Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter. A look at what Lincoln Rileys USC team could look like come the 2022 season. 1. While its Richards hope he can turn that around, hes made it a point to implement a program that doesnt discuss wins, but rather make sure the Mules master the things that take no talent., Having a great attitude, having great energy, being where your feet are, doing the best, he explained. Lincoln and I had many thoughts he prepared us that way. Honest, hard-working people. Riley is a fierce competitor, but it would be naive to think that Oklahomas upcoming move to the SEC where the Sooners will be one of six programs which expect to annually compete for national championships wasnt something he weighed in making this shocking move west. A few years later, Leach offered Riley a full-time job as a wide receivers coach. Riley's wife Caitlin is also pure West Texas, even if she's not from Muleshoe. The idea of moving to Southern California was, he admits, pretty daunting. He was a defensive end as a sophomore, but took over the offense in his final two seasons which included one state semifinal finish. It may be a good thing that the show never has had a scripted length. He looks back fondly on his upbringing in West Texas and the lessons it taught him. Lincoln Riley isnt surprised by the towns confusion. Richards grew up in Clovis, where he was quarterback/defensive back for the high school from 1999-2001. 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Hes going to kind of do everything.. That plains was the prettiest country I ever saw in my life, as flat as a beauty contest winner's stomach, and prairie lakes scattered all over it. Still, the savvy proprietor of the town's only cable station can't possibly know what stories might fall into her lap for the three times a week Muletrain report on her family-operated Channel 6. Hes got size, hes got a great family.. Thats a whole nother world than what he grew up in, said Alice Liles, who taught Rileys advanced English class and authored a book on the town. Some people dont desire to be a head coach. Ive always carried that with me., USC coach Lincoln Riley on what he learned from high school coach David Wood, There was backlash to his new, strict approach at first, too. They are high-integrity people who recruit the right way and have a unique ability to work with players on and off the field.. Lincoln Riley's father doesn't seem to be a big talker. "Now we are Oklahoma fans because Lincoln is closer. Over the past six years, the offense averaged 38 points per game and amassed an average of more than 400 yards per game. "We were Tech fans here because it's close," Todd, the undertaker, announced. I really saw his potential to be a rocket scientist, Wood said in 2015. The crowd roared. But he dislocated his throwing shoulder before the start of the season trying to make a tackle during a practice. The Rennels' house on West 3rd Street is conveniently located just down from Muleshoe High, whose Friday night football games the station videotapes for continuous airings on Saturdays and Sundays. And Muleshoe, its a town that backs people from the community. But that was 1965, 15 years before the birth of Channel 6. Wes Wood, the coachs son who led the Mules to a state title as quarterback in 2008, said that season cemented Riley as his childhood hero. And I think the value of honesty from my parents and in the community, those were things that people expected of you and took pride in. Head Boys Powerlifting Coach Jaxon Lee. But as he and his wife considered the idea, Riley thought of his daughters. In West Texas, Muleshoe's team was for decades a source of disappointment. Richards also knows the talent that has come out of the program, like Riley brothers Lincoln and Garrett. Lincoln Riley Oklahomas new head football coach recently greeted everyone with a smile at Leals Restaurant off the main drag in Muleshoe, Texas. Its something that weve both always wanted, Caitlin Riley said. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. "It's quite an accolade to say I was able to be a part of his life," Wood said. Sure, maybe they wouldnt have chosen California as their favorite sons next step. "But he had a really good memory, was really good at math and he was very competitive. But its also a dream come true. "Weather here is always important because this is an agricultural community," said Rennels, 74, sounding every bit a schoolmarm lecturing a student just off the turnip truck. "Everybody in town knows him," she said. Not only did they know him, he would take the time and just visit with those small kids and the junior high kids. Muleshoe (locals pronounce it mule-SHOE), named in honor of a nearby ranch and developed in 1913 to take advantage of commerce sure to come with newly laid railroad tracks linking Lubbock to New Mexico, was back on the map. "He wasn't a blue-chip athlete," Wood said. But by then, the town had already galvanized around its team, and Muleshoe was firmly on the football map. We were so close in age, it became a friendship, but he was a friend I respected. You're shaped by your experiences," Riley said. Everybody is just so proud.". Riley began his coaching career at Roosevelt High School in Lubbock, Texas as the team's quarterbacks coach and passing game assistant. That, of course, changed when Lincoln Riley went to Texas Tech, tried out for the football team and Mike Leach almost immediately recognized Riley's intelligence and told him to turn in his shoulder pads and become a student coach. In 2017, once Riley took the reins from Stoops, Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy while leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff semifinals. He doubled that win total in his first . All rights reserved. The older he got is when I was more impressed with him. COURTESY/Riley family. In a ceremony held Jan. 28 in the Muleshoe High School Library, Jason Richards signed on as the new head football coach/athletic director for the Muleshoe Mules. Riley started in the fifth grade, both officially and in backyard games with neighborhood children. Here's a look back at his Muleshoe, Texas roots. As soon as Bob Stoops handpicked Riley to coach the quarterbacks and run the offense at Oklahoma in 2015, Riley began to prove what he had already shown at East Carolina in Conference USA: The guy knows how to motivate and prepare players at footballs most important position. Jeremiah Barron struggled with injuries last season, but also has the potential to be a versatile player for Muleshoe. Note: Lincoln Riley turns 35 years old today. Conventional wisdom might tell you to stay in that, thats what you do, and I certainly think that wouldve turned out just fine. Oklahomas issue during those seasons was its porous defense, but, during the last two years, its offense sputtered (at least living up to its ridiculous standards), as Riley struggled to work his magic on five-star quarterback prospects Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams Jr. Look, when 10-2 is your down year, youre doing pretty well. Atwood, who was one of the four, recalls that the boys were caught as soon as they descended the water tower. We were on the way to San Antonio and the bowl game and we were obviously thinking we were going to have our normal role at that Alamo Bowl game, said Simmons, who coached wide receivers at the time. Ask anyone in Muleshoe about Lincoln, whose first name is enough around these parts, and they swell with pride. Hell never forget his roots, Muleshoe Mayor Cliff Black said last week. Copyright 2022. How could she possibly have known nefarious souls would steal the portable, outdoor air-conditioning system down at the nursing home necessitating an emergency fundraiser; or just how. BREAKING after two seasons Muleshoe has reassigned HFC/AD Lee Walker, Muleshoe is open #txhsfb @dctf. Richards noted the juniors ability to play wide receiver, running back and quarterback on offense as well as defensive back on defense. We are very excited after a lengthy process to introduce Jason Richards and his fianc Miss Angela Scott, said Curtis Preston, president of MISD Board of Trustees. His exit left him stunned and, he admits, a bit disappointed. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Playing was fun, but he caught the coaching bug while job shadowing a high school coach in nearby Lubbock. The expectations for a quick rebuild will be ever-present, trumping any old loyalties. In a back corner booth at Leals, where cowboy hats line the front walkway and tables are filling ahead of the lunch rush, Bob Graves is still sorting out his emotions over fresh-baked tortilla chips. He had a big following when he was coming through high school. His offense has placed five players in the top 10 for rushing yards in a season and nine players in the top 10 for receiving yards in a season. Lincoln, theyll tell you, couldve been anything. Richards went on to lead. Hidden facts about Muleshoe, the best restaurants discovered while recruiting and plenty more fun with Coach Riley on this week's Fifth Quarter! Will Rogers was a restless 18-year-old in 1898 when he signed on to be a cowboy for the sprawling Mashed O Ranch, which covered parts of Lamb and Bailey counties in the Texas Panhandle. Its going to be a total change for Muleshoe to think about Lincoln being in California. The pride of Muleshoe is the new head coach of Oklahoma football, and to paraphrase a certain Oklahoma humorist, no one ever met a Muleshoe man who didn't like Lincoln Riley. It wasnt until Wood came to town in the spring of 1996 that the teams fortunes started to turn around. MULESHOE, Texas -- Speaking over the phone Friday morning, new USC football coach Lincoln Riley is discussing his adjustment to Los Angeles so far and laughs when asked about his current living arrangement. Hes the person who has a spare second for those wanting to talk to him during visits home. Wood said he envisioned his quarterback working someday for NASA. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley has agreed to become the next USC football coach. But I have to also understand that my expectations of simply doing the best I can for this program, thats going to be higher than anyone else can place on me or this program. Find Us . "To see him grow and develop into what he's become, it's pretty remarkable. Its like Christmas Eve and Im 6 years old. I said, Ruffin, Ive read all about him. But thats the kind of guy that Ruffin is. LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - After two seasons as the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director at Muleshoe High School, Lee Walker has been reassigned. And then theres the part about replacing Bob Stoops. I knew he'd be the best next coach at a major Division I school. "As long as I could have kids like Lincoln, I knew I could compete.". 2023 www.lubbockonline.com. A lot of times when people get success at a young age, the humble factor tends to get put on the backburner, Simmons said. Riley won the Frank Broyles Award in 2015 for being the nations top assistant coach after his first year at OU, but he nearly missed the ceremony. As a senior, he led the Mules of Muleshoe, a town of about 5,000 people, to the state semifinals. A coincidence my step dad is from Muleshoe, and small town doesnt really do it justice. David Wood was Rileys high school football coach. I havent been following them as much since the boys got bigger and went to different schools. As a freshman, he had a team-leading 221 receiving yards with a touchdown and will be expected to stay on the field for as long as he can to play on offense, defense and special teams. We were huge Muleshoe fans.. While other small Texas towns have faded off the map, the dairy business has kept Muleshoes population hovering steadily around 5,000. If you did they all hail from the Southland then Lincoln Riley probably did, too (and that list doesnt even include Mississippis Matt Corral, who is a possible Heisman Trophy finalist along with Alabamas Bryce Young and Ohio States CJ Stroud.). Hes a great, great dad, Caitlin Riley said. But I don't know that I would've gone this way without having the great experience back home.". "He knew where every kid was supposed to be on every play," the coach said. For a routine follow-up, Riley mentored Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts during his graduate transfer season, and Hurts is now the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles. Learn how this Muleshoe High School student is connecting with coaches in TX and nationwide. The selection committee sorted through 112 applications and interviewed six applicants on Jan. 22 and 23 before determining that Richards would be their choice. Over time, some of the Riley stories from those days have come to drift into tall tales, depending on whos telling them. After coaching for 14 years, the Clovis native got his dream job and was named the Mules head football coach and athletic director in February. Usually, you build those relationships, and youre going to have a successful program., Top Returners: Irvin Torres, Brennen Davis, Zach Hasley, Jacob Reyes, Matt Fabela. By June, however, coach Mike Leach had seen enough. Even his childhood mischief has become a part of the town mythos. Before he even went to Oklahoma, he was talking to some other major colleges. He played out the year on the defensive line instead. Small town, feels like he's their own. Volunteer. Riley played briefly for Texas Tech, but spent more time there coaching than playing. That string of decisions eventually cost Riley any hope he had at playing big-time football. But in high school, there were only a few shotgun sets, and the Mules ran a Power-I attack. Continue reading to hear more about OU's youthful coach. But as much as he relished playing the game, Riley suspected his playing days were over when he passed on small school college football to attend Texas Tech. only a means to a football end. Maybe even a national title. One asset he had last year that he is without this season is Mayfield, who was selected No. Under Walkers leadership, the Mules went 1-19 over the two seasons. Learn how your comment data is processed. Muleshoe, just 22 miles from the New Mexico border, is home to the National Mule Memorial. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Former Mules quarterback Lincoln Riley . There was a reason theyd come this far. The next year he was hired on at Oklahoma as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under the nationally-renowned Bob Stoops. But he happily embraced the familys other enduring legacy in town, as the third of four Rileys to quarterback the Muleshoe Mules. 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