New "Inside the Trojans' Huddle" Tuesday (Jan. 10) edition: Grinch, the defense, Bush to CFHOF, and Viewers questions and panel answers.
In Tuesday’s “Inside the Trojans’ Huddle”, which was recorded prior to LIncoln Riley’s Tuesday morning announcement that defensive coordinator Alex Grinch would return in 2023, panelists Marc Kulkin, Bruce Bagni, and Greg Katz give their evaluation, analysis, and opinions regarding the pros and cons regarding defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, opinions of Reggie Bush being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, and the panel answers Overtime viewer questions that revolve around the USC defensive coaching conundrum, the NIL, and Tackett Curtis.
Although we now know that Alex Grinch will return as USC’s 2023 defensive coordinator along with the rest of the 2022 coaching staff, in the first half the panel gives its various viewpoints on the defensive coordinator situation and how they think it will play out. All three panelists seem to agree about what they would do in Lincoln Riley’s situation but don’t think their opinions will play out, which it didn’t. If Lincoln Riley had made a DC change, the panel assesses the ramifications would have been and what that might set in motion.
Another angle in the DC discussion is if Lincoln Riley does not make a change at the DC position, which again he didn’t, what will that say about Lincoln Riley and how will this play to future defensive recruits? Kulkin, Bagni, and Katz certainly have their own opinions regarding future recruits and the perceptions by those recruits on whether Riley – fair or unfair – only cares about offense.
The halftime topic for discussion is the Monday announcement that former Trojans’ All-America tailback Reggie Bush has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. The panel gives healthy debate on whether Bush should now get his Heisman Trophy returned both him and USC. Kulkin believes Bush should get his Heisman back, wants his No. 5 uniform jersey back in the peristyle end of the Coliseum during home games, and is eager to move on while Bagni and Katz still believe there should be some accountability by Bush either by a public apology or statement before getting his trophy back.
In the second half and continuing the Lincoln Riley defensive issues, the panel discusses a deeper dive into what Riley must do to change the perception that he only cares about offense. There is also an interesting difference of opinions regarding whether the Trojans lost some of their national “swag” after concluding on a high-profile two-game losing streak. Another word used regarding the current “swag” of the program is purgatory. If the Trojans have lost some “swag” by the results in the Pac-12 title game and the Cotton Bowl Classic, what must they do to reclaim it? Katz seems to have some reasonable answers.
For the Overtime segment, the panel answers viewer questions pertaining to Alex Grinch and how to improve the defense and special teams. Other questions revolve around the recruiting status of tight end Duce Robinson and the chance of a portal transfer by Ohio State receiver great Marvin Harrison Jr., the different positives and negatives of a player who place himself in the transfer portal, a question on whether players should have their NIL deals be made public, and whether incoming freshman linebacker Tackett Curtis will start in 2023.
