USC coach Lincoln Riley is throwing quarterback Miller Moss under the bus. While it is true that Moss’ performance has slipped, it is also true that he has been put into very tough positions by poor calls and strategies by the coach. Take the Washington game, for example. Washington has the best pass defense in all of college football, and Riley spent most of the first half calling pass plays. What was he trying to prove? He woke up in the second half, but by then Washington had the lead. Coach Riley should step up and share blame.
Jerry Mendel
Culver City
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As a UCLA fan, I’m glad that USC has discovered what it’s like to have hired and been hoodwinked by an arrogant charlatan football coach. Fortunately our time with Chip Kelly is over, but with what is reported to be an $80-million buyout, USC will be stuck with Lincoln Riley for many years to come. When he arrived bringing in half of his Oklahoma team with him, including a Heisman quarterback, and went 11-3 in his first year, I’m sure Trojan fans were in seventh heaven. Since then, he’s gone 8-5 and 4-5 (so far). Not exactly the football genius USC was hoping for.
Jack Nelson
Los Angeles
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Desperate people do desperate things. Lincoln Riley’s benching of Miller Moss with three games left in a lost season is little more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The Trojans have already struck the iceberg and Riley is undoubtedly looking for a life preserver (an NFL job) so that he doesn’t go down with the ship.
Mark S. Roth
Playa Vista
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Lincoln Riley’s failure of imagination is astounding. As if three line plunges and a feeble pass inside the 10-yard line was not bad enough, the decision not to kick a field goal with more than five minutes to play while trailing by only five points strongly suggests that someone else should be calling the plays.
Dana Roth
Pasadena
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Coach Riley, your team and UCLA have made for edge-of-seat, late-game thrillers this year. Much more exciting than lopsided games which send the fans home by the third quarter. If we are looking for entertainment, which sports should be, keep walking that tightrope and forget the alumni!
Felipe Hernandez
Glendale
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USC’s first five losses were by a total of 19 points — the least in their history. However, they hung in there to the end in all five despite a litany of miscues. Interestingly, the recent quarterback change might help propel USC to a bowl game.
David Marshall
Santa Monica
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It’s Clay Helton 2.0.
Gary Lasley
Pasadena