USC Trojans Legends Matt Leinart, Matt Barkley Unhappy With USC Program After Notre Dame Loss

The USC Trojans fell to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 49-35 on Saturday. Former USC Trojans quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley weighed in on the current state of the program.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman shake hands after the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans wrapped up their 2024 regular season with a 49-35 loss at home to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Trojans will enter bowl season with an underwhelming 6-6 record. USC had a promising start to the season but struggled mightily on the road. 

Lincoln Riley Under Fire from Former Trojans

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Christian Gray (29) runs the ball after intercepting a pass intended for Southern California Trojans wide receiver Kyron Hudson (10) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has been heavily criticized for the past two seasons. In his first year at USC in 2022, the Trojans went 11-3 and were a game away from making the four-team college football playoff. 

Since then, USC has regressed in back to back seasons. In 2023, USC went 8-5. Now they are 6-6 in 2024. Former USC Trojans quarterback and 2004 Heisman trophy winner Matt Leinart weighed in on the current state of the Trojans via social media.

Finish 6-6 and just really have no clue what we are ? Who we are? There’s no identity. We have good players. Need to recruit harder. As frustrated as anyone. Want to see USC back to being a contender. Don’t think we are close at the moment.

— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) December 1, 2024

Leinart is concerned that USC is falling behind the rest of the country, and he has a fair point. USC was once on top of the college football world but has failed to recapture that in a long time. Riley was given a massive contract by USC following the 2021 season. USC, now members of the Big Ten, expect Riley to have them in contention for conference and national championship titles. 

Leinart wasn’t the only former USC quarterback to weigh in with his displeasure of the state of the program following the loss to Notre Dame. Former Trojan, quarterback Matt Barkley had this to say. 

This is not USC football

— Matt Barkley (@MattBarkley) December 1, 2024

Things will not get easier for USC. Now as full-time members of the Big Ten, Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan will always be in the way. To be a true contender, they won’t be able to skate around the way they did when they were in the Pac-12. There are too many good teams with programs that are trending upwards.

Next year will be the biggest year of Lincoln Riley’s tenure with USC. The lust of his first year has completely warn off, and if there is another middle of the road year such as this season, his status could be in major danger.

For Riley, the pieces and infrastructure are there. Can he now turn things around before it’s too late?

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