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Lincoln Riley spurns the NFL again, but reportedly leaving Oklahoma

By Sayre Bedinger

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 30: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners greets his players before a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 30, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 52-21. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 30: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners greets his players before a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 30, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 52-21. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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One of the most coveted coaches in football is Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. He’s spurned the NFL again but is still leaving Norman.

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley has been one of the most highly coveted coaches in football, regardless of whether we’re talking about college or NFL.

He’s helped develop some of the best quarterbacks in college football over the last few years, including current NFL starting quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts.

For years, there have been rumors about whether or not Riley might leave Oklahoma for the NFL, but he’s always denied interest in going to the NFL. Apparently, though, he would leave Oklahoma for the right price.

No NFL or LSU for Lincoln Riley, who is going from OU to USC

LSU apparently was putting on a full-court press to try and get Lincoln Riley in the building.

He has undoubtedly received calls from NFL teams in recent years.

He would have his pick of jobs around the country if he made himself available, and it’s apparently the USC job that’s getting him out of Norman.

It’s no surprise that Lincoln Riley would decide against the NFL and instead go for another major college program like USC. The NFL is a tough, tough business and Riley will attract no shortage of top-flight recruits to a university that has hardly ever had any trouble doing so.

This is a monumental shift for college football, especially with the implications down the road of conferences reshuffling.

Unfortunately for NFL teams, this apparent QB whisperer and offensive guru won’t be turning “pro” in 2022.

He leaves Oklahoma with a pretty stellar 55-10 overall record as the team’s head coach, but unfortunately only one bowl victory out of four appearances. This move puts USC back on the map nationally after some really quiet years.

There may yet be some names from the college ranks that get calls from NFL teams. The NFL has been after Iowa State’s Matt Campbell for years now, but Riley was undoubtedly the league’s most coveted coaching “prospect”.

We’ll see what kind of pay day Lincoln Riley is getting from USC, but you can expect it to be absolutely massive to not only get him out of Oklahoma, but to also keep him from NFL teams and other college programs like LSU that may have been in hot pursuit.

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