Leach took to introducing Riley, then 23, as the youngest full-time major college assistant coach in the country. With Rileys help, the Sooners have won back-to-back Big 12 championships, have had two Heisman Trophy finalists in Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook, and a College Football Playoff appearance. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley already has made inroads in Southern California football recruiting, which should help him bolster USCs talent pool. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. Oklahomas issue during those seasons was its porous defense, but, during the last two years, its offense sputtered (at least living up to its ridiculous standards), as Riley struggled to work his magic on five-star quarterback prospects Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams Jr. Look, when 10-2 is your down year, youre doing pretty well. In Muleshoe, no one needs any convincing. Riley is already having huge success recruiting Southern California. While Riley stayed loyal to McNeill, he also wanted to make sure his next jump was the proper one. blockbuster came in June when Muleshoe's own Lincoln Riley, whose parents Mike and Marilyn still live in Rennels' neighborhood, was named the football coach at the University of Oklahoma soon after the unexpected resignation of Bob Stoops. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News, courtesy), Are these Rangers good? Riley has surpassed actor Lee Horsley as Muleshoe's most famous son. When Lincoln attended Texas Tech, about 70 miles northwest of their home, the Rileys cheered for the Red Raiders. Last week's scrimmage against Olton showed the growth the Muleshoe football team has made over the last year. What had been done was history or tradition or how theyd always done it, but it wasnt working. How did Lincoln Riley zoom from Muleshoe High School to the Sooners new head coach? , Victor marveled at how much time the older brother spent tutoring elementary school aged Garrett on the football field. Hed recently been elevated to receivers coach at Texas Tech after years spent endearing himself to then-coach Mike Leach as a student and grad assistant. As of September 2019, Harrell and Riley kept in touch often via text message. Even a few weeks ago, he says, if you wouldve told me I was living in L.A., I dont know that I wouldve believed you.. "I really . It's pretty much the talk of the town.. It has been assumed Harrell would move on next season, but, with the hire of his friend, it will certainly be interesting to see if Harrell remains a part of Rileys USC staff. "It's just this year's team," he said. MULESHOE The Muleshoe football team found itself trailing the visiting Brownfield Cubs 23-12 with 22 seconds remaining in the first half when Mules coach Jason Richards thought about taking a . Things got so bad that during Mike Riley's sophomore year. Oklahoma cap at lunch alongside Marilyn on Muleshoe's main drag. Maybe even an astronaut. sternly in a slow West Texas drawl, leaving no doubt that there would be nothing further from him on the topic. Still, he opted not to play as a senior. And Muleshoe, its a town that backs people from the community. "Now we are Oklahoma fans because Lincoln is closer. The Riley family came before most other fixtures in Muleshoe, settling in town in the 1930s, not long after the town was incorporated. He'd dissect defenses really quickly. The next year he was hired on at Oklahoma as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under the nationally-renowned Bob Stoops. But it's not as if Riley graduated at the top of his high school class. Both sides of the family were rooted in the farming business. Not only did they know him, he would take the time and just visit with those small kids and the junior high kids. He holds a masters of administration in education from Sam Houston State University, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science in physical education from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, where he was quarterback for the football team. "Small town, very tight-knit community. "But he was the kind of athlete you wanted running the show. But he happily embraced the familys other enduring legacy in town, as the third of four Rileys to quarterback the Muleshoe Mules. Its something that weve both always wanted, Caitlin Riley said. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Wood always saw the mind of a coach when Riley was one of his players. Riley caught Wood's eye as a seventh-grader. only a means to a football end. Maybe even a national title. There are many friendship threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000. Last year, Muleshoe named its football field after the longtime coach. Youre going to put me on the spot, Mike Riley said with a laugh when asked about cheering for Texas. Cattle ranching, dairy farming, wheat, cotton. As noted in a 2019 Times profile of Riley, Like most boys in West Texas, Riley grew up wanting to be the QB1, not coach him. But he chose football, and his immediate success with three College Football Playoff semifinal appearances in his first three years as head coach at Oklahoma has become an inextricable part of the towns story, one theyre more than happy to share, even if most cant quite reckon with the latest twist. Back then, that was unbelievable.. He always has. Richards grew up in Clovis, where he was quarterback/defensive back for the high school from 1999-2001. "Everybody loves him. Good call. That part has always been important to me.. "That's a good question," he said. Before joining the Times in May 2018, he was a projects reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and a 2017 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. They say you are raised by a village. And maybe after a few recruiting classes keeping Southern California talent at home Riley will be in a better position to take down the goliaths of the SEC by facing them in the playoff rather than tussling with them during the entire regular season. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Oklahomas Lincoln Riley is the nations preeminent quarterback guru, Lincoln Rileys hiring at USC already impacting Trojans recruiting, Malachi Nelson, The 12 hours that transformed USC football: How the Lincoln Riley deal went down, Jaguars, narcos, illegal loggers: One mans battle to save a Guatemalan jungle and Maya ruins. But Riley is still so young in the profession, and the longer he stayed in Norman, the more he risked the fan bases appreciation of him running dry. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. We were on the way to San Antonio and the bowl game and we were obviously thinking we were going to have our normal role at that Alamo Bowl game, said Simmons, who coached wide receivers at the time. Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more. His youth has been a positive, especially on the recruiting trail. Im not a big Longhorn fan right now, thats for sure.. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach saw enough in him to recruit him as a walk on, but it wasnt too long during his time in Lubbock before Riley moved into a student assistant role. One is USC head coach. USC sent shock waves through the sports world when it hired Oklahomas Lincoln Riley as its football coach. He doubled that win total in his first . Here in Muleshoe, the stunning news of Rileys sudden departure to USC late last month was greeted mostly with sideways glances. One newcomer Richards is excited about is Nic Reyes, a 5-foot-11, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman. He keeps things pretty close to his sleeve, Garrett says. Lincoln Riley Oklahomas new head football coach recently greeted everyone with a smile at Leals Restaurant off the main drag in Muleshoe, Texas. He took Baker Mayfield, a former walk-on transfer from Texas Tech, and turned him into one of the most prolific passers in the country. But it was no mirage. We just saw even at a young age he was pretty special for a 3A school, Wood said. Usually, you build those relationships, and youre going to have a successful program., Top Returners: Irvin Torres, Brennen Davis, Zach Hasley, Jacob Reyes, Matt Fabela. In West Texas, Muleshoe's team was for decades a source of disappointment. That string of decisions eventually cost Riley any hope he had at playing big-time football. He is the former high school quarterback who wore No. But the last 103 years havent been all wins and Roses. I havent been following them as much since the boys got bigger and went to different schools. Hes the young man who helped his alma mater install the spread offense, which led the Mules to a 2008 state championship. Muleshoe, just 22 miles from the New Mexico border, is home to the National Mule Memorial. Their hearts belonged to the Longhorns until sons Lincoln and Garrett went off to college at Texas Tech. Muleshoe Journal Correspondent. 866-495-5172 Already a member? He's certainly more comfortable in his job than he was a year ago at this time. Young kids look up to the varsity kids. For years, Magann's favorite Muletrain story focused on a local who grew tulip bulbs in a cotton field and shipped them to the Netherlands. Jalen Hurts could be next for the Sooners. A Texas map on the wall of Muleshoe, Texas head football coach David Wood's office marks the location of their West Texas opponents, Tuesday, August 1, 2017. The pride of Muleshoe is the new head coach of Oklahoma football, and to paraphrase a certain Oklahoma humorist, no one ever met a Muleshoe man who didn't like Lincoln Riley. Continue reading to hear more about OU's youthful coach. Former Mule Jaxon Lee, an AP all-state first team lineman for the. Makes a lot of people feel good., Wood -- who also coached Lincoln's brother, Garrett, when the Mules won the 2008 Class 2A Division I state championship with the younger Riley quarterbacking -- said he was surprised that Stoops stepped down, but didn't surprise me (OU) named Lincoln the head coach. "Yeah, hotel right now," he says. That notion crossed his mind the last Sunday morning in November, as he decided within a few hours to leave the comfort of Oklahoma for the uncertainty of USC. Lincolns father, Mike, ran the familys cotton compress and warehouse in the nearby town of Sudan, putting Lincoln and his younger brother, Garrett, to work hauling bales of cotton via forklift in the hot Texas sun. Muleshoe's high-powered offense is led by junior running back Daniel Sianez (579 yards, 6 TD) and the senior wide receiver duo of Ivan Torres (27 receptions, 293 yards, 2 TD) and Eliasar . The selection committee sorted through 112 applications and interviewed six applicants on Jan. 22 and 23 before determining that Richards would be their choice. In a ceremony held Jan. 28 in the Muleshoe High School Library, Jason Richards signed on as the new head football coach/athletic director for the Muleshoe Mules. And then there are the obligatory obits about friends and neighbors. in 1969, the Mules scored a single touchdown during the entire season. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, USC hires Lincoln Riley: Complete coverage of Trojans shocking coaching move, extended this week all the way to the state Senate, Lincoln Riley jetted for USC, and Oklahoma is left to furiously wonder why, Breaking down the USC roster Lincoln Riley inherits, Rileys arrival signifies a triumphant return, USC football coaches: Glory and gaffes, from Gloomy Gus to Lincoln Riley, Roundtable: Our March Madness projections for UCLA, USC and others. No telling if the city founders had any inkling the name might itself become a celebrity of sorts. In a back corner booth at Leals, where cowboy hats line the front walkway and tables are filling ahead of the lunch rush, Bob Graves is still sorting out his emotions over fresh-baked tortilla chips. But by then, the town had already galvanized around its team, and Muleshoe was firmly on the football map. "He knew all the progressions. 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