Kirk Herbstreit chimes in on USC's 'statement' hire
USC has been looking for its next head coach for months, as the Trojans announced the firing of Clay Helton after Week 2, and the search concluded with the biggest hire in recent memory: Lincoln Riley.
The Trojans managed to poach one of the best offensive-minded head coaches in the country, taking him from his stable post in Norman, Oklahoma, and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit was impressed. In fact, Herbstreit seemed almost blown away, firing off an all-caps tweet in response to USC hiring the Sooners’ head coach.
“CONGRATULATIONS to USC football on hiring LINCOLN RILEY!!! WOWWWWW!!!!!!” Herbstreit said Sunday. Mike Bohn with a STATEMENT out west. Congratulations Trojans!”
Contract details have yet to be announced. Per USA Today, Riley was the fifth-highest paid coach this season with a $7.672 million salary.
In his fifth season with the Sooners, Riley was tabbed as the heir to the Bob Stoops’ dynasty. Oklahoma is 10-2 this season and was on the cusp of a College Football Playoff berth until its loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday night. A win would have set up the Sooners to meet the Cowboys in Dallas for the Big 12 title this coming weekend.
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Riley took over for Stoops in June 2017. Initially hired by Stoops as an offensive coordinator in 2015, Riley built the Sooners into a top-10 offense in the 2016 season and won the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach.
There are a handful of reasons why Riley would want to make the move. For starters, Oklahoma is set to join the SEC in the coming years and as early as 2023. While the Sooners are constantly in the playoff conversation and winners of six-consecutive Big 12 titles, making the jump to the most competitive conference in the nation could backfire.
With a 55-10 overall record and 37-7 mark in conference play at Oklahoma, Riley has made the playoff four times but still doesn’t have a national title game appearance. Making the move to USC gives the 38-year-old head coach a backyard loaded with talent.