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Wisconsin Badgers' Alex Grinch Reunites with USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley

After five seasons together and two on the USC Trojans football staff, Alex Grinch and Lincoln Riley parted ways professionally. The two friends reunite with Grinch as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach of the Wisconsin Badgers.

Kyron Samuels

Apr 23, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive coordinator Alex Grinch during the spring game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 23, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive coordinator Alex Grinch during the spring game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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A familiar face to the USC Trojans will be on the opposing sideline for the Wisconsin Badgers when the two Big Ten programs face off Saturday, Sept. 28, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Former USC Trojans defensive coordinator, and longtime friend of USC coach Lincoln Riley, Alex Grinch will head back to his former stomping grounds.

Grinch returns to LA this time as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. Grinch, who has become infamous among college football circles, began his working relationship with Riley at the University of Oklahoma where he was the defensive coordinator from 2019 through 2021. 

When Riley left the Sooners to take the head coaching position at USC, Grinch followed and was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Trojans. If you’re looking at the pairing at face value, you could argue it was a success. Together, Riley and Grinch made a College Football Playoff in 2019, won two conference championships in the Big-12, and made another in the Pac-12 that they ultimately fell short in.

Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurt
Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates after the Big 12 Championship Game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Baylor University Bears at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019. Oklahoma won 30-23. [Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman] / BRYAN TERRY / USA TODAY NETWORK

The reality is throughout that five-year stretch, Riley’s offenses carried those teams. Quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Spencer Rattler, and Caleb Williams are names that need no introduction or rehashing. Grinch’s defenses, especially at USC, finished as some of the worst statistically in program history. 

After a substantially poor season defensively in 2022, the USC defense was even worse in 2023 especially considering added talent via the transfer portal. The once-vaunted Trojan defense finished No. 116 in total defense and No. 118 in scoring defense. They also allowed 432 yards allowed per game, 6.1 yards per play allowed on average, and 34 points per game.

This ultimately led to Grinch’s firing 10 games into the 2023 season. Some felt the decision was far too late, costing the Trojans two College Football Playoff berths, a fair assessment given the supremely talented offenses that the Trojans fielded during that stretch. 

Grinch’s replacement, current USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, already has the USC defense looking vastly improved albeit in a small sample size. While Grinch’s tenure might be a nightmare to Trojan fans and comedic to fans of the sport that sat through those performances, there appears to be no bad blood with the current Trojan team. 

USC Coach Lincoln Rile
Nov 11, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley signals to the offense during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

“It’ll be good to see him.” Coach Lincoln Riley said. “It will certainly be unique, being on opposite sidelines, with all the good times and great memories that we had together, all the years working together.” 

Star defensive end Jamil Muhammad also spoke highly of the former Trojan DC. 

“Coach Grinch obviously gave me a chance coming into last year. . . . Coach Grinch is a wonderful coach, and he’s an even better man.”

So, while history will never reflect fondly on the time spent together, the unique bond between Alex Grinch and Lincoln Riley appears to stretch far beyond the gridiron. Even still, there will be a winner and loser come Saturday. You can rest assured that the brotherhood will halt for at least a few hours when the ball kicks off. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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