Lincoln Riley was beaming.
The USC coach mentioned he noticed it when his group got here again from an 17-point deficit towards Texas A&M to assert a 35-31 victory within the Las Vegas Bowl.
He mentioned he might really feel it within the locker room.
“There’s a toughness and a hardness that’s developing within this program right now,” Riley mentioned.
However how a lot ought to be manufactured from this?
As a lot as Riley raved concerning the resilience of the Trojans, the fact is that they had been a 7-6 group this season.
Psychological fortitude is essential, however so is bodily expertise and USC seems to be as if it may very well be quick on that in varied elements of the sphere once more subsequent yr.
On the offensive line. On the defensive position. Within the secondary. At quarterback.
Sophomore receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon had showcase video games towards Texas A&M, however don’t neglect that Miller Moss threw six landing passes within the Vacation Bowl final yr. Moss was supplanted as USC’s beginning quarterback final month and has since transferred to Louisville.
Moss’ substitute, Jayden Maiava, was inconsistent in his three regular-season begins, and he was inconsistent once more on Friday night time, as three of his passes had been intercepted earlier than he led the Trojans’ comeback.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava seems to be to move below strain from Texas A&M defensive lineman Cashius Howell in the course of the Las Vegas Bowl Friday.
(David Becker / Getty Pictures)
Riley may be applauded for his creating a never-give-up tradition, however he doesn’t have many believers outdoors of his personal locker room.
The 400 sections, that are made up of the upper-most seats at Allegiant Stadium, had been completely empty on Friday night time. The 300 sections had been, too.
There have been rows and rows of vacant seats elsewhere within the 65,000-seat venue, serving as a visible illustration of what occurred to USC in its third season below Riley.
The followers misplaced hope.
At this level, Riley remaining on this downward trajectory feels significantly extra doubtless than him guiding the Trojans again to nationwide prominence — and even respectability.
They had been 8-5 final yr and 11-2 earlier than that, and why would anybody imagine their slide gained’t proceed?
The Trojans are 20 years faraway from their since-vacated nationwide championship in 2004. With each passing season, the extra the Pete Carroll period seems to be like an aberration as an alternative of a practical commonplace to which this system ought to be held.
Redshirt sophomore security Kamari Ramsey mentioned he determined to return to USC subsequent season quite than declare for the NFL draft, partially, as a result of he believed within the route the Trojans are headed.
“Obviously, this season didn’t go the way we wanted, but the fight we showed every game, in the wins and the losses, just showed me the type of program we are,” Ramsey mentioned.
Ramsey isn’t essentially an outlier, however his view isn’t shared by everybody both. USC simply misplaced 19 gamers to the switch portal.
Riley’s first two recruiting courses included a dozen top-100 gamers. 9 of them are gone.
Riley has completed what he might to characterize this season as a step ahead, and he argued the Las Vegas Bowl victory was proof of that.
USC’s Mason Cobb (13) and Braylan Shelby (34) react after making a play towards the Texas A&M in the course of the Las Vegas Bowl Saturday.
(David Becker / Getty Pictures)
“We didn’t flinch,” he mentioned. “We’re a pretty battle-tested group. We’ve been through a lot this year. We’ve been in a lot of big games.”
To his level, the 5 of the Trojans’ six losses had been by a landing or much less.
“There wasn’t anything in this game that could happen where I thought we would totally flinch,” Riley mentioned.
Reasonably than lament the erratic play of Maiava in the course of the first three quarters, Riley praised him for a way he carried out within the fourth.
“He stuck with it,” mentioned Riley, who added that he was “very confident” with Maiava as his quarterback shifting ahead.
Riley must follow what he’s educating.
The thrill that was produced by his first season at USC looks like one thing from the distant previous. Anticipation has been step by step changed by dread.
The Trojans can’t maintain any momentum. They’re shedding gamers within the switch portal. They’re missing in expertise in comparison with the highest groups of their new convention.
Riley can’t waver.
