Lincoln Riley asked if it was for real as he surveyed Los Angeles from his perch at the Coliseum. He was stunned beyond belief, natural for someone who has spent much of his career in Oklahoma and West Texas.
It is down south that Lincoln Riley built up his reputation that has finally taken him further west. His appearance at USC was stunning news in the football world. Lincoln Riley let out a perceptible gasp as he exclaimed at the view from the top, asking if it was for real.
The bosses and fans of USC were also in disbelief as they never thought that they could lure someone of Lincoln Riley’s standing. He has 3 consecutive appearances in College Football Playoff and has an unmatched resume of 55 wins at Oklahoma.
Lincoln Riley Impressed By The Commitment And Focus Of USC Bosses
It took months of and snooping and back-channeling through the deserts, and a data analysis covering 400 pages with a presentation of 50-slides to the players. Finally, what seemed in the realms of the impossible became reality.
Mike Bohn, the athletic director at USC, says that they never intended to transform the college football landscape with perhaps the biggest move in the world of college football. But it was just that. The appointment of Lincoln Riley will send a powerful message that the team had arrived.
Lincoln Riley got the call a mere 36 hours before, as Oklahoma lost to Oklahoma State at the end of the season. Bohn and Brando Sosna, his chief of staff watched the game knowing that a win by the Sooners would upend their chance of getting the coach at the top of their list.
The next day, USC leaders pitched their offer to Lincoln Riley. The cohesive message had an impact on Riley, and he was captivated by the assurances in place. The move was official in a flurry of moves.
Lincoln Riley says that USC bosses were totally in sync with their requirements and how he would fit into their scheme of things. Leaving Oklahoma and his base of fans was the toughest decision of his life, he says. And he is confident that it will not be long before he returns to USC to its past glory.
