Oklahoma football: Lincoln Riley’s first-things-first to-do list

The beauty of Lincoln Riley’s priority list of things to do as the new head coach of Oklahoma football is that the house is in tip-top shape, which allows him to focus on the absolute need-to-does and not make wholesale changes to adjust to a new system, strategic style or philosophy.

In an article last week in the Oklahoma City Oklahoman, sports columnist Berry Tramel compared Riley’s first day in the new job to that of Sooner coaching great Barry Switzer, when the latter stepped into the new role in 1973, replacing Chuck Fairbanks, who had been hired as the new head coach of the NFL New England Patriots.

Tramel recalled that Switzer stood before the team and started calling out names, in roll-call fashion, of several of the Sooner stars at the time (Lee Roy Selmon…Joe Washington…Rod Shoate). After acknowledging their presence to their new head coach. Switzer followed with: “Just checking to see if y’all are here.

“We’re in good shape,” Switzer continued. “The right people (are still here).”

Stoops left the pantry loaded with talent at all the skill positions. With the exception of Bob Stoops, the coaching staff remains in tact, and the wheels on the machine that has won two consecutive Big 12 championships and 10 total under stoops are well oiled and ready to roll for another season.

Riley may be stepping into a good situation insofar as where the Sooners are in their ability to sustain the successful run they have been on under Stoops, but as we all know, there is always room for improvement.

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We also know, and you can be assured Riley does as well, that standing pat is not an option. After all. if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.

In an interview with OU assistant athletic director Mike Houck, Riley acknowledged that his biggest challenge as Sooner head coach was going to be time management. “There are so many different responsibilities, just managing my time and making sure I’m making the absolute most out of it is important,” he said.

“Delegating and trusting people to do their jobs and take on more responsibility is something Riley says he is going to have to do a better job of to be successful in his new role. “I’ve got to be able to clearly define what we need done, and I’ve got to let them do their jobs,” the new OU head coach said.

Priority No. 1 – The Players

Riley’s top priority, he says, is and always has been the players, particularly communicating and connecting with them and earning their trust and respect. “Everything I’ve tried to do in the beginning has revolved around what’s best for them. And that will never change.”

Priority No. 2 – Recruiting

“Recruiting has always been important to me, and I’ve always enjoyed it,” Riley said. “That’s building your team right at the core.”

Maintaining communication with the current commits and the guys the Sooners continue to recruit is always important and an ongoing process, and especially now with the head-coaching change. No one knows that better than Riley.

‘It’s honestly more fun when you’ve got an incredible product to sell and when you’ve go a great place to show these kids,” he said. Oklahoma gets a check in both boxes

“We have an interesting recruiting model, because Oklahoma is a national brand. We get recruiting interest from players in just about every state in the country, and from some out of the country, as well.”

Priority No. 3 – The Coaching Staff

Setting strategic and operational direction and establishing clarity and cohesion in roles and responsibilities and the work that needs to be done is another top priority as Riley takes on his new role. He also has a couple of vacant coaching positions to fill.

“There have been a few changes (already), and I’m sure there will continue to be a few,” Riley said.

One such change was announced on Wednesday with the hiring of Ruffin McNeill as assistant head coach and defensive tackles coach. McNeill was serving as assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Virginia, and before that he was Riley’s boss as head coach at East Carolina, where Riley was on the staff as offensive coordinator.

The Riley-McNeill connection also extends back to Texas Tech., where Riley was a player, a student and graduate assistant and later an assistant coach at the same time McNeill was one of the assistants.

Even with a very slight change in direction, Riley still wants to make sure the coaching staff is in compete alignment with where they want to go with the team and how they plan to get there.

“When you’ve got great people like we do,” the new head coach said, “all you have to do is give them direction and turn them lose to work.”

Priority No. 4

Let the good times roll…

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