First it was Baker Mayfield under attack. Now his head coach Lincoln Riley is taking fire with his super star quarterback.
It’s one of those stories that won’t die, thanks to the digital media revolution we are now all a part of and forever subjected to. Once things are out there in the social media world, they are there forever.
If Mayfield wasn’t the great player that he is, we wouldn’t still be talking about his disgusting antics in the Kansas game last weekend. But it’s also because he is a Heisman Trophy-worthy performer and quarterback of one of college football’s best teams this season that the spotlight gets bigger and brighter when someone like him steps out of line.
There seemingly hasn’t been a college football talk show or segment this week that hasn’t brought up the Mayfield incident in some way or form. First it was the actual incident itself that shot through the media like a raging forest fire. Then came Mayfield’s public apology, and that added more fuel to the fire
On Monday, almost 48 hours after the crotch grab heard around the world, Riley spoke of the matter in kicking off his weekly press conference and let it be known what disciplinary actions Mayfield would be subjected to: he will not start the Sooners’ final home game on Saturday and will be relieved of his captain duties for Saturday’s game.
Mayfield also spoke at the press conference on Monday and appeared to be tearful in expressing his regret for his actions and the bad, uncalled for example he set for himself, his team, his head coach and the university.
Monday’s developments set in action an all-new tidal wave of criticism and personal attacks, not only directed at the Oklahoma quarterback for what some, like Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum of ESPN, were calling a fraudulent apology and fake tears by Mayfield, but also ripping into Riley for being too soft on his prized pupil.
The argument being raised by the anti-Mayfield crowd, who have believed all along that Mayfield is as competitive and high strung as they come, but he doesn’t seem to have any control over his emotions and gets too riled up to be able to reel things back in when he’s hovering out close to the edge. If Saturday had been the first time something like this had happened involving Mayfield, that would have been bad enough, but the fact that the OU quarterback has let his words and actions get the best of him on several occasions before this is why many refuse to give Mayfield a pass.
The criticism of Riley is that had this been any other player, the punishment probably would have been a one-game suspension and perhaps permanent removal of the team captain title.
The OU head coach has been very outspoken about how close he is to Mayfield (they both came on board at the same time, in 2015: Riley as the new OU offensive coordinator and Mayfield as a walk-on transfer who won the starting QB job), and it is because of that, some in sports talk and sports commentary channels are saying, Riley wasn’t as bold in addressing the situation as he should have been.
ESPN college football analyst Rick Neuheisal said on Wednesday on ESPNU Radio’s “Playbook” program that Riley, as a young, first-year head coach, may have sent the wrong message to his team about how such matters would be handled in the future. The Sooner head coach had the perfect opportunity, Neuheisal said, to establish a disciplinary foundation and structure and a message signaling that such actions would not be tolerated by anybody, anywhere under his leadership.
Last Saturday, this was all about Baker Mayfield, and clearly should have been. In the hours and days afterward, however, ownership of the problem not only was with Mayfield, but quickly shifted also to his head coach, Riley. All eyes were then on the young Sooner head coach to see how he was going to handle the situation.
I personally feel that the criticism I am hearing about Riley and how the Mayfield situation is being handled is a bit of an overreach and an attempt by the media to keep the story afloat. Those of us who are or have been in the news or public relations business know that controversy makes news, and this news story is a juicy one, for sure.
If you’re tired of hearing about this, like I am, hold on to your hat. After Mayfield wins the Heisman, sparks will start flying all over again, especially if the Sooners are headed to the College Football Playoff.