Lincoln Riley may not be forever, but LSU will have to look elsewhere
By Chip Rouse
I know, I know. I’ve heard the rumors, too. Lincoln Riley reportedly is being considered for the open LSU coaching job.
That really shouldn’t be the question. The real question is, has he been contacted and, is that something he would be interested in?
The one thing you have to remember about rumors is that you shouldn’t run with them to the bank. Some believe that where there’s smoke there’s fire, but generally speaking the vast majority of rumors — which more often than not are sparked by the media — aren’t based on fact and are simply unsubstantiated guesses.
The man himself said as much during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “There’s nothing to handle,” Riley said. That interprets to: This is a non-issue and, therefore, I have nothing to say.
“You guys know how I feel about this place and this program…You know where I stand on that and that hasn’t changed.” — Lincoln Riley on rumors he’s being considered for the vacant LSU coaching job
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He went on to say, “It’s pretty easy. I coach the University of Oklahoma football team. You guys know how I feel about this place and this program. We’ve all been down this road many times before. You guys know where I stand on that and that hasn’t changed.”
So, hold your Sooner Schooner horses, OU fans. Riley knows he is already in one of the top coaching jobs in all of college football. LSU is a top coaching job, too, but it isn’t that big a step up from Oklahoma, other than perhaps the money the folks in Baton Rouge are willing to shell out for a head coach.
According to USA Today, outgoing LSU coach Ed Orgeron will make $9.0 million this year in total compensation. That makes him second to only Nick Saban of Alabama in annual compensation. OU’s Riley is fifth on that list at $7.7 million.
I’m not saying that the 38-year-old Riley wouldn’t be interested in making more money, which he most certainly will in his present job if he continues to have success. But when you look at the rich heritage and history of the two programs, the comparison isn’t even close.
Oklahoma owns seven national championships to LSU’s two; OU has won 50 conference titles to 16 for LSU; and seven Oklahoma players have been awarded the Heisman Trophy. LSU has had two Heisman winners in its history.
You could argue that LSU plays in the best conference in college football. That is true, but Oklahoma will soon be part of that same conference, which is another compelling reason why Riley would not want the LSU job.
Not that other coaches haven’t done it, but I don’t believe Riley would have the heart or the stomach, at least under the current circumstances, to take a job in the same conference and go up against the school that believed in him, supported him and gave him his first head-coaching job, not to mention the reins to a program that was already at a championship level.
That was the basis of the OU head coach’s response on Tuesday to the media speculation that he was being considered for the LSU job. Bob Stoops went through this at OU practically every time a major college coaching job opened up. And his answer always was: I’m happy where I am.
Stoops knew a good thing when he saw it, and so does Riley.