Lincoln Riley evaluates how USC can limit mistakes

Lincoln Riley doesn’t want to put the blame on just one player or one group after USC’s first loss. How can the team limit mistakes?

Well it’ll take a group effort according to the Trojans head coach. Pretty much everything can be evaluated after a blowout loss on a big stage.

But it’s onto the next game for Riley and USC and they’ll evaluate everything.

“It’s a mixed bag and there’s not one situation where it’s like we’re just not doing this one thing well,” Riley said. “These things manifest itself in a lot of different ways when you’re trying to play good offensive football, you know, one thing can be off and it ay turn into an interception or turns into a sack. 

“There’s times where like, the other night (Caleb) was sacked at the time and we could have gotten rid of the ball faster … and all of a sudden, you know, two or three guys make some mistakes against a good defense and that’s what shows up … I think the bigger thing for us is, we just gotta get back to playing more 11-man ball. There’s a lot of good on the tape.”

Lincoln Riley still believes in USC despite first loss in 2023

Blowout loss to Notre Dame aside, Riley isn’t pulling the plug after one defeat.

“I still very much believe in this football team won, 1,000%,” Riley said. “The good that you see from this football team is good enough to beat anybody. But we obviously know we got to put it together and put it together quickly to get our best and to get it from all three sides and be able to rise together and we got a great opportunity to do it. 

“Listen, I reminded the team and I’ll remind everybody we’re undefeated in this conference right now. We play in what I think is the best conference in college football from top to bottom and every opportunity that we want is waiting for us, including a big one, seven days from now in Los Angeles that we’ll be excited to get back and prepare for.”

Caleb Williams had a rough outing, the first one of the year. He finished the loss versus Notre Dame with just 199 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

One can’t put the loss on just one player. The USC defense was gashed as well, giving up two touchdown passes to Sam Hartman and allowing Audric Estime to run for 95 yards and two scores.

USC gets back in action at home Saturday against a ranked Pac-12 foe. No. 14 Utah comes to town looking to keep the streak going against the Trojans.