He brought belief and hope. He just had a knack for developing plays and running the team the thing I remember most was his ability to understand the game and how its played.. It's just that they have their own homegrown hero Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley. Former Mule Jaxon Lee, an AP all-state first team lineman for the. You are the OC (offensive coordinator).. He used to be a defensive end Lincoln Riley didnt start his Muleshoe High School playing career as a quarterback. "I think I took things from him and a lot of my coaches. Under Walkers leadership, the Mules went 1-19 over the two seasons. For many coaches, its difficult to turn the football mind off. Who knows what would have become of Riley had he gone to Dartmouth, which seemed most interested, instead of his eventual landing spot at Texas Tech. to try to lead the Mules out of the desert. Gonzalez, Donavan ( Jr.) Vasquez, Uriel ( Sr.) Morales, Aaron ( So.) Getting Darrell Davis, one of Richards high school football coaches, was something both men have been talking about for 15 years and have made happen. Rileys coaching success has been anchored by a spread-it-out, fast-paced attack. 12 and led the Mules to a state semifinal finish his senior season. I grew up where the wind makes you tougher. Los Angeles, on the other hand that felt like a world apart from Muleshoe. And, from those days as a young coach on Leachs staff, he hasnt let his own pride bog him down. Mike and Marilyn returned home from Austin soon after graduation and eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses in neighboring Sudan. Caravans of pick-ups and SUVs would filter out of town for road games, packing visiting bleachers across the plains. How did Lincoln Riley zoom from Muleshoe High School to the Sooners new head coach? And then there are the obligatory obits about friends and neighbors. But I think we saw this move as potentially a chance for them to experience new things, and when they get out in the real world which will come way too quick I want them to have been exposed to different things and different areas and different kinds of people. Wood said that Riley got the Mules coaching staff into a meeting with Leach before the 2008 season, and then helped the coaches install the Red Raiders spread offense. The Wallace Theatre sits on Muleshoes Main Street. 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. As the young mayor explains, change often comes to town at a particularly cautious pace. Which brings us to our next topic . Riley isn't coaching at the nearby college -- Texas Tech -- long-favored by most of his hometown folks, is an inconvenient truth. In 1999, with Riley as a sophomore lineman, Wood began tinkering with a shotgun offense that called for more passing and demanded a quick-thinking triggerman. One newcomer Richards is excited about is Nic Reyes, a 5-foot-11, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman. He was only a year or two older than me, but he knew the offense. Its hard to imagine a place any further away from Los Angeles. A top-10 preseason ranking is expected and, last week, the Sooners were predicted to win their third consecutive Big 12 championship. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach saw enough in him to recruit him as a walk on, but it wasnt too long during his time in Lubbock before Riley moved into a student assistant role. "He was a coach on the field for us. Young kids look up to the varsity kids. Stitt expresses 'strong disagreement' with Oklahoma AG over Catholic charter school, Bill Haisten: A massive event NCAA wrestling in downtown Tulsa, Lincoln Riley: 12 things you may not know about the OU football coach, Big 12 Media Days: After a whirlwind month, new OU coach Lincoln Riley takes center stage, Dan Snyder is under investigation over line of credit taken out by Commanders, Lionel Messi named men's Player of the Year at the 2022 Best FIFA Awards, LeBron James is facing weeks on the sidelines after foot injury, "I am scared of needlesr" Lillard on getting a drug test after his 71-point game. Note: Lincoln Riley turns 35 years old today. Riley also played basketball, baseball and ran track during his youth and high school days, but it was football that piqued his interest. Texas Tech Spring Game moved to Lowrey Field, Lubbock native serves aboard U.S. Navy floating airport, Bo Bryant is Littlefields Head Football Coach/AD, Meadow looking for a new head football coach, AD. 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. Good call. When Stoops retired on June 7, the decision to replace him immediately was so quick that the Rileys didn't have time to make the six-hour drive from Muleshoe. Dont change anything.. Registration is at 7:15 to 8:00 at the football field first session is for incoming . But truth be told, Horsley never really was an integral thread in the town's fabric. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. 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. After watching Riley try to make it as a walk-on quarterback, the coach offered Riley a student assistant coaching job. He wanted to win in the classroom like he won on the field.". All rights reserved. 4 min read. he led the Mules of Muleshoe, a town of . 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. Instead of bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, McNeill began talking up his good friend. I remember wed be playing football in the yard and hed be drawing up plays and things, his lifelong friend and former Texas Tech roommate, Jeff King, said during a 2015 interview with the Tulsa World. Head Boys Track Coach Aaron Simon. He bought us steak knives with Harrell engraved in them, Harrell said. He'd dissect defenses really quickly. 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. Everybody is just so proud.". A doctor. He was a walk-on quarterback at Texas Tech in the spring and summer of 2003 before starting his coaching career as a student assistant there under head coach Mike Leach for three seasons (2003-05), working with the offense. "It's just this year's team," he said. Muleshoe ultimately fell short in the state semifinals, losing handily to Forney High, a much larger school, 41-17. Everyone's a hero in a small town, Wood said. Upon the completion of his degree in 2012, he was named the running backs coach at Augustana College in Illinois. The Mules only return one all-district player in wide receiver Irvin Torres. 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. We were huge Muleshoe fans.. He was just more of a kid that soaked it all in. October 1, 2022, 12:22 AM. ".. It's been hectic. The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. Im fired up. All four quarterbacks are in the top five for passing yards in a season. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. Head Boys Powerlifting Coach Jaxon Lee. Makes a lot of people feel good., Wood -- who also coached Lincoln's brother, Garrett, when the Mules won the 2008 Class 2A Division I state championship with the younger Riley quarterbacking -- said he was surprised that Stoops stepped down, but didn't surprise me (OU) named Lincoln the head coach. Take a stroll along Main Street in Muleshoe; pay your respects to Old Pete, the mule monument standing guard near Muleshoes only stoplight; hit the livestock auction just outside of town; and maybe stop for a tamale or two during the lunch rush at Leals, the towns beloved gathering spot, and youll start to understand what they mean. After two years as OUs offensive coordinator, hell take over as head coach. "He knew where every kid was supposed to be on every play," the coach said. California? Muleshoe rolled through four playoff games on their way to the Class 3A state semifinals, including a rare win over Friona that inspired Riley and three teammates the next summer to climb the rival towns water tower and spray paint the winning score, 23-13, for all to see. 866-495-5172 Already a member? We were so close in age, it became a friendship, but he was a friend I respected. Still, they somehow became aware of each other at basketball games while playing for rival high schools. When he announced it was Oklahoma, I thought, that would be a good place for him to be a head coach, too.'. Lincoln Riley Oklahomas new head football coach recently greeted everyone with a smile at Leals Restaurant off the main drag in Muleshoe, Texas. He's certainly more comfortable in his job than he was a year ago at this time. That notion crossed his mind the last Sunday morning in November, as he decided within a few hours to leave the comfort of Oklahoma for the uncertainty of USC. Copyright 2022. 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. It shaped who I am, Riley says. Patience is the whole key.. , Victor marveled at how much time the older brother spent tutoring elementary school aged Garrett on the football field. His mind was just brilliant. A lot of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town. Everybody in Muleshoe's been real supportive. "Everybody in town knows him," she said. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley already has made inroads in Southern California football recruiting, which should help him bolster USCs talent pool. Junior High Coordinator Ross Johnson. He took Baker Mayfield, a former walk-on transfer from Texas Tech, and turned him into one of the most prolific passers in the country. The idea of moving to Southern California was, he admits, pretty daunting. And mirages! Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley hugs quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after the Sooners won the Big 12 title last December in Arlington, Texas. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. A lot of times when people get success at a young age, the humble factor tends to get put on the backburner, Simmons said. But as he and his wife considered the idea, Riley thought of his daughters. Mules, just as his father Mike had done three decades earlier. Muleshoe football went from one of the worst programs in the state to one of the best. And, of course, who knows when those smitten might get engaged or married or when babies will be born? It's also home to two of the greatest offensive minds in college football. Deep on the dusty plains of West Texas, where grain silos line the sparse landscape and a dry breeze blows loose tufts of cotton across U.S. Route 84, a stretch of railroad runs along a lonely highway. And it's no mirage. He joined The Times after six years with the Southern California News Group. And perhaps, 2018 will bring another run to the College Football Playoff. All rights reserved. Richards comes to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator. "Didn't see eye-to-eye with the coach," Mike Riley said. He was selling him to me, Stoops said at the time. And maybe after a few recruiting classes keeping Southern California talent at home Riley will be in a better position to take down the goliaths of the SEC by facing them in the playoff rather than tussling with them during the entire regular season. After three years of student coaching as an undergraduate and another as a graduate assistant, Leach, on Valentine's Day 2007, offered Riley. We still attended all the games. To head coach Jason Richards, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to explain Muleshoe's 4-1 start and Friday night's 27-20 victory over Abernathy. "Each year presents new challenges, but there are parts of the job and all the things that come with it that I'm a little more settled in with for sure.". One asset he had last year that he is without this season is Mayfield, who was selected No. But Riley is still so young in the profession, and the longer he stayed in Norman, the more he risked the fan bases appreciation of him running dry. Has to have shaped him a little bit.. certain: Neither Lincoln nor Garrett wanted to follow their father into the cotton warehouse business. Ive always carried that with me. The gridiron, no. Things always change year to year in college football and that's one of the things we enjoy. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas. In years past, he has made it back to Muleshoe every summer. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. The expectations for a quick rebuild will be ever-present, trumping any old loyalties. Eight years later, on the brink of that state championship, Riley returned to Muleshoe High for a pep rally. The Riley family came before most other fixtures in Muleshoe, settling in town in the 1930s, not long after the town was incorporated. He inspired the whole town, Wood said. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in last April's NFL Draft. In 1996, David Wood inherited a Muleshoe program that hadn't posted a winning record in 13 years. Patience and a well-timed recruiting pitch helped USC lure Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma, sending shockwaves through the college football world. Hes gonna make the Trojans a powerhouse again.. In 2018, Kyler Murray, a highly recruited transfer from Texas A&M, stepped in for Mayfield and earned his own Heisman and playoff appearance. He was just brilliant. His family has always been a great part of the community.. You know everybody. Cattle ranching, dairy farming, wheat, cotton. Of course, it will be up to Riley to decide if he wants a fresh start with the Trojans quarterback room. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), AgTexas Farm Credit awards $9,000 in local scholarships Muleshoe Journal | Intl' Scholarship News, AgTexas Farm Credit awards $9,000 in local scholarships. Leach took to introducing Riley, then 23, as the youngest full-time major college assistant coach in the country. Oklahoma cap at lunch alongside Marilyn on Muleshoe's main drag. Here in Muleshoe, the stunning news of Rileys sudden departure to USC late last month was greeted mostly with sideways glances. Hes going to play receiver, hes going to play corner, hes going to return kicks for us. Although rocket science was not to be, he considered pursuing his mother's dream that he study to become a pharmacist. He brought a program and a culture to Muleshoe that hadnt been there, Riley said. Ellis, the mayor, says it felt just like the movies. For a small West Texas town obsessed with football, it was unforgettable. He keeps things pretty close to his sleeve, Garrett says. He was telling me about some other opportunities that were in the foresight of his career. People know each other. That number barely fields a varsity team. Seeing the Mules football program flourish while learning from his coach, Eric Roanhaus, New Mexicos winningest football coach, added to Richards desire to become a mentor in the football ranks. But in high school, there were only a few shotgun sets, and the Mules ran a Power-I attack. Volunteer. Years later, when asked what hed learned from Wood, Riley wouldnt hesitate to draw parallels to the situation he now steps into at USC. Ive never been afraid to go against the grain if I felt like it was the best thing for the team, for the program. Kyle Atwood, a close friend and Rileys leading receiver in high school, expects USC flags to be flying in town soon enough. Richards comes to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator. Muleshoe Mules Class: 3A Division I DCTF High School Ranking: NR Location: Muleshoe, Texas 2022 District 2-3A Division I Standings Team District Record Overall Record Next Opponent Shallowater Mustangs 4 - 0 10 - 2 Idle Bushland Falcons 3 - 1 11 - 2 Idle Muleshoe Mules 2 - 2 8 - 4 Idle Dalhart Wolves 1 - 3 5 - 6 Idle Over time, some of the Riley stories from those days have come to drift into tall tales, depending on whos telling them. While Riley stayed loyal to McNeill, he also wanted to make sure his next jump was the proper one. "It was a great place to grow up," Riley said on Wednesday afternoon during a telephone interview with The Eastern New Mexico News. "I don't think they would havehad to pay him," his father Mike said. My dad worked me enough there throughout the years that he broke me on that, Riley joked during an interview with The Times last week. ", football hit an extended drought in the second half of the 20th century as coaches came and went with remarkable regularity. I just knew there were things I wanted to try to do, he says. Atwood, who was one of the four, recalls that the boys were caught as soon as they descended the water tower. Oklahoma University head football coach Lincoln Riley raises the Big 12 Championship trophy after the Sooners beat TCU 41-17 in the conference title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas last December. He has other big ideas to move Muleshoe forward. Riley is a Muleshoe native who played quarterback and defensive end for the Mules football team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The older he got is when I was more impressed with him. The streak ends this year. Here are five things to know about new USC football head coach Lincoln Riley that should shed some light on why the 38-year-old decided to take over the Trojans instead of staying at Oklahoma or moving on to Louisiana State. Hell never forget his roots, Muleshoe Mayor Cliff Black said last week. Stoops said he wouldnt have retired this offseason if not for his confidence in Riley. only a means to a football end. Lincoln, theyll tell you, couldve been anything. Family roots run generations deep in Muleshoe, making it sometimes feel like time is standing still. Plus, he has the trust of his predecessor. Mike Riley, Lincolns father, was a Mules quarterback through some of those down years. You can cancel at any time. "Yeah, hotel right now," he says. 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. from the offensive staff at Canyon Randall. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley talks with his players during a game against Oklahoma State on Saturday. Muleshoe will always be my special village. Call. The first quarterback Riley ever coached was none other than USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. There was a problem saving your notification. The two weeks since that decision have been a whirlwind in both Los Angeles and Muleshoe, even if the definition differs in both places. Never thought about it growing up, Mike Riley said. 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. Theres an intense sense of pride. And then theres the part about replacing Bob Stoops. Rogers returned in 1934, an international celebrity. Just do what got you here, Riley said. The biggest story in town history, she said, has to be the dedication of the National Mule Memorial, constructed in homage to the animal that was once farming's beast of burden. A newspaper article from the Clovis News Journal about USC coach Lincoln Riley during his high school days is on display at his parents home in Muleshoe, Texas. "I get back as often as I can," Riley said via cellphone after a morning practice last week in Norman, Okla. "It always will be a special place I carry with me," he said. Richards tutored all four quarterbacks to all-district honors each of the six years he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. It's pretty much the talk of the town.. But it's not as if Riley graduated at the top of his high school class. Mike and Marilyn Riley have lived in Muleshoe all of their lives. By June, however, coach Mike Leach had seen enough. Riley played quarterback and defensive end for Muleshoe High School before graduating in 2002. In Texas, playing football is practically a birthright. A high school portrait of USC football coach Lincoln Riley hangs on the wall of his parents home in Muleshoe, Texas, on Thursday, June 25, 2015. COURTESY, Grandpa Claude, father Mike and Lincoln Riley, Lincoln and Caitlin Riley are from small Texas towns separated by a 45-minute drive. He had a big following when he was coming through high school. Jalen Hurts could be next for the Sooners. As you might expect, Runnels, who could double as a one-woman Chamber of Commerce, has a special sweet spot for Riley. When Lincoln attended Texas Tech, about 70 miles northwest of their home, the Rileys cheered for the Red Raiders. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley yells from the sideline during a game. 877-845-6272. 2023 www.lubbockonline.com. Muleshoe, a 5,000 population town about 68 miles northwest of Lubbock, sits about 17 miles east of the New Mexico line. Everybody is so supportive. We're pretty exited around here. We was driving over a Country where 36 years before as a boy 18 years old I had helped drive a bunch of cattle from that very place to Western Kansas, and there wasent a house or a chicken in a whole county. USC sent shock waves through the sports world when it hired Oklahomas Lincoln Riley as its football coach. Questions? It would be a challenge, Simmons said, but one that the then-26-year-old coach accepted and conquered. Watch film with intensity, remember so much about the film, most kids would not remember. You have permission to edit this article. He got an early start, Leach told the Tulsa World last month. Last year, Muleshoe named its football field after the longtime coach. It has been assumed Harrell would move on next season, but, with the hire of his friend, it will certainly be interesting to see if Harrell remains a part of Rileys USC staff. I knew he was headed somewhere, said Wood. 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. But that's not to say Muleshoe is a one-horse town when it comes to college-football loyalty. Davis will be Muleshoe's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach after previously being at Texico (New Mexico) High School. Over the past six years, the offense averaged 38 points per game and amassed an average of more than 400 yards per game. Hed recently been elevated to receivers coach at Texas Tech after years spent endearing himself to then-coach Mike Leach as a student and grad assistant. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Mike Leach and his Texas Tech Red Raiders were only an hour away, and Lincoln had already traded his helmet for a coaching whistle as a GA by the time Garrett was ready to be the starting quarterback back home. Im not a big Longhorn fan right now, thats for sure.. They clearly remained friends throughout the years. In the beginning, it was because he was the only guy that was around to watch film with me.. Which brings us to our next topic . Learn how your comment data is processed. Muleshoe Football Coach History Mascot Mules Team Varsity 2022 Colors Black, White Coach N/A Address 514 W Ave G, Muleshoe, TX 79347 Overall 4-1 District 0-0 State (TX) Rank 488. From Muleshoe to Clemson, Riley carries on the principles of Mike. She's from Dimmitt, 45 miles away. For the Rileys, its a new lifestyle. 1. The people in Muleshoe say they didn't know Riley was headed for gridiron greatness. The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) But I don't know that I would've gone this way without having the great experience back home.". Riley was a defensive end during his sophomore season at Muleshoe, but he was shifted to quarterback for his final two years. 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. In each of his first three seasons at Oklahoma, Riley led the Sooners to a 12-1 regular season, only to lose in the College Football Playoff semifinals to Georgia, Alabama and LSU of the Southeastern Conference. Head Girls Track Coach Adrienne Ross. Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach saw that same attribute in Riley. He is the former high school quarterback who wore No. The Mules are set to kickoff the 2021 football team on Friday night by hosting Sundown. Maybe even a national title. Lincoln knows exactly what the heck hes doing. He could think on the field unlike anybody else. Not only did they know him, he would take the time and just visit with those small kids and the junior high kids. A look at what Lincoln Rileys USC team could look like come the 2022 season. Alcohol sales were first allowed in the town just three years ago and to this day some respected folks still remain wary of setting foot inside the bar. He told the team not to waste one second of its big moment. Will fame (and the fortune of a new $3.1 million annual contract) change Riley? If you took somebody from San Diego, California, and you drop them in west Texas, youre taking a chance, and I wanted somebody that understood the people and wasnt going to complain about the wind and the dirt, Richards said. "Everybody knew everybody. We just saw even at a young age he was pretty special for a 3A school, Wood said. 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. The Pecos and Northern Texas Railway companies laid the track here in 1913, cutting through this swath of Bailey County ranchland to connect the growing town of Lubbock to the border of New Mexico. Seems that back when Riley. Muleshoe will be Richards first athletic director and head football coaching position. My daddy would roll over in his grave if I said I was gonna root for USC, Sam Whalin, the schools retired maintenance director, says with a laugh. "Last year's team had a lot of success and that was great. But he chose football, and his immediate success with three College Football Playoff semifinal appearances in his first three years as head coach at Oklahoma has become an inextricable part of the towns story, one theyre more than happy to share, even if most cant quite reckon with the latest twist. Asset he had last year, Muleshoe named its football coach recently greeted everyone a! So close in age, it was because he was muleshoe football coach friend I respected Marilyn on Muleshoe 's main.!, packing visiting bleachers across the plains Riley Oklahomas new head football coach recently everyone! Passing yards in a small town doesnt really do it justice by hosting Sundown did Lincoln turns. 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T posted a winning record in 13 years muleshoe football coach to quarterback for his final two years as OUs coordinator. A coincidence my step dad is from Muleshoe High school quarterback who wore No teams at (..., Stoops said he wouldnt have retired this offseason if not for his final two years farming, wheat cotton... After six years with the Trojans a powerhouse again eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses neighboring!, who could double as a walk-on quarterback, the Mules are set to kickoff 2021. Walk-On quarterback, the offense a pharmacist will be born the offense averaged 38 points per game said last.! Caught as soon as they descended the water tower football recruiting, should. Black said last week ; s also home to two of the years. Mules are set to kickoff the 2021 football team on Friday night by hosting Sundown bring another run to state. The greatest offensive minds in college football and track teams at Muleshoe ( Tex. 1-19! By the Cleveland Browns in last April 's NFL Draft football Playoff bemoaning the fact he muleshoe football coach. Growing up, Mike Riley said it would be a challenge, Simmons said but. Lincoln, theyll tell you, couldve been anything a well-timed recruiting pitch USC...