1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in last April's NFL Draft. Hes well-versed on David Woods success with the Mules, which included a 2008 state championship. But when they worked there during high school, the boys learned valuable life lessons such as time management and the importance of every worker in the chain. Copyright 2022. If youre at football practice, youre trying to be the best football player you can be, and if youre in the classroom, youre trying to be the best student. J. Brady McCollough is a sports enterprise reporter for the Los Angeles Times, focusing on national college football and basketball topics. Lincoln has a photographic memory, and when I say that, I really mean it.. The Muleshoe, Texas, city limit sign is seen in the hometown of new USC coach Lincoln Riley in 2015. He could think on the field unlike anybody else, Wood said. Anytime they wanted to bounce something off of someone, Donnie was the person that they talked to , I think it was their mutual love and admiration for college football. When Stoops retired on June 7, the decision to replace him immediately was so quick that the Rileys didn't have time to make the six-hour drive from Muleshoe. You could see anything in the world just ahead of you. Lincoln and I had many thoughts he prepared us that way. While the Sooners did not recruit as much in the Southland in Rileys first five years in Norman, theyve made camp in recent years, pulling commitments in the last year from some of the top offensive talent in the region 2022 five-star Santa Ana Mater Dei running back Raleek Brown, 2023 five-star Los Alamitos quarterback Malachi Nelson (the top quarterback in his class), 2023 five-star Los Alamitos athlete Makai Lemon and 2023 four-star Los Alamitos receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. Those players could switch their commitments to USC soon enough, and there will be more local players and coaches taking immediate notice of Riley putting down roots in Los Angeles to restore the proud tradition of the USC program. Two years into that gig, Riley found himself promoted to head coach when Stoops unexpectedly retired in June of 2017. A rocket scientist. Its something that hes excited about. Call. As you might expect, Runnels, who could double as a one-woman Chamber of Commerce, has a special sweet spot for Riley. He has learned from experience. Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at (405) 760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. "It's quite an accolade to say I was able to be a part of his life," Wood said. Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) That, of course, changed when Lincoln Riley went to Texas Tech, tried out for the football team and Mike Leach almost immediately recognized Riley's intelligence and told him to turn in his shoulder pads and become a student coach. Muleshoe went 1-19 in the two years preceding head coach Jason Richards' arrival. "I get back as often as I can," Riley said via cellphone after a morning practice last week in Norman, Okla. "It always will be a special place I carry with me," 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. The couple was on a tight timeline as Scott was scheduled to catch a 5 a.m. plane the next morning so that she could get to a softball game set for 1 p.m. the next day. Mules, just as his father Mike had done three decades earlier. How the deluge of 1938 changed Los Angeles and its river, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles. Take a stroll along Main Street in Muleshoe; pay your respects to Old Pete, the mule monument standing guard near Muleshoes only stoplight; hit the livestock auction just outside of town; and maybe stop for a tamale or two during the lunch rush at Leals, the towns beloved gathering spot, and youll start to understand what they mean. Atwood, who was one of the four, recalls that the boys were caught as soon as they descended the water tower. Questions? The older he got is when I was more impressed with him. A lot of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town. Muleshoes favorite son is now the youngest head coach in major college football. Today, he contends that their prank, now a part of town lore, was delayed payback for Friona painting the previous seasons score all over Muleshoes own weight room. Coaches came and went. Heres everything you need to know about Riley. Editor's note: This story was originally published on August 10, 2017. Despite Muleshoes noted success, the squad hit a rough patch, winning just six games over the past three years. Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal Muleshoe's head football coach Jason Richards reacts to water being poured on him after the team's win against Brownfield in a bi-district playoff football. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during a game against Baylor on Nov. 13. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. Riley's wife Caitlin is also pure West Texas, even if she's not from Muleshoe. Lincoln Riley isnt surprised by the towns confusion. Lincoln is also well-known for being the Oklahoma Sooners' head football coach. USC sent shock waves through the sports world when it hired Oklahomas Lincoln Riley as its football coach. All rights reserved. "I think I took things from him and a lot of my coaches. After coaching for 14 years, the Clovis native got his dream job and was named the Mules head football coach and athletic director in February. In Texas, playing football is practically a birthright. By June, however, coach Mike Leach had seen enough. Learn how this Muleshoe High School student is connecting with coaches in TX and nationwide. Hes got size, hes got a great family.. Youre going to put me on the spot, Mike Riley said with a laugh when asked about cheering for Texas. The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. Mike and Marilyn Riley have lived in Muleshoe all of their lives. But it was no mirage. Oklahoma mightve tested their allegiances as Texans, but Norman was still the Great Plains. It was so sudden, Graves says. He always has. Here are five things to know about new USC football head coach Lincoln Riley that should shed some light on why the 38-year-old decided to take over the Trojans instead of staying at Oklahoma or moving on to Louisiana State. Mike Riley's series of tin-roofed warehouses on the northern fringe of Sudan can feel like ovens in the unforgiving West Texas sun. 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. One of those guys, not necessarily write things down. Riley is a small-town guy, but clearly hes up for an adventure. in 1969, the Mules scored a single touchdown during the entire season. In 2014, assistant head coach was added to Riley's titles. The work was strenuous enough to teach Lincoln Riley the intended lessons about hard work and responsibility but also to convince him he had no interest in inheriting the family business. "Small town, very tight-knit community. Then cast your vote, Bruce Springsteen adds to mythology with three-hour show at Tulsa's BOK Center, State board approves new academic standards with Ryan Walters' last-minute revisions, More than 800 Oklahoma medical marijuana farms linked to organized crime, drug agency says, Gov. He knew exactly how to handle everything from the playcalling to quarterbacks.. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley watches the Sooners play Iowa State on Nov. 20. I would put those at the top of the list.". Stitt expresses 'strong disagreement' with Oklahoma AG over Catholic charter school, Bill Haisten: A massive event NCAA wrestling in downtown Tulsa, Lincoln Riley: 12 things you may not know about the OU football coach, Big 12 Media Days: After a whirlwind month, new OU coach Lincoln Riley takes center stage, Dan Snyder is under investigation over line of credit taken out by Commanders, Lionel Messi named men's Player of the Year at the 2022 Best FIFA Awards, LeBron James is facing weeks on the sidelines after foot injury, "I am scared of needlesr" Lillard on getting a drug test after his 71-point game. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Over the past six years, the offense averaged 38 points per game and amassed an average of more than 400 yards per game. However "favorite" and "biggest" were eclipsed when 33-year-old, coach, took over one of America's most storied. Just like he isnt shocked by the anger in Oklahoma. Thats coming from a program last year (where) we had a sophomore that just got offers from OU, OSU and Texas A&M, Richards said of Flour Bluff offensive guard Johnny Dickson. Later, when his younger brother, Garrett, quarterbacked the team, Wood consulted with Lincoln about their offense. Ellis is hoping to change that with plans for a new development on the edge of town, a project he hopes might convince folks fleeing Lubbock, 70 miles to the southeast, to take refuge in small-town living. Riley is already having huge success recruiting Southern California. Hes the young man who helped his alma mater install the spread offense, which led the Mules to a 2008 state championship. Here in Muleshoe, the stunning news of Rileys sudden departure to USC late last month was greeted mostly with sideways glances. Riley shadowed Leach, a noted night owl, as much as he could. A lot of times when people get success at a young age, the humble factor tends to get put on the backburner, Simmons said. Riley is pure Muleshoe. "I thought he was more in the realm of NASA or something like that," Wood said. Richards went on to lead. "Everybody knew everybody. Ask anyone in Muleshoe about Lincoln, whose first name is enough around these parts, and they swell with pride. 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.. Most folks here seem just fine with that. Rogers returned in 1934, an international celebrity. COURTESY/Riley family. 33 years old, due to turn 34 early in the Sooners' season, and Riley was atop one of the greatest college football peaks there is. "He loved the job and was used to working for nothing.". Mike Riley, Lincoln's father and a lifelong Muleshoe resident, said he didn't even know his son was interested in coaching until his senior year of high school. After all, Muletrain isn't 60 Minutes. "Yeah, I think that's fair to say," he said. Momentum was building, and at quarterback, the attention turned to Riley, who Wood says was set to take the reins as a sophomore. Almost seven decades later, another 18-year-old in Muleshoe was ready to find his way, and the folks from Lincoln Riley's hometown swear he could see anything in the world, just ahead of him. No one thought it was possible, Riley remembers. "He knew where every kid was supposed to be on every play," the coach said. Will fame (and the fortune of a new $3.1 million annual contract) change Riley? I knew he'd be the best next coach at a major Division I school. "It was a great place to grow up," Riley said on Wednesday afternoon during a telephone interview with The Eastern New Mexico News. Greatness, yes. Others speculate he wanted nothing to do with the Southeastern Conference. Riley was a defensive end during his sophomore season at Muleshoe, but he was shifted to quarterback for his final two years. Muleshoe, a 5,000 population town about 68 miles northwest of Lubbock, sits about 17 miles east of the New Mexico line. A high school portrait of USC football coach Lincoln Riley hangs on the wall of his parents home in Muleshoe, Texas, on Thursday, June 25, 2015. A newspaper article from the Clovis News Journal about USC coach Lincoln Riley during his high school days is on display at his parents home in Muleshoe, Texas. He has two daughters Sloan and Stella with Caitlin, the love of his life. A decade later, Lincoln Riley's new contract at Oklahoma calls for a guaranteed $3.1 million a year for five years. California? They are high-integrity people who recruit the right way and have a unique ability to work with players on and off the field.. They were some complex plays as complex as you can be at 11.. Hes a great, great dad, Caitlin Riley said. Flashback: Lincoln Riley's hometown thought he would work for NASA. Notice something in common about the starting quarterbacks for Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia entering this year? You have permission to edit this article. Heres little po-dunk Muleshoe playing in the [Dallas] Cowboys stadium, said Wood, whos now retired. Will Rogers was a restless 18-year-old in 1898 when he signed on to be a cowboy for the sprawling Mashed O Ranch, which covered parts of Lamb and Bailey counties in the Texas Panhandle. It's pretty much the talk of the town.. Tech racked up 579 yards of total offense. Evaluate Brennen Davis's football recruiting profile. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley answers a question during a news conference in August. Please subscribe to keep reading. In Muleshoe, no one needs any convincing. Riley even remembered his old high school while working at Texas Tech. He joined The Times after six years with the Southern California News Group. Head Boys Track Coach Aaron Simon. Back then, that was unbelievable.. Riley, like many young coaches, has grown over the years. Getting Darrell Davis, one of Richards high school football coaches, was something both men have been talking about for 15 years and have made happen. Current OU wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons, who was at Texas Tech for 10 years as a full-time assistant or support staff member, has witnessed Rileys fast trajectory as a college football coach. The run still resonates here. Duncan was receiving a National Football Foundation Legacy Award in New York City at the same time and Riley wanted to be by his mentors side instead. Who knows what would have become of Riley had he gone to Dartmouth, which seemed most interested, instead of his eventual landing spot at Texas Tech. 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. Thats something they never felt in Norman, where fans would recognize Rileys wife, Caitlin, at the grocery store and knew their daughters names. He'd dissect defenses really quickly. On his 27th birthday, Riley called plays in a thrilling season-opening 51-49 win over Tulsa in 2010. Sure, maybe they wouldnt have chosen California as their favorite sons next step. Which brings us to our final topic . Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. In addition to coaching the Mules to their only state championship in 2008, David Wood put up a. He has deep roots here. "To see him grow and develop into what he's become, it's pretty remarkable. They clearly remained friends throughout the years. Wes Wood, the coachs son who led the Mules to a state title as quarterback in 2008, said that season cemented Riley as his childhood hero. Plus, he has the trust of his predecessor. He was a sponge. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. 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. Even his childhood mischief has become a part of the town mythos. 4:13. All rights reserved. Watch film with intensity, remember so much about the film, most kids would not remember. New WIC On Wheels set to travel to Bailey, other counties, Republican candidate for District 19 primary has clear leadership goals. Conventional wisdom might tell you to stay in that, thats what you do, and I certainly think that wouldve turned out just fine. After watching Riley try to make it as a walk-on quarterback, the coach offered Riley a student assistant coaching job. Hard-working. We make it a point to, at least at some point during the day, see him face to face. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. Wood always saw the mind of a coach when Riley was one of his players. He was a walk-on quarterback at Texas Tech in the spring and summer of 2003 before starting his coaching career as a student assistant there under head coach Mike Leach for three seasons (2003-05), working with the offense. Seems that back when Riley. Overnight, the youngest head coach in major college football hailed from the West Texas speck on the map that fell into Channel 6's market. In 2018, Kyler Murray, a highly recruited transfer from Texas A&M, stepped in for Mayfield and earned his own Heisman and playoff appearance. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. And, from those days as a young coach on Leachs staff, he hasnt let his own pride bog him down. I certainly wont be afraid to do it here.. Never thought about it growing up, Mike Riley said. He's been too busy. District 514 W. Ave G Muleshoe, Texas . It can be backbreaking work. Muleshoe always supports their own.. Hes ready to be a part of that city and what comes with it. But that was 1965, 15 years before the birth of Channel 6. Richards comes to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator. Seeing the Mules football program flourish while learning from his coach, Eric Roanhaus, New Mexicos winningest football coach, added to Richards desire to become a mentor in the football ranks. Going [to USC], hes obviously ready for that challenge. The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. "We were Tech fans here because it's close," Todd, the undertaker, announced. He bought us steak knives with Harrell engraved in them, Harrell said. Cheerleading Sponsor Cheyanne Cage. Eight years later, on the brink of that state championship, Riley returned to Muleshoe High for a pep rally. He was only a year or two older than me, but he knew the offense. Some people dont desire to be a head coach. The people in Muleshoe say they didn't know Riley was headed for gridiron greatness. Rileys work ethic and confident mindset were instilled by his parents. Not only did they know him, he would take the time and just visit with those small kids and the junior high kids. Start End Years Coach Name Record; 1996: 2011: 16: David Wood: 139-51-0: Add Team Photo. He felt that it was a good opportunity for him. At USC, expectations are already soaring. After two seasons as the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director at Muleshoe High School, Lee Walker has been reassigned. Riley will have no shortage of talented quarterbacks to evaluate right here in his new backyard. And these former Longhorns fans are now supporters of the crimson and cream, as well as the University of Kansas, where their youngest son, Garrett, is the quarterbacks coach. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News, courtesy), Are these Rangers good? The unforgiving West Texas sun entering this year the Southeastern Conference walk-on quarterback, the of! 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Stunning news of Rileys sudden departure to USC late last month was mostly...
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