaced them. In the B1G they now have at least 2 or 3 additional powerhouses they have to overcome. Frankly, I think they are in a worse place as far as being competitive.

I agree with everything and exactly that. They are in a worse place competitively. They are going to have a rough go at it.

Worse middling competition, and worse(more competitive) top tier competition

As ucla knows in basketball, it isn’t the 70s-80s anymore.

[CalStateTempe]

Death of the super league is the cautionary tale for big and sec.

Big crazy fan bases really don’t want a “big game every week” only to see their beloved teams go 8-4/7-5.

[84Cat]

[TheCat]

USC and UCLA will have an easier time in basketball. Football not so much.

[84Cat]

[Merkin]

I get the transfer portal and NIL, but aren't conference rivalries a thing anymore? Maybe Mike Stoops was right.

[CatsbyAZ]

Lincoln Riley running scared from the SEC again. First leaving Oklahoma because he didn't want to go to the SEC. Now pulling out all the stops over the past two seasons to back USC out of their opener VS LSU in the Vegas Kickoff Classic:

"As late as last fall, after Jen Cohen was hired away from Washington to be the new USC athletic director, the USC administration was still trying to get out of the game, including offering other opponents to LSU, sources said."

"At one point, Fox Sports got involved and tried to further the process. The network wasn’t enamored with the idea of USC’s first game as a Big Ten member broadcast by rival ABC/ESPN."

"Just how committed was Riley to get out of the game? High-profile sports agent Trace Armstrong represents Riley and LSU coach Brian Kelly, and a source told SDS that Riley asked Armstrong for help in changing Kelly’s mind. It didn’t work."

[azcat49]

Don’t you wish the pregame interview of Riley would go like this. “. Coach, you spent two years trying to get out of this game but we are here now, how are you and the players feeling”

[CatsbyAZ]

Lincoln Riley has evidently mobilized his publicist in full force after news leaked of him trying to backdoor his way out of playing LSU to open the season. Not only politicking to get media figures to excuse his unwillingness to start the season playing LSU but also to criticize other parts of USC’s schedule (Notre Dame) that he does not like.

First it’s Colin Cowherd devoting a whole radio segment to defending Riley: “Everybody is going to go after Lincoln Riley,” Cowherd said. “But it should have never been scheduled.”

Cowherd then goes on to ask why USC bothers to play Notre Dame anymore – another tough matchup Riley presumably wants to skip. Cowherd doesn’t hide his friendship with Riley, who in turn Riley uses as a mouthpiece to whine and cry on his behalf.

"Why do they have to keep playing Notre Dame?" Cowherd said. "Oh, gimme a break. College football punted on history last year."

Then you have this Sporting News article (possibly initiated by Riley’s publicist) going into full defense of Muleshoes: “Don't blame USC for trying to cancel LSU game and possibly dropping Notre Dame with new Big Ten schedule.” Then going on to explain how the rest of poor USC’s “schedule is not easy.”

[CalStateTempe]

Wanna play in a super conference, then play in the super conference.

‘$C gonna have lots of 7-5 seasons.

There is a reason fans of the big euro teams killed the euro soccer super conference. Brand team fans like to win.

[CatsbyAZ]

USC Trojans series with Ole Miss canceled after Lincoln Riley's two years of tantrums fail to cancel Kickoff Classic Vs LSU – from BroBible:

“The USC Trojans and Ole Miss Rebels have cancelled a future home and home football series scheduled for 2025 and 2026. It seems Lincoln Riley and Co. are doing all they can to dodge future SEC opponents following the program’s move to the Big Ten.”

“Lincoln Riley is avoiding the SEC at all costs, at least according to fans. Many around college football believed he initially accepted the USC role instead of an open LSU gig to avoid that fierce competition.”

[CatsbyAZ]

Look how much Malachi Nelson is going to make without taking a college snap.

And apparently other schools offered him quite a deal more.

[azcat49]

I have heard Nelson was big timing the team. Got a load of cash and was living 30 miles off campus by himself. Basically was being a $hit teammate. I bet that played into the decision in some way

[CatsbyAZ]

SC's season looks like it's in freefall. Last Saturday's blown 20-6 halftime lead at home Vs Penn State amounts to the third time in four weeks that USC lost a game while leading in the fourth quarter. The Trojans are 1-3 in conference play and 5-8 in their last 13 games.

To end the game last Saturday, Riley's abysmal clock management all but costs USC the game. Tied 30-30 with 1:20 left, SC controlling ball near midfield, and through two plays Riley allows the clock to tick all the way to 0:14. And gave SC almost no chance to finish a late scoring drive.

[CatsbyAZ]

Panic moves by Lincoln Riley - practices indefinitely closed:

USC is 4-4 and 2-4 in conference with several disappointing losses and blown late leads, most recently to Minnesota and Maryland - not exactly the Big Ten's best.

This Saturday USC plays @Washington to whom I expect them to lose. Then it's Vs Nebraska, @UCLA, and Vs Notre Dame. Three of those four games are winnable; all four are lose-able. Looking like 6-6 for the Trojans and a Guaranteed Rate Bowl berth in Phoenix.

But the increased Big Ten payouts make it all worth it.

[CalStateTempe]

Too bad

Super league ain’t what it’s cracked up to be…