Matt Leinart went to mattress early.
Drained from internet hosting household for the vacations and planning on rising early for a exercise, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner and star USC quarterback didn’t keep as much as catch the tip of his alma mater’s recreation towards Texas Christian within the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night time.
He probably doesn’t remorse that call.
After permitting a 10-point result in slip away within the ultimate minutes of regulation, the Trojans finally misplaced 30-27 in additional time after TCU working again Jeremy Payne caught a check-down go on third-and-20 and broke a number of tackles on his method to the tip zone for a 35-yard, game-winning landing.
It was a exasperating end to a 9-4 season already thought-about a disappointment by many Trojan followers after the workforce did not make the School Soccer Playoff for the fourth time in as many seasons beneath coach Lincoln Riley.
Quite a lot of former USC gamers took to social media throughout and after the sport to specific their frustrations. Leinart initially wasn’t one in all them, though some folks thought he was commenting on the Alamo Bowl when he wrote, “No person cares…. I promise!” Tuesday night time on X.
Later, the verified TCU Soccer account reposted Leinart’s submit and wrote “cry on,” a play on the USC rallying cry, “Battle on!”
USC coach Lincoln Riley, proper, shakes fingers with Texas Christian coach Sonny Dykes after the Alamo Bowl
(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Photographs)
On Wednesday morning, Leinart wrote that his remark really “had nothing to with USC recreation lol.” In a video posted about an hour later, the two-time NCAA nationwide champion stated he missed the final three drives due to his early bedtime. He did, nevertheless, supply transient ideas on the earlier night time’s consequence and the state of Trojan soccer.
“Not a great way to finish the season,” the Fox Sports activities analyst stated. “It’s what it’s at this level. Large offseason.”
Su’a Cravens, a USC standout at security/linebacker from 2013-15, additionally pointed to the subsequent yr as make-or-break for the Riley-coached Trojans.
“One other yr goes by and but we’re marching in the identical ole place of above avg soccer!” Cravens wrote on X. “I pray to God this recruiting class and offseason squeezes each ounce of expertise and work ethic out of this workforce subsequent yr. As a result of in my ebook, you both make the playoff subsequent yr or this was a failed experiment. Plain & easy!”
Cravens, who hosts Rams protection on ESPN LA, added some constructive recommendation in a separate, and prolonged, submit.
“Get extra former gamers within the constructing teaching and exhibiting these guys what it actually means to be a Trojan!!!!” he wrote. “Let practices be open once more and permit each single media digicam on the sideline and create that Pete Carol [sic] surroundings of competitors! Strain makes diamonds !!! …
“ACTUALLY HOLD PLAYERS ACCOUNTABLE IN THE FILM ROOM AND BENCH THEM WHEN THEY REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES!!!! Let’s get down the core of the problems.”
LenDale White, who received two nationwide titles with the Trojans through the Carroll years, supplied to be a type of former gamers to return as a coach.
“@uscfb i’m able to be on the employees it’s time,” the previous working again wrote on X. “What are we gonna do???”
White additionally vented concerning the Trojans’ Alamo Bowl efficiency — writing “Do y’all ever follow tackling ever or is it at all times about offense?” — and having to endure greater than twenty years with no nationwide title.
“I really don’t even know why I’m mad. I knew higher lol. My fault!!!” White wrote. “Perhaps someday I can see them within the playoffs possibly someday don’t seem like no time quickly!! and I hope I can eat my phrases.”
Former USC longsnapper Jake Olson was requested on X for his ideas on Riley and the Trojans after Tuesday night time’s collapse.
“I’ve made my ideas on [Riley] fairly clear over the course of the season. Tonight’s recreation, though paying homage to the season, in all probability isn’t one of the best measuring stick in all equity,” Olson wrote. “However clearly there’s issues—issues which can be nonetheless right here from 4 years in the past. Merely put, hes not it.”
Olson continued within the feedback: “Besides I’ll add this. It’s alarming to see how clueless Riley seems to be at occasions. He has regressed a lot, particularly in play calling. For 11 mil a yr, and for offense to be his ‘forte,’ it’s turn into very unhappy.”
