Lincoln Riley: Paul Finebaum reveals prediction for Oklahoma coach in 2022

Lincoln Riley has emerged as one of the top college football coaches, leading the Oklahoma sooners to multiple BIG 12 titles, while grooming a slew of future NFL talents along the way.

On Friday, Paul Finebaum joined ESPN’s “Keshawn and JWill” show to discuss potential coaches who will make significant moves after this college football season.

When asked about Riley, Finebaum had some fun but his response was telling and clear.

“I thought he went to the Cowboys a couple years ago,” Finebaum joked. “I was watching ESPN, and everyone, including me by the way, was talking about that.”

“He will be there [at Oklahoma],” Finebaum said about speculation over Riley leaving the Sooners for another job. “I think Lincoln Riley has found his niche. He is one of the great quarterback whisperers in recent college football history. And I cannot imagine him leaving, especially now that Oklahoma is headed to the SEC.”

ESPN analyst and former Texas Longhorns’ standout Sam Acho agreed with Finebaum’s take on Riley’s future.

“Yeah I think that’s real as well,” Acho said. “There has been talk for years about Lincoln Riley becoming the heir apparent for the Cowboys, but for years, Lincoln Riley has stayed and won BIG 12 Championship, after BIG 12 championship. He called AT&T Stadium his second home at BIG 12 media day because that’s how many times they have played there and won there. Yeah, Lincoln Riley, I don’t think, is going anywhere.”

Lincoln Riley’s on SEC move

“It’s going to be exciting,” Riley said during Oklahoma’s annual Media Day press conference. “I think it’s going to be a positive thing for this University and for our athletic department, our athletes and coaches, everybody.”

But regardless of the future move, Riley said the team isn’t going to be talking about it past Thursday’s press conferences, as the goal this season is to win a National Championship, and that road will travel through the Big 12.

“I guess for me it’s tempered because of the task at hand… Sure it’ll be great when it happens, but it doesn’t matter for right now. Right now, we’re a member of the Big 12,” Riley said. “Honestly any excitement or personal feelings that I have are really overshadowed by, we have a job to do right now.”