When Lincoln Riley arrived at USC with a week still left in the Trojans' wayward 2021 season, he used that opportunity to observe practice and learn what he could about the program.
There was one coach on the staff who was especially helpful in that regard to Riley -- offensive line coach Clay McGuire, who was finishing up his playing career at Texas Tech back when Riley was a student assistant on Mike Leach's staff from 2003-04. They would then work together in varying roles with the Red Raiders through 2009.
So of all the input Riley was getting from various people in and around the USC program, it was McGuire who he leaned on most during that transition week.
They'll run into each other again in the Coliseum on Saturday as No. 6-ranked USC hosts Washington State, where McGuire is now the offensive line coach for the Cougars.
"I talked to him a few times about it, I did, just being somebody I know and trust and respect his opinion. Talked to him when I first got here. He was not only great with some of the roster, it was cool to see his assessment of the place," Riley said Tuesday. "When you get in new, everybody wants to tell you what's been good and what's been bad. The reality is you appreciate everybody's wanting to help, but you don't trust, because you haven't been in the foxhole with them. I've been in the foxhole with Clay and I know what kind of coach he is, what kind of person he is.
"So it gives his assessment, not only of the roster but just living here, so much [weight]. He was very, very helpful. He's a great friend. I got a lot of really good friends on that sideline."
Nobody asked Riley if he had considered at all retaining his friend McGuire, but the prevailing logic was that to fix USC's underwhelming offensive line recruiting (which was not at all the fault of McGuire, who was in the program for only a year of Clay Helton-related turmoil) that he needed to land a splash hire who would resonate with prospects. In that regard, it made sense to bring in Josh Henson from Texas A&M despite any personal ties with his fellow former Red Raider.
But like Riley said, McGuire won't be the only familiar face on the Cougars sideline Saturday.
Washington State offensive coordinator Eric Morris was a wide receiver at Texas Tech from 2005-08, catching 184 passes for 1,965 yards and 19 touchdowns over his time there. By his final two seasons, Riley had been promoted to receivers coach and worked directly with Morris.
"He was a good player, fun player, under-recruited guy that came in. He was a smart player, no shock to see he's coaching," Riley said. "He comes from a coaching family, his dad was a really good coach, very athletic family. Just a very tough, dependable player. We had a great run there, but yeah, no surprise to see that he's in coaching and doing it at a high level."
Morris was the head coach at FCS-level Incarnate Word the last four seasons and came to Washington State this offseason along with his star quarterback Cam Ward and receiver Robert Ferrel.
The Cougars are 4-1, and after a bit of a slow start offensively, they have picked things up the last three weeks while averaging 428.3 and 35.7 points per game in that span.
Ward has passed for 1,445 yards, 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions overall.
"I think he's doing a good job of marrying [his offense] to what the quarterback does well. He's got a good player there, he's obviously been able to have some continuity with this guy. Eric's a smart enough coach, he's got an understanding of what his guy can do well and how can he maximize his strengths. He does a good job," Riley said of Morris.
"It looks like he gives this guy some freedom to use some of his natural-born athleticism to make plays, and it's a good system. It's a tough system to stop with the combination of what they run and the quarterback."
Riley also overlapped at Texas Tech with Washington State WRs coach Joel Filani, who was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2006 when Riley was still a graduate assistant.
