USC head coach Lincoln Riley, left, finally fired embattled defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, right, on Sunday, but the time to make the change was before the season – which will be, in all likelihood, the Trojans’ last with generational talent Caleb Williams at quarterback. LOS ANGELES — We can say this: Lincoln Riley seems like a good and loyal friend. We should all be so lucky.
Still, at the start of the year, I thought, you know what? As much as sports comes down to winning and losing, the relationships forged in the fire of competition are paramount. I thought, big picture, Riley was sending a noble message to his players. He said he wanted to add talent, size and depth to the defense, but he didn’t want to introduce a new scheme or another voice, not when Grinch, who followed him from Oklahoma, was part of the turnaround from 4-8 to 11-3 in their first season together in L.A.about it,” Riley told the team’s beat writers in January. “I feel I have a clear vision of what we’re gonna be defensively.