Leaving Oklahoma

Smart move. His offense will work in the Pac-12, and his lack of defense won't be detrimental like it would be in the SEC once OU moves.

Well, at least there is one school with "California" in its name that is serious about winning football games.

It's insane to me that he would leave an elite coaching spot to go anywhere in the PAC. Granted as a program/potential $C is above al in the conference, but I think this is still huge for the PAC.

Homerun hire!!!

This is good for our Conference. We've been trending down the past few years, and snagging a high profile coach can only help our Pac-12 reputation, which has been in a bit of disrepair of late.

USC head coaches after Pete Carroll:

Lane Kiffin 2010-2013
28-15

Ed Orgeron 2013
6-2

Clay Helton 2013 (bowl), 2015-2021
46-24

Steve Sarkisian 2014-2015
12-6

Donte Williams 2021
3-5

From a Cal football perspective, I hate this move as it will immediately invigorate USC's recruiting and therefore program. I think its a good hire for USC, which is bad for Cal's on-field success.

From a conference perspective, this is huge. It temporarily halts the Pac-12's slow but steady decline to mid-major status by stealing a successful coach from a rival conference. This will, at least momentarily, lead to greater financial security as a good USC will lead to a bigger conference payday during TV negotiations.

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

Cue the panic by Cal AD to extend Wilcox to make sure the brilliant defensive mind is locked up for 10 more years.

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

Riley 's heading to LSU

I stand corrected - appears he'll be coaching the spoiled children. Oh well.

CaliforniaEternal said:

---

Cue the panic by Cal AD to extend Wilcox to make sure the brilliant defensive mind is locked up for 10 more years.

---

There is actually no panic by the AD or Chancellor. Panic would mean that they care about the program but given that they reward losing conference records with extensions means they don't give a flying F.

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

Afraid to compete (in the SEC)? Only one team with a pulse in the Pac 12 and you may not have to play them until the championship game.

Brilliant move by Riley…

Moving from one premier program to another is a wash BUT moving from the extremely competitive SEC to the weak sister P12 is a huge plus for him. Now he can be THE big fish in a mid-sized pond that is also rated as a P5 conference rather than being just another big fish in a very big pond.

This is great for the Trojans and bad for the rest of the conference. The biggest loser - Oregon (the only consistently decent football program in the conference), they are now a distant #2. The biggest winner - Riley (I'm sure his contract will be rather sweet).

It will be interesting to see how this impacts recruiting. SC had a bunch of highly rated decommits recently. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they rescinded their decommitments before the mid-December signing date.

Man, I remember the last time when a head coach of a big-time program left for USC. It was really embarassing for the school and its fanbase.

Jfc give it a rest people. He’s not leaving a top 5 college job for another college job. This is borderline obsession w the man.

— Danny McCoy (@DannyBigMac13_) November 28, 2021

Hilarious!

Lincoln Riley addresses LSU rumors following #Sooners #Bedlam loss pic.twitter.com/ceVbSFe7mA

— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) November 28, 2021

- A national championship coach got fired less than 2 years later.

-- Mullen went from SEC title game to pink slip in 11 months.

I'd be afraid too. https://t.co/xzNC28xhoB

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 28, 2021

Man, I wonder what it'd be like if Cal had a head coach known for sending QBs to the NFL...I bet it would result in Cal having the best top-tier QBs.

Column on the rarest of days for both USC and Pac-12 football.

For once, a five-star is headed west. https://t.co/gLbzV3wEar

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 29, 2021

It's a New Day in LA!

Welcome to the Trojan Family, Lincoln Riley!!

— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) November 29, 2021

We got our guy.

Join us in welcoming @LincolnRiley and his family to Los Angeles!#FightOn✌️ pic.twitter.com/CHnhzHRFT6

— USC Football (@USC_FB) November 29, 2021

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

Can't imagine why Lincoln Riley would rather recruit against UCLA, Cal, Stanford, and Arizona State than Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Texas

— Jason Kirk (@thejasonkirk) November 28, 2021

Big C said:

---

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

---

He's married. When you are making $millions per year there are only so many ways to spend it in Norman, Oklahoma versus L.A.

I can understand it. He's probably making 8 figures a year ($11m/year is my guess), SEC job security for every coach whose name doesn't rhyme with ray-ban is nonexistent, in and he has a clear path to the playoff. Plus he gets to live his life in peace relatively anonymously in LA instead of having to wear Groucho Marx glasses to the grocery store in Norman.

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

---

He's married. When you are making $millions per year there are only so many ways to spend it in Norman, Oklahoma versus L.A.

---

Yeah, I just googled him (or, as some say, "did my own research"). I'm guessing his wife Caitlin is smiling, imagining life in Beverly Hills as part of a family making close to eight figures.

Looks like he's West Texas born and bred. Will he be the right "fit"?

According to Wikipedia (I am a next-level researcher, you see), his pets are named Boomer and Sooner, no lie. Time for a name change! I nominate "Trojan" and "A**hole".

Big C said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

---

He's married. When you are making $millions per year there are only so many ways to spend it in Norman, Oklahoma versus L.A.

---

Yeah, I just googled him (or, as some say, "did my own research"). I'm guessing his wife Caitlin is smiling, imagining life in Beverly Hills as part of a family making close to eight figures.

Looks like he's West Texas born and bred. Will he be the right "fit"?

According to Wikipedia (I am a next-level researcher, you see), his pets are named Boomer and Sooner, no lie. Time for a name change! I nominate "Trojan" and "A**hole".

---

I vote for "Spoiled" and "Children".

Big C said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

---

He's married. When you are making $millions per year there are only so many ways to spend it in Norman, Oklahoma versus L.A.

---

Yeah, I just googled him (or, as some say, "did my own research"). I'm guessing his wife Caitlin is smiling, imagining life in Beverly Hills as part of a family making close to eight figures.

Looks like he's West Texas born and bred. Will he be the right "fit"?

According to Wikipedia (I am a next-level researcher, you see), his pets are named Boomer and Sooner, no lie. Time for a name change! I nominate "Trojan" and "A**hole".

---

No way! Most SC types live near the beach. Now the question is.... which beach is the best beach to live near for 1) your commute and 2) to avoid USC fanboys?

Also, if he lives in Beverly Hills, it'll be harder to get to USC via the freeway.

Big C said:

---

According to Wikipedia (I am a next-level researcher, you see), his pets are named Boomer and Sooner, no lie. Time for a name change! I nominate "Trojan" and "A**hole".

---

Big C, let's be serious, no one names their dog, Trojan.

71Bear said:

---

Brilliant move by Riley…

Moving from one premier program to another is a wash BUT moving from the extremely competitive SEC to the weak sister P12 is a huge plus for him. Now he can be THE big fish in a mid-sized pond that is also rated as a P5 conference rather than being just another big fish in a very big pond.

This is great for the Trojans and bad for the rest of the conference. The biggest loser - Oregon (the only consistently decent football program in the conference), they are now a distant #2. The biggest winner - Riley (I'm sure his contract will be rather sweet).

It will be interesting to see how this impacts recruiting. SC had a bunch of highly rated decommits recently. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they rescinded their decommitments before the mid-December signing date.

---

Good stuff '71. One side note is a resurgent SC means a bigger TV contract, which lifts all boats.

okaydo said:

---

Big C said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

---

He's married. When you are making $millions per year there are only so many ways to spend it in Norman, Oklahoma versus L.A.

---

Yeah, I just googled him (or, as some say, "did my own research"). I'm guessing his wife Caitlin is smiling, imagining life in Beverly Hills as part of a family making close to eight figures.

Looks like he's West Texas born and bred. Will he be the right "fit"?

According to Wikipedia (I am a next-level researcher, you see), his pets are named Boomer and Sooner, no lie. Time for a name change! I nominate "Trojan" and "A**hole".

---

No way! Most SC types live near the beach. Now the question is.... which beach is the best beach to live near for 1) your commute and 2) to avoid USC fanboys?

Also, if he lives in Beverly Hills, it'll be harder to get to USC via the freeway.

---

All recent USC coaches have lived in Rolling Hills (Carrol, Sark, etc.) or South Bay (Tarmac Boy)

Big C said:

---

calumnus said:

---

Big C said:

---

golden sloth said:

---

I am curious to know why he wanted to move on from Oklahoma, I doubt it was money, and its not like he Oklahoma was being demoted.

---

If he's married, maybe his wife is seeking the allure of Southern California.

If he's not married, maybe he's seeking the allure of Sothern California.

---

He's married. When you are making $millions per year there are only so many ways to spend it in Norman, Oklahoma versus L.A.

---

Yeah, I just googled him (or, as some say, "did my own research"). I'm guessing his wife Caitlin is smiling, imagining life in Beverly Hills as part of a family making close to eight figures.

Looks like he's West Texas born and bred. Will he be the right "fit"?

According to Wikipedia (I am a next-level researcher, you see), his pets are named Boomer and Sooner, no lie. Time for a name change! I nominate "Trojan" and "A**hole".

---

At least he didn't name his daughter Norma.

Lane Kiffin has a son named Knox.

wifeisafurd said:

---

71Bear said:

---

Brilliant move by Riley…

Moving from one premier program to another is a wash BUT moving from the extremely competitive SEC to the weak sister P12 is a huge plus for him. Now he can be THE big fish in a mid-sized pond that is also rated as a P5 conference rather than being just another big fish in a very big pond.

This is great for the Trojans and bad for the rest of the conference. The biggest loser - Oregon (the only consistently decent football program in the conference), they are now a distant #2. The biggest winner - Riley (I'm sure his contract will be rather sweet).

It will be interesting to see how this impacts recruiting. SC had a bunch of highly rated decommits recently. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they rescinded their decommitments before the mid-December signing date.

---

Good stuff '71. One side note is a resurgent SC means a bigger TV contract, which lifts all boats.

---

I would also add that OK had four commitments from four/five star level players from LA area high schools (a 2022 5 star and two 2023 5 stars along with a 2023 4 star). All of them are taking a second look at SC.

Is Riley coaching against Cal next week? Nothing like getting clownstomped by a coach on the job for a couple days.

He and Sonny are buddies. His younger brother, who was also a Texas Tech QB, is Sonny's OC. All from the Leach Air Raid coaching tree.

Good thing that style of offense can never succeed in a P5 conference.