LINCOLN RILEY LEAVE USC?

Will Lincoln Riley leave USC?  At first glance that would seem ridiculous!  He is one of the most respected coaches in college football.  Some have deemed him an offensive genius!  Of course, having a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback in Caleb Williams helps.  It helps a lot.  Riley followed Bob Stoops at Oklahoma  and did well.  And those were big shoes to fill.

But the USC Trojans called and made him an offer he could not refuse.  So he packed up his quarterback (Caleb Williams) and moved to SoCal.  Things went great.  The Trojans won games.  They were exciting to watch with explosive offenses.  And Williams won the Heisman.  The one problem:  Defense.  In fact, defense has been Riley's Achilles heel at both Oklahoma and USC.  For the most part the Trojans have been able to outscore people.  That philosophy came to a dead end against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  And the Trojans schedule gets tough, really fast moving forward.

Now there are rumors Riley is putting out NFL feelers.  There are even more rumors about a Lincoln Riley/Caleb Williams package deal somewhere.  Chicago Bears, anyone?

If this is true, it got me to think about something.  Why is Lincoln always running away?

Whether it was coincidence or not, he left a great Oklahoma situation just as the school announced it was leaving for the ultra competitive SEC.  Now, these rumors about the NFL emerge just as USC is ready to move to the Big 10, where the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Penn State Nittany Lions own the top 3 defenses in the country.  As we established earlier, defense is not Lincoln Riley's strength.

So what do you think?  Is he running away, just moving on, or staying at USC?

-Craig Shemon

ESPN Southwest Florida

What is in a name? This is a question that has been pondered for years. It could mean a standard to live up to. It could mean a less than stellar tradition. Or it could also make you laugh. And not in a disrespectful way. College Football has a history of great names, but the 2023 batch is a really good list. Ranker.com has listed the 50 funniest names in college football from the 2022 season. I thought it'd be fun to take their list and build off it with college football's best names for the 2023 season. There will be no discrimination here. Power 5 or MAC players, if your name is funny it stands on it's own. Your conference's television contract won't gain you any preferential treatment. The barometer is making me laugh, not where you play or how good you are.

Some of the best names in college football that we lost from 2022 to 2023 include Tank Bigsby, Thunder Justice-Keck, and Boogie Knight. For what it's worth Thunder Justice-Keck is an all-time name and should be signed by a CFL or XFL team based on the name alone. Some of the highly rated prospects coming out of high school stick out early in the recruiting process. Whether it's funny or just unique, a name that stands out seems to elevate to profile around a prospect. I'm looking at you, General Booty. The season is still a ways away, but let's start looking at the best names in college football for the 2023 season.

The most famous third-string quarterback in college football. He has a deal with Rock ‘Em Socks producing branded socks and underwear, the boxer briefs  say “Booty” across the back.

Not just a fun name. He is considered to be a top cornerback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Transferred from LSU. Parents are Quincy and Yvonne Cage

Decoldest Crawford has the “perfect NIL deal” with Omaha-based SOS Heating & Cooling. We should be seeing a new ad soon.

Originally he transferred to Penn State, but after Spring Ball he then transferred to Louisville.

Played one game last year, then had season ending surgery.

Made Sauce Gardener's list for Sauciest names in college football. The Thai Curry sauce.

His real name is Nataurean. But I like Phat. 

Third season with LSU. Major is majoring in Sports Administration.

Not his 'real' name. Nickname originated from his great grandmother, who called him "Squirrel" as an infant after he moved simultaneously with a squirrel in her garden.

Transfer from James Madison. Now a starter for the Gamecocks.

Fun name and a solid player. He has been named to the 2023 #BednarikAward watch list.

Since everyone pronounces his first name wrong, he'd rather people just call him 'smoke'.

Came to Ohio State as a running back, but switched to linebacker.

Linebacker Chief Borders spent two seasons at the University of Florida before transferring to Nebraska. It really seems like a lot of guys on this list are transfers.

The fourth-year sophomore is finally healthy after enduring five surgeries since arriving in the program as a walk-on.

Tiger Shanks is Canadian. Has a sister named Maria.

Recognize that last name. His cousin is Jadeveon Clowney.

Living up to that name. Honorable Mention All-ACC (2022)

Didn't just play for Ohio State at Indiana, but registered a sack, too.

This big DL had choices. Lono-Wong turned down offers from Hawaii and Boise State.

Wrap it up with a Florida player. Rowdy is committed to FIU as a TE.

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