Keyshawn Johnson did not hold back on Saturday night. The legendary receiver called USC a “f—ing joke” in a video. He wants Lincoln Riley gone from the program immediately. This is not a soft critique from a former player. Johnson says the Trojans got run out of the building by Wisconsin.
The numbers back up the anger. USC scored just seven points against the Badgers. The offense threw for 258 yards but also threw two interceptions. Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 31 of 50 passes. The running game was a disaster, finishing with negative 17 yards. King Miller gained only eight yards on 11 carries. The offensive line gave up five sacks. Johnson said he could only “sit here and laugh” watching this performance.
The Cost of Doing Business
Johnson told the administration to make a tough choice. He said the boosters and financial people need to act. If USC decides to move on from Riley, the price tag is steep. The buyout is expected to hit $70 million. Johnson respects Riley as a person but says the fit is broken. He even suggested Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell should take the job instead. “Congratulations, Luke Fickell. Coach Fickell, you did an amazing job,” Johnson said in the video, according to the New York Post. “You and your staff put it together.”
Riley Defends His Squad
Lincoln Riley did not agree with the harsh take. He admitted he did not coach well enough on Saturday. He also said he made some bad calls during the game. But he insisted the team is still capable of winning big. Riley told reporters in Madison, according to the New York Post, “This is the same team that played a way different brand of football at Penn State two weeks ago and we’re very capable of doing it again in the coming weeks.” He argued that preparation time does not matter. “Whether you have seven days to prepare or 14 days to prepare, you’ve still got to go execute in these moments,” Riley said.
The season is hanging by a thread now. USC sits at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. The conference standings rank them seventh. The remaining schedule includes three top-10 teams. Ohio State, Indiana, and UCLA are next on the list. A team that cannot afford another loss now faces a brutal path to the College Football Playoff. Johnson says enough is enough.
