Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano

Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano

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Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano
Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano
Canzano: Sizing up USC's race with Oregon
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Canzano: Sizing up USC's race with Oregon

Lincoln Riley has what he needs -- but will he close the gap on Dan Lanning and the Ducks?

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John Canzano
Mar 28, 2025
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Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano
Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano
Canzano: Sizing up USC's race with Oregon
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Lincoln Riley and Dan Lanning before a game in the 2023 season. (Photo: Naji Saker)

Lincoln Riley was on the business end of a line of pointed questions from the scrum at Big Ten Conference Football Media Day last summer in Indianapolis.

What’s wrong at USC?

Is it still a top football program?

“We are at the top of the Big Ten,” Riley insisted. “We’re at the top of any conference. I don’t ever look at ourselves as below anybody. And never will. Listen, two years ago, look where Ohio State and Oregon were. Look what they took over. Look what we took over. It takes time. I’m not a magician. I can’t wave a magic wand and everything be perfect right away. But find one area where we haven’t made progress. It’s coming. Nothing is going to stop it.”

The Trojans went 7-6.

Fire Riley?

Not with a $88 million buyout. Instead, Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen did what good leaders do — she positioned Riley up for what is either going to be a well-financed success story or a “Hey, we gave the boob all the resources in the world, and he just couldn’t win” firing.

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