Lincoln Riley Expresses Confidence in Alex Grinch as Defensive Coordinator

Lincoln Riley was very comfortable in making more than a few significant changes to the USC program when he took over last offseason. He’s just as comfortable not making a significant one this offseason. Riley spent time with assembled media on Tuesday morning. Throughout a two-hour Q&A on the state of the USC program, Riley multiple times expressed his confidence in defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, saying his plan as of today is to bring back the entire coaching staff.

“Right now sitting here today, I don’t anticipate any major staff changes,” Riley said, leaving the door open for the possibility that assistant coaches could get job offers from other places that are enticing enough to leave USC.

“The idea for us to have continuity, just us together, us with our players, us in this setting, this school, kind of knowing what we want to build, is important,” Riley said.

But Riley said the decision to bring Grinch back doesn’t simply come down to not wanting to make changes. He feels the way the staff is comprised right now keeps the Trojans moving in the right direction.

“You have to feel that you have the right people in the building,” Riley said. “People that have great clarity on what we need to do and have the capabilities and the experience to continue to make this thing go that direction. And I fully believe that we have that. I have really no reservations at all saying that.”

And now Grinch needs to prove Riley correct if the Trojans are going to win their way back to the Pac-12 Championship Game in 2023. Riley’s confidence level is high.

“I’ve been through it enough with that guy to know, don’t be against him,” Riley said. “I know what he’s made of. I just do. I know what’s getting ready to happen defensively. I just have a confidence and a belief there.”

Riley Not Conflicted About the Decision

USC finished No. 8 in the conference in points, total yards, passing yards and rushing yards allowed per game in 2022. That equates to No. 94 nationally in scoring defense, No. 106 in total yards, No. 112 in passing yards and No. 80 in rushing yards allowed per game.

It was interesting that Riley didn’t give a vote of confidence to Grinch following the defensive disaster in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl against Tulane. That marked two games where the USC defense couldn’t generate any key stops in key moments late in the game. Instead, Riley said they’d take a deep dive and a holistic approach to figuring out how to move forward.

“We’re very disappointed with how we finished defensively at the end of the year,” Riley said. “We did not play very well and I think the last week has been starting to zero in and really define why did that happen.”

In that deep dive and holistic approach to looking at the program, he found himself very comfortable bringing Grinch back.

“That vision and that clarity is absolutely there,” Riley said of a path forward to finding the overall success they feel they can achieve at USC. “And if it wasn’t…Listen, you know I’m all for continuity. I think it’s a good thing if you have the right people. But sometimes it doesn’t work. Sometimes it’s not the right combination of people or it’s not the right setting or just doesn’t quite click. And at that point, when that happens, then you have to make changes.”

Riley said he’s nowhere near that point right now.

“I don’t even feel like 50-50 at all conflicted about it,” Riley said. “I have a clear vision of what we’re going to be defensively. And I think we can and need to and will take a big jump here in the next 12 months.”

Other Coaching Notes

Luke Huard served as the interim inside receivers coach this season following the passing of Dave Nichol. Riley said Huard will become the permanent inside receivers coach.

“What a tough situation for him to come into,” Riley said. “He was fantastic for us. He did a good job in the box for me this year. I thought his guys developed. Tahj Washington I think was one of the guys on that team that maybe developed as much as anybody on the roster…Luke did a really good job and he’s meshed well with our staff. He’s recruited well. The plan is for him to be the fulltime inside receiver coach going forward.”