So USC is making progress, we're told. And the Trojans probably are. They're getting closer. If they beat UCLA next week, they'll be 9-3, heading to a decent bowl game like the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, and that's not bad.
But "not bad" is not why USC is paying Lincoln Riley $110 million with all the extras when it comes to staff support, salaries, facilities, NIL budget and a prestigious new conference to call home, one that pays really well, and one USC can compete in.
Only USC, after four years of Lincoln overseeing the program, cannot. Not yet. Sure, Lincoln is much more obviously engaged and vocal, and we've praised him for that. And more realistic about how maybe his history did not fully prepare him at his age for the challenge of USC. And that's good.
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But USC, after those four years, is still winless against ranked teams on the road. And that's not why Lincoln was brought here. He was hired to return a USC program with 11 national championships and an unparalleled eight Heisman Trophies and more No. 1 and NFL Draft picks than almost everybody else to a place at the top.
Getting close to a Top 10 win isn't why USC is in the business of football. Getting closer to the big boys than USC has been the past couple of years when it was far, far away is not enough. Not nearly enough.