College sports radio host: "USC needs to act like USC"

Josh Pate says he doesn't hate USC and wants their football program to return to national title contention. However, the national college sports radio host says the Trojans aren't close to regaining elite program status because of self-inflicted flaws.

"I don't think USC is anywhere close to touching what Texas is, or what Ohio State is behind the scenes, Oregon. [USC] could not tote Oregon's jock in NIL right now. And reason is not because they're poor or they're broke; quite the opposite, it's just because you take for granted; once NIL is a part of the equation, USC will dominate. Not they won't, USC won't do anything without acting like USC."

- Josh Pate, Late Kick

Pate believes USC administrators foolishly assume the lure of playing football near Hollywood is good enough to compete in the transfer portal and NIL market. He also suggests USC doesn't have the right people behind the scenes, much less alignment among the program's decision-makers.

Pate is correct about USC lacking the identity and competitive nature needed to compete with Texas, Oregon, and Ohio State.

Pate's criticism is a hard pill for many Trojan fans to swallow because it's true. Very few NIL details are made public, but the experts with sources and proximity to college football's major programs shed plenty of NIL insight. Thus, it's no secret that Texas is shelling out large sums to gain recruits' commitments. We also know that the Nike founder Phil Knight is doing whatever it takes to see Oregon win a national championship in his lifetime.

Why isn't USC making the same kind of noise in the NIL game?

Pate suggests the Trojans lack NIL leverage because they don't have their finances in order, nor is their collaboration with program donors. A recent YouTube video from Trojan Blade suggests USC General Manager Dave Emerick is not well-liked by the staff, player agents, and recruits. Moreover, Trojan Blade's sources indicate Emerick's micromanaging has hindered USC's ability to make timely and competitive NIL offers.

Another source suggests Emerick played a big role in USC losing the recruiting battle for Riley Pettijohn. Pettijohn's mother suggests NIL was not the deciding factor for her son's commitment. Most parents would say the same, but few actually believe the statement.

USC must get back to what it was during the Pete Carroll era.

Lincoln Riley is a phenomenal offensive mind but lacks the Pete Carroll aura. Carroll was as unpopular of a head coaching hire as ever, but he won Southern California over with his big personality and ability to sell himself and his program. He embraced the Hollywood atmosphere surrounding the university and incorporated it into USC football without fear of distraction.

But on the field, Carroll was as intense as head coaches come. He demanded excellence from his players and was a master at leveraging his stars into leadership roles. USC emerged as a dominant program by his 2nd season, finishing 11-2 and with an Orange Bowl win. Of course, once the winning started, every high-profile recruit wanted to be a part of it.

That is what Josh Pate means by saying, "USC needs to act like USC." Emerick needs to go, Riley must start taking pages from Carroll's book, and the Trojans' assistant coaches need to get more aggressive on the recruiting trail. Above all, the university needs to start writing checks that are comparable to what Texas, Ohio State, and Oregon are handing out.