Riley on Grinch firing: USC has ‘lot to play for’
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Paolo Uggetti, ESPN
LOS ANGELES — USC head coach Lincoln Riley said Monday that the decision to fire defensive coordinator Alex Grinch with two games left in USC’s regular season was made in large part because the Trojans still have “a lot to play for” this year.
“We simply weren’t making the progress I think we all expected to make,” Riley said. “It just felt like it was in the best interest of our program.”
At 7-3 and 5-2 in conference play, USC would need to beat Oregon and UCLA in its last two matchups and receive some major help from its conference counterparts to make it to the Pac-12 title game for the second straight season under Riley. But, as the second-year coach expressed a belief that the Trojans are “two snaps” from being undefeated, he remained adamant that they still have a shot at turning the season around.
“If we were in a situation where we didn’t have a whole lot left to play for in terms of a conference championship, [I] might feel a little bit different,” Riley said of the decision. “But we are very laser focused on these opportunities ahead, and then whatever comes next after that, we’ll deal with it at the appropriate time.”
One source close to the program told ESPN that pressure from two of USC’s biggest donors also played a factor in the timing of the move. But when asked Monday if anyone else had any input on the decision to fire Grinch, Riley shot the notion down.
“It was my decision,” he said.
Riley said that he rewatched USC’s 52-42 loss to Washington Saturday night and lost sleep over the decision before reaching a conclusion on Sunday and relieving Grinch of his duties. Grinch, who was Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021 before leaving for USC alongside Riley, led a unit that allowed an average of 34.5 points per game this season and was in the bottom 30 in the country in nearly every statistical category, including 120th in rushing defense and 107th against the pass.
“I knew it was a decision that was the right decision at this time and point, but certainly didn’t make it easy,” Riley said. “But I am that committed, and we are all that committed to playing great defense here, and whatever it takes to get that done, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Going back to last season, when USC finished the year allowing 47 points to Utah in the Pac-12 title-game loss and 46 points to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl defeat, Grinch had been the subject of much criticism surrounding his and the unit’s performance. Throughout the offseason, USC, Grinch and Riley specifically preached patience and gave an optimistic outlook on the progress the defense would make with more time and more talent.
Yet even as USC used the transfer portal to bring in defensive players such as former Georgia lineman Bear Alexander and ex-Oklahoma State linebacker Mason Cobb, the performance of the unit did not improve. USC finished last season as the 87th-ranked team in defensive SP+. This season, it again is ranked 87th.
Until this weekend, Riley had stood by Grinch, whom he called “a friend” on Monday and praised for being the first assistant to agree to follow him from Oklahoma to USC.
“[We’re] not laying all the blame at Alex because the reality is I have a role in that,” Riley said. “The other defensive assistants have a role in that. Our players have a role in that. Our other staff members, everybody has a role in it. And so if it goes well, that’s great, and if it doesn’t go up to the expectations then changes are going to be made, adjustments are going to be made, and that’s just part of the business.”
As the Trojans head to the Big Ten next season, likely without reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams, the task at hand to revamp and improve the defense will be no small feat. On Monday, Riley did not want to dive into exactly what he will be searching for in a new defensive coordinator, but he was staunch in his belief that the program will get the best person for the job.
“Nothing will trump getting the right person in here because we’re going to play great defense here, period. It’s going to happen. It’s going to happen soon,” Riley said. “There’s not a reason in the world it can’t. We’ll continue to take the steps we have to do it, and we’re going to be very aggressive that way.”
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Mark Schlabach
Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and is expected to make a full recovery after doctors detected the disease in its early stages, the school announced Friday.
Freeze, 55, will continue coaching the Tigers while receiving treatment, Auburn officials said in a statement.
“Recently, Coach Freeze was diagnosed with an early form of prostate cancer,” the statement said. “Thankfully, it was detected early and his doctors have advised that it is very treatable and curable. He will continue his normal coaching duties and responsibilities, and with forthcoming proper treatment, is expected to make a full recovery.
“Coach Freeze is incredibly appreciative of our medical professionals and has asked that we use his experience as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing and scheduling annual health screenings.”
The Tigers are scheduled to start spring practice March 25.
Freeze’s teams went 11-14 (5-11 SEC) in his first two seasons, including a 5-7 campaign in 2024. With the additions of transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma), wide receivers Eric Singleton Jr. (Georgia Tech) and Horatio Fields (Wake Forest), offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin (Virginia Tech), and others, the Tigers are expected to be much improved this coming season.
At Liberty, Freeze coached from a hospital bed set up in the coaches’ box during the Flames’ 24-0 loss to Syracuse in his debut on Aug. 31, 2019. Freeze was recovering from surgery for a herniated disk in his back and a staph infection.
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Adam Rittenberg
Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler is leaving the school after six seasons to become quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Loeffler, 50, went 27-41 at Bowling Green but led the Falcons to bowl appearances in each of the past three seasons, posting a 16-10 record in MAC play during the span.
He will replace Doug Nussmeier, who left the Eagles with Kellen Moore to become the New Orleans Saints‘ offensive coordinator. Loeffler will work under new Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who had been the team’s passing game coordinator and associate head coach.
“Scot has been dedicated to not only BGSU Football, but to all our student-athletes and BGSU Athletics, as well as our Falcon Marching Band and spirit programs,” university president Rodney Rogers said in a statement. “He cares deeply about player development and student success, and we wish him all the best as he continues his coaching career in the NFL with the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles.”
Loeffler returns to the NFL for the first time since 2008, when he coached quarterbacks for the Detroit Lions. A former Michigan quarterback, Loeffler coached QBs at his alma mater from 2002 to 2007 and also with Central Michigan and Florida. He first became an offensive coordinator with Temple in 2011 and made coordinator stops with Auburn, Virginia Tech and Boston College before landing his first head-coaching opportunity at Bowling Green.
The coaching change means Bowling Green players now have a 30-day window to enter the NCAA transfer portal. The Falcons had already lost three All-MAC performers to the portal in December in running back Terion Stewart (Virginia Tech), offensive tackle Alex Wollschlaeger (Kentucky) and linebacker Joseph Sipp Jr. (Kansas). Bowling Green also is losing record-setting tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to the NFL draft.
Athletic director Derek van der Merwe will lead the search for Loeffler’s replacement. In a statement, Van der Merwe praised Loeffler for building “a very successful program in a challenging climate in collegiate sports.
“I am looking forward to this process of finding the next great leader for our program who embraces what it means to be a Falcon,” Van der Merwe added.
ESPN’s Max Olson contributed to this report.
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