On paper this is basically a slam dunk for USC. They get a top 5 (debatable) college football coach, proven winner, plays an exciting brand of football (important in that market), great recruiter…
Instantly grabs them big headlines and excites the alumni, fan base and media (both local and national).
So, what’s the potential downside? What could make this hire more like Tom Herman than Pete Carroll?
I’ve been thinking about it all morning and I’ve only come up with two things I’d wonder about until time proves one way or the other…
1) Culture. Riley himself has stated the opportunity to rebuild a brand was attractive to him. Which pointed out to me he’s never built a brand to begin with. He’s been ridiculously successful, but he inherited a staff and a culture that worked. He didn’t rebuild OU (their offensive scheme, yes).
For a head coach with 5 conference titles he actually has a fairly short resume. Who is his personal role model in this business? Will he try to emulate the kind of stability Stoops did, or when he starts from scratch will it look more like Mike Leach’s?
2) At the heart of the “Riley’s an ass” narrative, prior to him “abandoning” them, was attitude with the media and access to the program for big money donors… And former players (correct me if wrong on that last).
Right now a whole lot of the positive vibes in Southern Cal is from guys that were legends in Trojan uniforms.
Riley may be as talented a coach as Pete Carroll, but he’s a very different man. You might could make a strong case that Carroll’s personality was as big a part as his talent at making him a star and that program “the show” of college football.
How does Riley respond to Reggie Bush or Carson Palmer asking to come to practice? Will he build the kind of relationships with celebrity that Carroll did?
Instantly grabs them big headlines and excites the alumni, fan base and media (both local and national).
So, what’s the potential downside? What could make this hire more like Tom Herman than Pete Carroll?
I’ve been thinking about it all morning and I’ve only come up with two things I’d wonder about until time proves one way or the other…
1) Culture. Riley himself has stated the opportunity to rebuild a brand was attractive to him. Which pointed out to me he’s never built a brand to begin with. He’s been ridiculously successful, but he inherited a staff and a culture that worked. He didn’t rebuild OU (their offensive scheme, yes).
For a head coach with 5 conference titles he actually has a fairly short resume. Who is his personal role model in this business? Will he try to emulate the kind of stability Stoops did, or when he starts from scratch will it look more like Mike Leach’s?
2) At the heart of the “Riley’s an ass” narrative, prior to him “abandoning” them, was attitude with the media and access to the program for big money donors… And former players (correct me if wrong on that last).
Right now a whole lot of the positive vibes in Southern Cal is from guys that were legends in Trojan uniforms.
Riley may be as talented a coach as Pete Carroll, but he’s a very different man. You might could make a strong case that Carroll’s personality was as big a part as his talent at making him a star and that program “the show” of college football.
How does Riley respond to Reggie Bush or Carson Palmer asking to come to practice? Will he build the kind of relationships with celebrity that Carroll did?
