USC coach Lincoln Riley held his weekly Thursday morning Zoom call with reporters, making his final comments before the No. 6-ranked Trojans host Arizona State on Saturday night.
Riley talked about QB Caleb Williams' mindset this week, LB Eric Gentry's unique length, DL Solomon Tuliaupupu finally getting a chance to contribute and more.
Read his full comments here:
What needs to be done to provide Caleb Williams more protection?
"We gotta finish blocks better. We missed one blitz early, then after that, we were in the right place. It’s something we’ve done very well, very well up to this point. Both our backs and tight ends, when the offense has called for them to be in protection have done a really nice job. It’s been a strength through three games. We didn’t do a good job of it. Thought our fundamentals – I don’t know if lax is the right word – but didn’t focus in enough on the fundamentals whatever it is. But our fundamentals that were strong in the first three games in pass protection were not there against Oregon State. It’s been made very clear to those position groups that we expect a lot more, and I’d expect we take a big step forward this week."
Caleb was not made available after the game or yesterday despite reporters being told he would be, it gives the impression he's avoiding talking after a bad performance, was this your decision and what is his mindset this week?
"We gave him a break after the game. Brought a couple different people in there. We’ve made him as available as any player in the country probably in our time here. He’s done a lot of different media obligations and I think has honestly went above and beyond the normal call of a college athlete. Yesterday, had a couple of things going on, so didn’t do it. But that won’t affect his media availability going forward. He’s had a good week. He’s practiced well, very engaged with his teammates. Business as usual."
What has been your evaluation of Solomon Tuliaupupu, who you recruited while at Oklahoma?
"Kind of a strange turn of events from being in his house with Tim Kish who was our linebackers coach at the time, coming and seeing the family, having a great visit with him. Love the kid, love the family when we came out here. Obviously chose to stay here, and you knew he was a real talented player. I remember hearing something through the years of some of the injury trouble that he had faced. I was interested to see, like, where he’d be at physically and then maybe more importantly, where he’d be at mentally when we came in. You go through that much, you never know exactly how a guy is going to handle it. From our first meeting, I honestly, I tested him pretty early when I first got here, I basically gave him, like every out possible to leave the program. I was like, ‘Alright, this guy has been through all of this. The only way he’s going to have a shot with all that we’re changing and all he’s been through, he’s got to be, like, dying to be here, right? His motivation level has to be 100 out of 100 or this won’t work. So I gave him every out. I just constantly – and he was calling me. He was just insistent that this was the right move.
