Matt Leinart went to bed early.
Tired from hosting family for the holidays and planning on rising early for a workout, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner and star USC quarterback did not stay up to catch the end of his alma mater’s game against Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.
He likely does not regret that decision.
After allowing a 10-point lead to slip away in the final minutes of regulation, the Trojans eventually lost 30-27 in overtime after TCU running back Jeremy Payne caught a check-down pass on third-and-20 and broke multiple tackles on his way to the end zone for a 35-yard, game-winning touchdown.
It was a exasperating finish to a 9-4 season already considered a disappointment by many Trojan fans after the team failed to make the College Football Playoff for the fourth time in as many seasons under coach Lincoln Riley.
A number of former USC players took to social media during and after the game to express their frustrations. Leinart initially wasn’t one of them, even though some people thought he was commenting on the Alamo Bowl when he wrote, “Nobody cares…. I promise!” Tuesday night on X.
Later, the verified TCU Football account reposted Leinart’s post and wrote “cry on,” a play on the USC rallying cry, “Fight on!”
On Wednesday morning, Leinart wrote that his comment actually “had nothing to with USC game lol.” In a video posted about an hour later, the two-time NCAA national champion said he missed the last three drives because of his early bedtime. He did, however, offer brief thoughts on the previous night’s result and the state of Trojan football.
“Not a good way to end the season,” the Fox Sports analyst said. “It is what it is at this point. Big offseason.”
Su’a Cravens, a USC standout at safety/linebacker from 2013-15, also pointed to the next year as make-or-break for the Riley-coached Trojans.
“Another year goes by and yet we’re marching in the same ole place of above avg football!” Cravens wrote on X. “I pray to God this recruiting class and offseason squeezes every ounce of talent and work ethic out of this team next year. Because in my book, you either make the playoff next year or this was a failed experiment. Plain & simple!”
Cravens, who hosts Rams coverage on ESPN LA, added some constructive advice in a separate, and lengthy, post.
“Get more former players in the building coaching and showing these guys what it really means to be a Trojan!!!!” he wrote. “Let practices be open again and allow every single media camera on the sideline and create that Pete Carol [sic] environment of competition! Pressure 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 issues.”
LenDale White, who won two national titles with the Trojans during the Carroll years, offered to be one of those former players to return as a coach.
“@uscfb i’m ready to be on the staff it’s time,” the former running back wrote on X. “What are we gonna do???”
White also vented about the Trojans’ Alamo Bowl performance — writing “Do y’all ever practice tackling ever or is it always about offense?” — and having to endure more than two decades without a national title.
“I truly don’t even know why I’m mad. I knew better lol. My fault!!!” White wrote. “Maybe one day I can see them in the playoffs maybe one day don’t look like no time soon!! and I hope I can eat my words.”
Former USC longsnapper Jake Olson was asked on X for his thoughts on Riley and the Trojans after Tuesday night’s collapse.
“I’ve made my thoughts on [Riley] pretty clear over the course of the season. Tonight’s game, although reminiscent of the season, probably isn’t the best measuring stick in all fairness,” Olson wrote. “But clearly there’s problems—problems that are still here from 4 years ago. Simply put, hes not it.”
Olson continued in the comments: “Except I will add this. It’s alarming to see how clueless Riley looks at times. He has regressed so much, especially in play calling. For 11 mil a year, and for offense to be his ‘forte,’ it’s become very sad.”
The post Former USC players sound off on Lincoln Riley and Trojans after Alamo Bowl collapse appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
