Multiple OU assistant coaches board plane to USC with Lincoln Riley early Monday morning
It looks like Lincoln Riley is taking multiple Oklahoma staff members with him to USC.
Rivals site SoonerScoop.com posted a video of Riley and other OU staffers getting on a plane to head to Los Angeles on Monday morning. According to SoonerScoop.com, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons were among the group of people who drove to a private plane hangar with Riley.
BREAKING: Lincoln Riley joined by defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, WRs coach Dennis Simmons, director of ops Clarke Stroud & strength coach Bennie Wylie arrived a private hanger at Will Rogers airport to depart for Los Angeles this morning. pic.twitter.com/KsGKjoo6Bz
— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) November 29, 2021
USC later tweeted a picture of athletic director Mike Bohn with Riley in front of a private jet. Riley's departure from Oklahoma to USC is one of most stunning college football coaching moves in years.
Next stop ✈️ 𝗟𝗔@LincolnRiley #FightOn✌️ pic.twitter.com/UPx3VBxWga
— USC Football (@USC_FB) November 29, 2021
Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will be the Sooners' interim coach for the team's bowl game. Oklahoma lost to Oklahoma State on Saturday night, a defeat that made Riley's move to USC on Sunday possible. Had Oklahoma won the game, the Sooners would be currently preparing to play OSU again in the Big 12 championship game.
An Oklahoma fan taking Riley's departure well hung a sign that said "TRAITOR" at the entrance to the football stadium on Sunday night.
People are taking this well in Norman. Credit anonymous source via Instagram DMs. pic.twitter.com/Pm2owPPbWU
— Eddie Radosevich (@Eddie_Rado) November 29, 2021
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said in the last paragraph of his statement on Sunday night that he told Oklahoma's players that the program was bigger than one person.
“When we met with the team today, I communicated to our players that our program is about them. It will always be bigger than any one person. And just as it’s always been, Oklahoma football is positioned for greatness."
The Sooners are moving to the SEC with Texas no later than 2025. If Riley left Oklahoma this offseason, it seemed that the destination would be LSU. But LSU was a smokescreen for a move to USC and an area where he has been fruitfully recruiting in recent years.