Times They Are A Changing

The Trojan Family has been through many ups and downs. They have seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Yes, there is a middle too but all too often we see the extremes because the expectations were always set at the very highest of levels to perform each and every year. The leadership was in sync with the heritage and desires of the fans and family who hung in there when things were difficult and were high-fiving when the team had those epic runs like John McKay had and more recently Pete Carroll. Not a perfect world and when you are at the top you are a target like no other.

Today the Trojan Family is witnessing what could be the return to those amazing years where the team is relevant because of the team on the field of battle. The law of attraction kicks into an even higher gear during these runs and the program is in a rich position of talent and staff that the rest of the college football has to take notice. USC returns this Saturday at 3 pm at the LA Coliseum. The college football world is concerned and they should be. Lincoln Riley arrived in November and had a simple statement. "Win Now". Nothing more needed to be said.

Since Coach Riley spoke those two words, the staff and the team have been completely transformed from the roster to the people responsible for guiding and developing the student-athletes into highly performing football players each and every week. I fondly recall the "Competition Tuesday" of Pete Carroll's days. Coach Riley has that on Tuesday and Wednesday each week. Pete Carroll always believed that if you practice hard and physically the game itself is easier than the practice itself. Lincoln Riley has doubled up on that and with the addition of Wednesday, he is forcing change on a program that has been seeking exactly what he is delivering.

This Saturday, September 3rd, cannot come soon enough. Starved for any sign of physical culture we have not seen since Pete Carroll will be on the witness stand at 3 pm Saturday. Make no mistake, this game matters. Not who the opponent is but that it's Game One. It's the most important game for the Trojans program in 10 years. I feel for the Rice football team as this group of Trojans is ready to unleash their anger and restart the USC Football program as it should be.

Fight On