USC Football: Reporters React To Trojans Beat Writer's 2-Week Suspension

How do rival writers feel about the ban?

Despite being in the midst of a bye week, your USC Trojans managed to find themselves in the thick of some less-than-optimal national news when it was revealed today that the club had banned Southern California News Group beat reporter Luca Evans from the team for the next two weeks, which will include prestige matchups against the Utah Utes and Colorado Buffaloes.

Evans' fellow reporters came to his defense following the move. Another USC beat reporter, Ryan Kartje, revealed that head coach Lincoln Riley had been singing a different tune prior to the start of the club's season:

Before the season, Lincoln Riley pulled the USC beat aside to tell us about how much he respects the work we do as journalists.

A very different message is now being sent to all of us https://t.co/iv7L6mJjRq

— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) September 19, 2023

Associated Press college football scribe Ralph D. Russo notes that Riley seems to be flexing his muscle on the strength of an impressive 3-0 start:

My favorite part of this stuff is because Riley is winning a lot of fans will defend whatever he does re: media.
I get it.
But if Riley starts losing then it's likely that same segment of fans will scream about media not ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS. https://t.co/kDSg7yO9kX

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) September 19, 2023

Los Angeles Clippers beat reporter Andrew Grief chastised the move and praised Evans' reporting.

What a bizarre overreaction here by USC. @bylucaevans is such an incredibly fair, and talented, reporter. https://t.co/lH9YEvSILj

— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) September 19, 2023

The Oregonian's Bill Oram, himself formerly with the Southern California News Group, criticized the behavior of both Riley in seemingly requesting the ban and newly-hired USC athletic director Jen Cohen for defending the decision:

Also, yes this is Lincoln Riley being unreasonable. But new AD Jen Cohen has egg on her face too for backing his pettiness up with that ridiculous statement. What a crash landing into a new market. https://t.co/veP0FVUjZB

— Bill Oram (@billoram) September 19, 2023

Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times, generally a hoops reporter, was not amused:

Silliness of the highest order https://t.co/DiBqmwkKJw

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) September 19, 2023

Evans' current colleague at the Southern California New Group, basketball reporter Mirjam Swanson, was also aghast at the decision:

This is flabbergasting, to be honest. @USC_Athletics doesn't want reporters to describe the people we're covering -- not schemes, not tactics, not injuries, the HUMAN part? The endearing, inspiring part?

Justice for @bylucaevans, man. This is dumb.https://t.co/SzmCMJO3S5

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) September 19, 2023

Freelance scribe Alex Kirshner (cool name) opined that Riley, formerly with the University Oklahoma, erred in thinking he could orchestrate the ban without severe criticism in a media market this major.

San Francisco Chronicle women's sports reporter Marisa Ingemi was similarly not a fan:

This is not acceptable on USC’s part. Embarrassing is the right word for it. https://t.co/m4wr0tI6p2

— marisa ingemi 🎃 (@Marisa_Ingemi) September 19, 2023

Newsday Brooklyn Nets beat reporter Evan Barnes felt that the punishment barely fit the "crime" (a report covering a player interaction that USC felt wasn't officially "on the record").

Bad form by USC/Lincoln Riley here. @bylucaevans is a good, young reporter learning the ropes as a CFB beat writer and to suspend him for two weeks? For something so innocuous?

Ridiculous. https://t.co/eSbwJ0JZ5k

— Evan Barnes (@evan_b) September 19, 2023

Riley's reputation in Oklahoma for dealing with the press apparently preceded him, per Brady McCullough of The Los Angeles Times:

USC has suspended a reporter from the beat for two weeks. Are you freaking kidding me?

So *this* is the Lincoln Riley Oklahoma media were warning us about. https://t.co/d7MgshQzQj

— Brady McCollough (@BradyMcCollough) September 19, 2023

Tim MacMahon of ESPN posted a message of report to Evans:

Fight on, my banned brother @bylucaevans. https://t.co/XHn2Z00tn5

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) September 20, 2023

Minnesota Vikings and Timberwolves beat reporter Jon Krawcyznski employed a frequently used adjective:

Silly me, thinking USC is a big-time program. This is such a small move. Embarrassing. https://t.co/yQeohpBGyw

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 20, 2023

Cleveland.com OSU reporter Nathan Baird believed that the club's decision to penalize Evans doesn't speak well of its prep time allocation:

Fair warning USC fans: Coaches who worry this much about independent reporting usually aren’t worrying enough about actually coaching their team. https://t.co/XjSi1IMM9q

— Nathan Baird (@nwbaird) September 19, 2023

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