The USC Trojans ' loss to the Oregon Ducks left head coach Lincoln Riley facing questions that had little to do with the final score. The Trojans are now dealing with criticism over how their sideline handled a serious moment involving Oregon quarterback Dante Moore .
As USC prepares for another Big Ten test, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt has raised concerns about the program's discipline and leadership.
The controversy began when USC linebacker Desman Stephens II delivered a late hit on Moore during the second quarter of USC's 41-27 loss to Oregon on Sept. 26.
Moore was sliding after a scramble when Stephens lowered his shoulder and made contact, sending the quarterback's head into the turf. Officials ejected Stephens for targeting, while Moore remained on the field for more than 10 minutes before being taken to Los Angeles General Medical Center.
Oregon later confirmed that Moore suffered a concussion, although his CT and MRI scans were clean. He was placed in concussion protocol.
The incident became more contentious because Stephens was seen smiling and celebrating with teammates while Moore received medical attention. USC's radio broadcast also drew criticism after suggesting Moore had moved into the hit.
Speaking on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," Klatt said the issue was not limited to Stephens' actions. He argued that USC's coaching staff should have intervened immediately.
"I think this is where most people in the anti-Lincoln Riley camp would be. The hit on Dante Moore, but then the actions after, and the lack of control from a culture's perspective," Klatt began .
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He acknowledged Riley's offensive strengths but questioned what was happening around the program.
"Now, you see all this ancillary stuff on the fringes of USC," Klatt said. "The stadium wasn't full early in the season. It doesn't seem like the fan base is that excited about what's going on. Now you get this piece right here, where there seems to be a lack of discipline and/or awareness of the situation from anybody.
"This is not just Desman Stephens. Like, I'm not going to give him a pass because I thought his actions were gross, but he's in the heat of the moment as a young individual," Klatt added. "What I was more surprised about was that there was not any awareness outside of Desman Stephens for what was going on."
Riley said that after the game, he had not seen Stephens or other players celebrating. He also defended the linebacker remaining with the team after his ejection, saying it was "because he's on our team."
USC later suspended Stephens for one game. Riley called his actions unacceptable and said they did not represent USC football or Stephens' personal character. The player also apologized for his reaction.
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Klatt believes the staff's reaction to the incident is what makes the situation significant.
"How was the staff dapping him up on the sideline or another player or a captain or Lincoln himself, not going over and grabbing him by the hip and saying, 'Get over here and let's stop that,'" he said. "Like, you got to nip that in the bud."
USC now turns its attention to the Washington Huskies on Oct. 3. Klatt expects the Trojans to respond strongly amid greater scrutiny of the program, but said the outcome will show whether the team can perform under this kind of pressure.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
