Oklahoma Fans Put Lincoln Riley Under Fire Over Latest USC Statement

Not too long ago, Lincoln Riley was leading the Sooners, only to leave Oklahoma fans feeling betrayed when he headed to USC. Years later, the bitterness surrounding his departure hasn’t entirely faded. With his name now caught up in fresh coaching chatter, his latest comments have only added fuel to the fire.

With three head coaches fired in just five days, this weekend’s coaching carousel sent shockwaves across college football. Naturally, the growing uncertainty around coaching jobs also put Riley under the spotlight at USC, but it also opened doors for him at Baylor. However, Riley confirmed where his allegiance lies and that he still believes in this program.

“If I didn’t want to be at this place, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place,” Riley said to On3. “I’ve had plenty of opportunities to leave. This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I’m the right person to be here.”

Riley is in his fifth-year coaching USC, and people are questioning whether he can deliver the results the program expects. They sit at a decent 6-2 record so far, but it may not be enough for a team hoping to compete for a national championship. Their plans to reach the CFP also seem to be in jeopardy, with only 4 regular-season games left. But his comments caught the attention of the fan base of his former program.

The tension between Riley and Oklahoma Nation is reaching a breaking point. Stay informed on how this rivalry's next chapter unfolds by subscribing to our College Football newsletter.

Riley and Oklahoma together had one of the most dominant regular seasons stretches. He stepped in after Bob Stoops retired and achieved a stellar 55–10 overall record and a 37-7 conference record. Riley continued Stoops’ winning streak and won 4 consecutive Big 12 championships. However, after their 2021 regular season concluded, he decided to leave the program, which never sat well with the fans.

“Leaving OU was probably the most difficult decision of my life. OU is one of the best college football programs in the country, and it has been forever. That’s not going to change. It’s not going to change in the SEC; it’s not going to change with another head coach. It’s stood the test of time, and it’s going to continue to do so. This was a personal decision solely based on my willingness to go take on a new challenge, and I felt like it was the right opportunity for me and my family to do that,” Riley said.

After Baylor fired Dave Aranda, they have been in a search for a new HC. For Sooners fans, Riley’s remarks reaffirming his commitment to USC in his fifth season likely felt like déjà vu.

One Sooners fan didn’t hold back: “I remember him saying the same thing about Oklahoma, and every Sooner fan would agree.” Another chimed in, “He said the same thing here, then bolted to LA at midnight.”

It was a shock not just for the fans but for everyone else too when he decided to leave. Riley was at a career high, and leaving a program that produced two Heisman winners. Usually, a move like this comes when you either have an offer from the NFL or you are getting fired. The Sooner fans seem to be warning the Trojan fans not to hold on to the words of the HC.

“I feel like I’ve seen this movie before,” one fan said. It is surprising how every fan had the samereaction because another said, “Omg… sounds like when he left Oklahoma.”

Since Riley took over the reins of the Trojans, they have had a 41-20 overall record and 27-14 in conference play. However, his tenure hasn’t been as explosive as the one he had at the Sooners. They have a big matchup against Ohio State coming up this week. A win could get their season back on track, and Riley is ready for it.

“I love it here. Like I told you guys a lot of times—there are not many people in college football history who gave up what I gave up to come here,” Riley said. “I don’t care if it’s 15 years down the line; that never should be taken lightly. It’s certainly not taken lightly by me. I came here because I believe in this place, and none of that has changed whatsoever.”

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