From USC Trojans On SI · · 1m 40s
Lincoln Riley Explains USC Trojans' Lack of Explosive Plays
USC Trojans' offense struggled without explosive plays against Wisconsin.
In brief
USC Trojans' offense struggled without explosive plays against Wisconsin. USC Trojans' offense lacked explosive plays against Wisconsin, leading to a 24-7 loss. Originally reported by USC Trojans On SI.
USC Trojans' Offensive Struggles
USC Trojans' offense lacked explosive plays against Wisconsin in a 24-7 upset loss.
“We had 15 opportunities. Not saying they were easy to make, but 15 opportunities.”
Lincoln Riley on Offensive Dry Spell
Riley said USC had 15 opportunities but rarely go that dry in explosive plays.
“You're not going to make 100 percent of your explosive plays, but rarely do we go that dry in that area.”
Riley Explains Offensive Pressure
Riley said long fields without explosive plays created offensive pressure.
“And then, consequently, it was kind of the perfect storm because you had long fields all night so you're having to drive the ball. But then you don't have explosive plays, that's the pressure it puts on you offensively.”
Defensive Performance
USC had a solid defense but worst offensive and special teams performance of the year.
“It was a solid performance defensively, but unfortunately we backed that up with our worst offensive and special teams performance of the year.”
USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava
Maiava missed some plays he usually makes but wasn't at his best.
“We need him to play better. He wasn't horrible, but he wasn't at his very best. And a little bit of sharpness wasn't there.”
Offensive Rhythm Issues
USC couldn't get offensive rhythm with all position groups playing well.
“But listen, offensively when you're trying to get into rhythm and play good ball, it takes all of the different position groups being in sync. We didn't have one group that was off the charts bad, but we didn't have any group who played well.”
Team Expectations
USC's high expectations led to frustration after falling short.
“I mean our expectations and standards are so high every time we touch the field. And anytime you fall short of that, you're going to be disappointed and frustrated.”
Postgame Response
USC practiced well after Wisconsin loss to prepare for next game.
“They were good. It's kind of like how we responded to the Oregon loss. I mean, we had a good practice on Sunday night (after facing Wisconsin).”
Ohio State Preparation
USC plans to face Ohio State with QB Julian Sayin out.
“Got a lot of playmakers there. We'll see how the QB situation plays out [starting quarterback Julian Sayin is out]. Obviously, that's going to be a big factor.”
Ohio State's Strength
Ohio State has strong defense and talent stack for big games.
“They've played well defensively. They've also been able to stockpile on talent for years and years and you see that stack and stack onto each other. Definitely one of the biggest fronts we've seen.”
Jeremiah Smith Challenge
USC must limit damage from Ohio State's star receiver.
“But the thing that makes Ohio State so tough is they're more than just him. They've got other weapons with the ability to run the ball and other weapons they can use in the throwing game.”
USC's Strategy
USC will mix up plays to limit Jeremiah Smith's impact.
“We've got to throw different looks at him. I mean, a guy like that, you're not ever going to completely shut down somebody like that.”
Next Game Focus
USC aims to improve after Wisconsin loss with Ohio State game coming up.
“It's big game after big game each week. So we've got to learn from it and turn our attention forward.”
USC's Next Steps
USC must play better on offense and special teams to win.
“Obviously, we have to play a lot better on offense and special teams. Got to take advantage of those opportunities on the road.”
The big picture
USC Trojans' offense lacked explosive plays against Wisconsin, leading to a 24-7 loss.
