Firing Alex Grinch was the easy decision for Lincoln Riley, but is he willing to make major philosophical changes

Lincoln Riley made the inevitable decision Sunday, firing his much-maligned defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after USC allowed another 50-burger and 575 yards in a double-digit loss at home to Washington. 

That it took Riley this long to make such an obvious move is already an indictment on how he’s run the Trojans’ program. Grinch should’ve been shown the door after last season’s Pac-12 Championship or the debacle in the Fiesta Bowl. 

Instead, Riley brought back his longtime lieutenant, and incredibly, USC’s defense got worse this season.

Due to their defensive incompetence, the Trojans have squandered a generational talent in quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams had a costly turnover against Washington that allowed the Huskies to take a two-score lead in a track-meet shootout, but that the reigning Heisman Trophy winner must play flawlessly for the Trojans to win is a problem.

USC has allowed over 40 points five times in its last six games — with the Huskies’ 52 the nadir thus far in 2023. On the year, the Trojans rank 125th nationally in scoring and 109th in yards per play allowed. Collectively, the defense has missed 110 tackles so far this season, per Pro Football Focus.

I could rattle off another dozen horrible stats that all paint the same grizzly picture. 

The Trojans can’t cover, tackle or even line up properly. The word literally is thrown around too liberally these days, but the Trojans literally don’t do anything well defensively. 

Grinch’s complicated, gimmicky scheme certainly contributed to USC’s defensive woes. And Riley needed a head to roll after losing for the third time in four weeks, but making a change for change’s sake won’t solve USC’s underlying issues on defense.

As former Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart said Monday, “I don’t think this all falls on coach Grinch. … There are more problems than just coach Grinch even though everyone wants to point the finger at him.” 

Fight on! #usc pic.twitter.com/lh2vnjlY8N

— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) November 5, 2023

The Trojans have major personnel problems on defense. Their defensive line lacks depth. Their linebackers are too small. Their secondary is soft. 

Riley inherited many of these issues, but his defenses had similar warts at Oklahoma, too. Aside from some band-aid transfers, he’s done little to address USC’s obvious limitations.

The Trojans play with poor fundamentals (from getting off blocks to tackling in space), little discipline (from missed assignments to misalignments) and no physicality. They lack a mentality on defense.

These are Monday through Friday problems, and while Grinch needed to go, better results won’t happen until Riley changes his philosophical approach to how USC practices and approaches strength and conditioning. 

Whether he makes a home run hire in Jim Leonard or waits for the carousel to start spinning and grabs (two potentially future unemployed head coaches) a Dave Arnada or Zach Arnett, USC isn’t simply a coordinator hire away from being competent on defense. 

It starts with recruiting better personnel, something USC isn’t currently doing well, either. Riley knew exactly what he had on his roster entering this season, yet the Trojans have all of THREE total commitments from edge, defensive line and linebacker.

So far, it’s an unserious approach. 

That has to change.

Like Kevin from The Office spilling a vat of chili, Riley has dumped all the early goodwill he established during most of Year 1. He’s lost three regular season games for the first time in his career. He’s wasted another Heisman Trophy quarterback, and his program is about to enter a conference where the sledding will be much tougher on a weekly basis. 

Three weeks ago, I asked the (rhetorical) question, “Is Lincoln Riley long for USC?” 

He insists he is. And he believes that the Trojans are “agonizingly close.” 

He’s right about the agonizing part. It’s been a brutal watch.

As for how “close” USC is to being a championship team? That will be answered this offseason with the decisions Lincoln Riley does — or does not make.