Colin Cowherd addresses area of concern after USC football’s loss to Minnesota
Saturday’s college football slate was full of upsets, and USC football’s 24-17 loss to Minnesota was one of the biggest. The Trojans dropped out of the AP Top 25 after coming into the contest ranked 11th, and the national media isn’t being kind to Lincoln Riley’s squad.
USC has an offensive line problem, via The Volume’s Colin Cowherd.
Why @colincowherd is concerned for USC after loss to Minnesota @JLabAudio pic.twitter.com/NzpaUaPzpV
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) October 7, 2024
“USC has two playable tackles on their team, and one’s not good,” Cowherd said. “So they have a redshirt freshman, Elijah Paige, left tackle. He’s not good, but he is their future. His backup is a redshirt freshman who is 6-foot-2. He’s a center, they have no backup left tackle.”
Although Trojans quarterback Miller Moss was sacked just once, but the constant pressure from the Golden Gophers’ defensive line played a role in his two interceptions. The junior has been sacked or hit 22 times and pressured on 49 dropbacks this season, which leads the Big Ten.
“You cannot be USC…I mean you go to Oregon or Ohio State right now, and there’s six tackles that are 6-foot-6 and above,” Cowherd continued. “USC has two playable offensive tackles. A center backup left tackle, a kid that’s not ready to play at right tackle.”
This loss may keep USC out of the College Football Playoff, and Cowherd blames Riley.
“In the NIL era with USC’s brand, that’s on Lincoln. That’s not good enough,” he said. “They just don’t have enough great players. You know again, there was a little wind. That can’t keep your offense down to 17 points against Minnesota. Bad, bad loss.”
Will the Trojans improve their pass protection this season?
USC football may need to use creative schemes
Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
USC has learned the hard way that it must have a stout offensive line to win in the Big Ten. Riley attributes the protection issues to good pass rushing and the general flow of football, via Sports Illustrated’s Kyron Samuels.
“Sure, you’d love to leave any game with a quarterback not taking any hits, but that’s not always reality. We played two good teams, two good defensive football teams, that’s going to happen to him,” Riley said. “Obviously, it’s something we want to continue to clean up, but everybody’s involved in that. Schematically we’re involved in it, Miller’s involved in it, the receivers, the backs, the tight ends, the O-line obviously, everybody.”
Riley may use more max protection looks in order to buy Moss a couple of extra seconds in the pocket going forward. With No. 4 Penn State up next on the schedule, though, it won’t get any easier for the offensive line.
The post Colin Cowherd addresses area of concern after USC football’s loss to Minnesota appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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