Lincoln Riley has been one of the best coaches in college football in the past five years. I have no problem giving him his flowers. He’s been courted by blue blood college programs and NFL teams every single year since his debut season. So what changed?
Yeah yeah I know, his contract is crazy . $110 million, buyout his OU contract, buy both his homes 500k over asking price, hand him a $6 million home, and a 24/7 private jet to boot. Blah blah frickety blah. People are going nuts about this private jet. Fucking Schiano worked a private jet into his Rutgers contract and he hasn’t done shit in the last decade. You think USC is the only program that can afford this ransom? LSU’s pockets ain’t light.
The other big rumor for Riley was to be the new Tiger King of Baton Rouge. In my opinion, what should have been the most coveted vacancy. Has another school ever been able to boast that their last three Head Coaches have won a National Championship? The school is guaranteeing you recruits, guaranteeing a giant contract, and guaranteeing you your best shot at a college football legacy with a National Championship. Ok so maybe Lincoln rathered LA over a Louisiana swamp. But I’m not buying that reasoning. Plus like, traffic… ever heard of it?
So why not LSU? And why leave now? Lincoln Riley just signed a six year extension with OU in July of 2020. He just filed for inspection for his new home he was building in Norman this fall? What the hell changed?
The SEC is not for the weak hearted. Orgeron just got shown the door two seasons removed from a National Championship. Dan Mullen was fired after bringing Florida to the SEC championship in his third season! Gene Chizik two years after winning a Natty at Auburn, gone. Mark Richt 145-51 at Georgia, goes 1-3 against Saban, fired. Les Miles, championship winning coach, 114-34 all time goes 3-7 vs Alabama, dead. This isn’t worrying about Iowa St and TCU mediocrity out here. Week in and week out you’re playing grown men. No one knew that better than Lincoln Riley.
Lincoln has taken Oklahoma to the playoffs three times. All three times he lost to an SEC team. His first year he put up a fight against Georgia. The other two playoff games both Alabama and LSU put Lincoln Riley over their knee. Whenever OU played an SEC team in a must win situation, Sooners couldn’t get it done.
I reckon when Oklahoma decided to leave the Big 12 is precisely when Lincoln Riley decided to leave Oklahoma. He saw the trail of dead bodies that Nick Saban and Kirby Smart left in their rear view and walked, no, RAN out to California. Another dead conference where he can be a a big fish in a small pond. Lincoln Riley is a little bitch boy. Terrified of the SEC, it just fucking means more.
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