Did you see that, Jen Cohen?
asserted
you → see → that
The USC athletics director’s flagship program once again couldn’t measure up against a top team in a tough environment.
asserted
program → measure → environment
Were you watching, Beong-Soo Kim?
asserted
you → watch → ?
The Trojans president’s pride and joy once more resembled something he won’t want to bring up in Monday meetings.
asserted
he → resemble → meetings
Have you been paying attention, Rick Caruso?
asserted
you → pay → attention
The influential member of the USC board of trustees and mega donor still isn’t getting much return on his investment when it comes to Trojans football.
asserted
it → get → football
In Year 5, after the latest sorry setback of the Lincoln Riley era, it’s time for everyone in power at USC to repeat after me:
asserted
everyone → ’ → me
Riley has gotta go.
asserted
Riley → get → ?
After No. 18 USC’s 27-13 setback against No. 9 Indiana saddled the Trojans with a third loss, they aren’t headed to the College Football Playoff.
asserted
they → saddle → Playoff
A best-case scenario for the troubled Trojans (7-3 overall, 4-3 Big Ten) might be the Alamo Bowl, even after all the hype, money, gleaming facilities and defensive coordinators lavished upon their underperforming coach.
uncertain
Trojans → gleam → coach
“We’ve definitely come a long way as a program,” Riley told reporters afterward, “but we still obviously here got a little ways to go.”
asserted
we → come → ways
This guy shouldn’t be given another moment to get there.
asserted
guy → give → moment
He’s now 1-8 in road games against nationally ranked teams with the Trojans, making the matter of that roughly $70 million buyout — not counting his assistants and any buyout of an incoming staff — seem like a ransom worth paying.
asserted
matter → rank → ransom
Riley should immediately reimburse his bosses for the cost of all those billboards around Southern California proclaiming “The Time Is Now.”
asserted
Time → reimburse → California
It’s time, all right — time for Riley to go.
asserted
Riley → ’ → ?
You can bet Trojans fans were watching what unfolded in stunning fashion inside Memorial Stadium over the final quarter.
asserted
what → bet → quarter
Oh, boy, were they watching.
And throwing things. And hurling insults.
asserted
they → watch → insults
And wishing somebody else was their coach.
asserted
somebody → wish → ?
The USC students calling for Riley’s firing inside the Coliseum amid another sloppy showing more than a month ago were right all along.
asserted
students → call → showing
Lest you need a reminder of everything that went wrong Saturday, here’s the lowlights:
asserted
lowlights → need → everything
Defensive backs Alex Graham, Prophet Brown and Jontez Williams all dropped potential interceptions in the end zone.
asserted
backs → drop → zone
Kicker Caden Chittenden missed two field goals, including a 27-yarder.
asserted
Chittenden → miss → yarder
The Trojans committed their usual mindless array of penalties, including an illegal blindside block, unsportsmanlike conduct and catch interference.
asserted
Trojans → commit → block
These are the kinds of mistakes that teams aspiring for the Cheez-It Bowl can’t make.
asserted
teams → aspire → Bowl
As he tends to do, Riley vowed things would be different over the last two weeks coming off his greatest victory with the Trojans.
asserted
things → tend → Trojans
That triumph over then-No. 2 Ohio State at the Coliseum had put a smug expression back onto Riley’s face, prompting him to read a smarmy message proclaiming himself the right man for the job.
asserted
himself → put → job
Riley then went about saying his staff had made all the necessary tweaks after the team’s first bye week resulted in a road loss to Wisconsin in which the Trojans were badly manhandled.
asserted
Trojans → go → which
Beyond the dumb penalties and missed opportunities, quarterback Jayden Maiava couldn’t come through in the moments that mattered.
asserted
that → miss → moments
With his team only 6 yards from tying the score midway through the fourth quarter, Maiava threw a pass that was intercepted, making it the second time in as many drives that the Trojans had failed to score after reaching at least the 10-yard line.
asserted
Trojans → tie → line
Indiana went on to add another touchdown, and that was that.
asserted
that → go → touchdown
Riley sounded his usual tune afterward, delivering a message that should have long ago lost its luster.
asserted
that → sound → luster
“We’ve made a lot of progress in this program, and this deserves to be a championship-level program, there’s no question,” Riley said, “and I’m very confident in the progress that we’ve made but still understanding that we’ve still got a little bit here to go, and so we’re going to continue to work.”
asserted
we → make → bit
Give the guy credit for deluding even himself, if he truly believes what he’s saying.
asserted
he → give → what
“I believe in what we’re doing, I believe in myself, I believe in our leadership, I believe in our administration, I believe in everything that’s happening here,” Riley said, “and trust me, there’s nobody who wants it as bad as all of us involved, and we know how close we are as a group, and we know how close we are as a team, and we got a good view of it tonight.
asserted
we → believe → it
Have the people in power learned by now?
asserted
people → learn → power
Nothing will change with Riley in charge.
asserted
Nothing → change → charge
Sure, a fabulous freshman class will continue to blossom, and even Riley can probably make the 24-team CFP that will debut in 2027.
asserted
that → continue → 2027
But does anyone making the calls around here really think that the Trojans will ever do anything meaningful given all the chances their coach has fumbled and ways he continues to fall short?
asserted
he → make → chances
When in doubt, those running the place must remember the mantra around these parts.
asserted
those → run → parts
It’s Fight On, not Give In.
asserted
It → fight → ?
The Aporia
