Lincoln Riley leaves Oklahoma for USC on Sunday in biggest shake-up on college football training carousel 2021.
It was a home hire for a Trojans program, its fourth head coach since Pete Carroll left after the 2009 season. Riley brought in a 55-10, three-time Soccer League record. University and four congress championships.
That’s not even the best part. Riley will bring the Heisman Trophy- and the national championship back to USC.
THAN: Why did Riley leave Oklahoma for USC?
Look at his achievements. Oklahoma has consecutively beat Heisman in Baker Mayfield (2017) and Kyler Murray (2018). Jalen Hurts (2019) finished second in Heisman’s poll next season. All three started in College Football Playoffs. All three start in the NFL right now.
In their final season at Oklahoma, the trio averaged 4,209 yards, 39 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. USC will certainly take over that production.
Even Caleb Williams, who took up the starting role of the Sooners this year, joined the conversation with Heisman despite not starting until mid-season. Williams will be one of the favorites in 2022.
THAN: Oklahoma’s top rookies start hopping after Riley leaves
Was he happy to enter the remittance gate and follow Riley to USC? If not Williams, then Spencer Rattler? Oklahoma received a commitment from Malachi Nelson, the team’s No. 2 defender in 2023. Nelson plays at Los Alamitos (Calif.). Is he considering staying close to home now?
That could be part of the Riley Effect at USC. The Trojan needs to keep the top five-star defenders on the West Coast. Alabama’s Bryce Young (Mater Dei in Santa Ana), Ohio State’s CJ Stroud (Rancho Cucamonga) and Ole Miss’ Matt Corral (Long Beach Poly in Long Beach), the three defenders most likely to reach the final round of Heisman This season, they’re all from California.
Riley can help reverse that trend, and the recruiting impact could bring USC back into the spotlight nationally for the right reasons. Riley has averaged 42.7 points per game at Oklahoma over the past five years; The Sooners scoring an average of 38.4 points per game in 2021 is considered a down season.
ORE: Seven brightest candidates to replace Riley at OU
During Carroll’s heyday, the show was built around Heisman Trophy award-winning quarterbacks Carson Palmer (2002) and Matt Leinart (2004). Palmer attended Santa Margarita Catholic in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, while Leinart attended Mater Dei.
This is the big recruitment that not only USC but also Pac-12 are waiting for. The conference has not had a CFP since 2016. The Trojans have a chance to re-emerge through recruitment with a proven winner. Riley proved he can replace a legend in Bob Stoops.
THAN: Riley was honest about the LSU job, after all
Now, he can build his own legend at one of the all-time green-blooded shows.
You can bet it will start below the center.
