Colin Cowherd’s obsessed with Lincoln Riley (the college version of Sean McVay, who at 36 is actually younger than the 38-year old Riley)

Colin Cowherd — “People in southern California really don’t care about Oklahoma football. They really don’t. I’m sure they respect it, the people who love football, but Oklahoma football is now kind of obsessed because of the way Lincoln Riley left, departed.

“They think USC had their clutches on him weeks before. They didn’t. I know. I had talked to the Athletic Director (Mike Bohn) for three months during the process, and one of the top trustees. They didn’t know a week out. They had it down to seven different coaches. They knew they were gonna land one of them. The Athletic article on Lincoln Riley points that out.

“Lincoln Riley never ‘felt’ like Oklahoma. He felt, to be honest, like the NFL, and USC in college football is the closest thing to the NFL. The Coliseum’s had the Olympics. They’ve played baseball and NFL games there. Lincoln Riley can succeed at both Oklahoma and USC. And he may (eventually) leave USC for the NFL and that’ll be okay because at USC, that’s how it works (John McKay, John Robinson, Pete Carroll).

“Nobody was outraged (when Pete left). It’s how the game works on the coasts. We’re not into the ‘loyalty thing’. We’re into the ‘upgrading thing’. And my guess is Lincoln Riley will spend 5, 6, or 7 years here and win a couple of national titles, Oh, he will I’m sorry to inform you. And he’ll probably pivot to the Dallas Cowboys or something, and nobody here will be bothered.

“I never once thought that Oklahoma was where it’s gonna end for Lincoln Riley. I think Bob Stoops, deep down, also knew that Lincoln Riley wouldn’t stay at Oklahoma. There were rumors for years Riley was going to go to the NFL after two years coaching (at OU). Nobody thought Pete Carroll was gonna stay forever at USC. And nobody thinks Lincoln Riley’s gonna stay forever at USC. It would be great if he did, but he’s big picture, offensive, aspirational.

“I talked to an NFL general GM when Riley got hired at SC, and he said he was only two coaches, Jim Harbaugh was the other, that he would hire in the NFL. “Riley has never been ‘just Oklahoma.’ It’s not the way he left. No, it’s not. It doesn’t matter how you leave, it’s that you leave.

“Lincoln Riley is a better fit in Los Angeles. He’s simply a better fit. He feels like more L.A. than he does Oklahoma football. He feels about quarterbacks, and wide receivers, and clever offensive schemes. I had another NFL executive tell me Riley feels like the college version of Sean McVay. Culture, offense, growing, progressive, holistic thinker. That’s not anti-Oklahoma. But it feels very right in Los Angeles at USC.”

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