You're shaped by your experiences," Riley said. How USC trainers saved Vincent Iwuchukwu after cardiac arrest, How Lindsay Gottlieb blends family into USCs once-in-a-lifetime season. Rogers returned in 1934, an international celebrity. Stoops said he wouldnt have retired this offseason if not for his confidence in Riley. And these former Longhorns fans are now supporters of the crimson and cream, as well as the University of Kansas, where their youngest son, Garrett, is the quarterbacks coach. High, a West Texas town of 5,000. We were huge Muleshoe fans.. 866-495-5172 Already a member? Lincoln is also well-known for being the Oklahoma Sooners' head football coach. No telling if the city founders had any inkling the name might itself become a celebrity of sorts. Which brings us to our next topic . Not only did they know him, he would take the time and just visit with those small kids and the junior high kids. "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. Not that the folks of Muleshoe don't respect Saban and what he's done for the Alabama Crimson Tide. "I think we've got enough to do some great things, but a lot's gotta happen between now and then. 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 pure Muleshoe. How did Lincoln Riley zoom from Muleshoe High School to the Sooners new head coach? Hidden facts about Muleshoe, the best restaurants discovered while recruiting and plenty more fun with Coach Riley on this week's Fifth Quarter! As a junior in 2000 he helped the Mules reach the state semifinals, where they lost to Forney at the Dallas Cowboys' old home Texas Stadium in Irving. He spent a couple of days in Muleshoe and wrote about his drover days. 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. By Gail M. Williams From what I understand, Graves says, he wants to build his own program.. Georgia was one of them. CALL. 12 and led the Mules to a state semifinal finish his senior season. There was a problem saving your notification. How can a West Texas boy go to L.A.? asked David Wood, who coached Riley at Muleshoe High. A lot of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town. But the rest of Muleshoe moves at a crawl. 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. Richards grew up in Clovis, where he was quarterback/defensive back for the high school from 1999-2001. Then cast your vote, Bruce Springsteen adds to mythology with three-hour show at Tulsa's BOK Center, State board approves new academic standards with Ryan Walters' last-minute revisions, More than 800 Oklahoma medical marijuana farms linked to organized crime, drug agency says, Gov. He's certainly more comfortable in his job than he was a year ago at this time. Plus, he has the trust of his predecessor. He holds a masters of administration in education from Sam Houston State University, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science in physical education from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, where he was quarterback for the football team. Wood said he has no plans to coach in the future. 33 years old, due to turn 34 early in the Sooners' season, and Riley was atop one of the greatest college football peaks there is. He brought a program and a culture to Muleshoe that hadnt been there, Riley said. 2003. In addition to coaching the Mules to their only state championship in 2008, David Wood put up a. His exit left him stunned and, he admits, a bit disappointed. Despite Muleshoes noted success, the squad hit a rough patch, winning just six games over the past three years. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. The day he interviewed, Wood recalls, there were three fights in the schools halls. As impressed as Wood was with his Muleshoe quarterback's ability on the field, he was just as amazed by his off-the-field work. 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. When OU was searching for a new offensive coordinator in 2015, Stoops called McNeill for permission to speak to Riley. 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. "It was a great place to grow up," Riley said on Wednesday afternoon during a telephone interview with The Eastern New Mexico News. By June, however, coach Mike Leach had seen enough. CALL. Riley also played basketball, baseball and ran track during his youth and high school days, but it was football that piqued his interest. We just saw even at a young age he was pretty special for a 3A school, Wood said. 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. Which brings us to our final topic . I grew up where the wind makes you tougher. The expectations for a quick rebuild will be ever-present, trumping any old loyalties. Will fame (and the fortune of a new $3.1 million annual contract) change Riley? But he did go to school there, walked on to the football team there, and when it became evident that he didn't have the skill to play quarterback there, transitioned to student assistant there. This is a 33-year-old who grew up in a rural west Texas town known for its unique name, faith, family and football. he led the Mules of Muleshoe, a town of . 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. But I think its a wonderful move.. Garrett Riley, Lincolns brother, said he had a little bit of an instinct that something like that may happen. But even he learned his brother took the USC job via social media. Muleshoe football, as Riley remembers, was one of the worst programs in the entire state of Texas for a long time.. Instead of bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, McNeill began talking up his good friend. Head coach Jason Richards hopes that preseason growth can be turned into regular-season success. I just knew there were things I wanted to try to do, he says. 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. Watch the latest highlight videos for the Muleshoe Varsity Football team 1 overall pick in the NFL draft during back-to-back seasons. 1. His final game at Muleshoe and last as a quarterback in a competitive game was a senior-year loss in a state semifinal game at old Texas Stadium. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Really? October 1, 2022, 12:22 AM. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. . Riley, though, doesn't see his biggest 2018 task as replacing a Heisman winner. One newcomer Richards is excited about is Nic Reyes, a 5-foot-11, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman. It's also home to two of the greatest offensive minds in college football. Success on the intramural field, spurred him to attempt to walk on to the Tech team in the spring of his freshman season. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'easternnewmexiconews_com-box-2','ezslot_3',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-easternnewmexiconews_com-box-2-0'); 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. Mules, just as his father Mike had done three decades earlier. 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. Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) Riley was three months shy of his 34th birthday when promoted to replace the retiring Bob Stoops. I havent been following them as much since the boys got bigger and went to different schools. (An even smaller coincidence my step dad and Riley are apparently distant, distant cousins). "I guess probably once I started to think about going to college, I enjoyed the game so much in high school that I felt it would be part of my life some way, some how. 877-845-6272. You can cancel at any time. The next year, with Mike settling in as quarterback, the Mules won three games. "He loved the job and was used to working for nothing.". Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. People know each other. But everyone here trusts Lincoln. Head Girls Track Coach Adrienne Ross. 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. He was a computer on legs. A few years later, Leach offered Riley a full-time job as a wide receivers coach. 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. Mike Riley still works in agriculture; he's run a cotton warehouse for years, which means he's been able to get to Norman for a few games each of the last two years, but when the harvest arrives in November, Saturday's a work day. And, of course, who knows when those smitten might get engaged or married or when babies will be born? Muleshoe Journal Correspondent. Riley isnt known only as the OU head coach. Two decades later, folks in town are still happy to relive that run through the state playoffs. In West Texas, Muleshoe's team was for decades a source of disappointment. "Muleshoe -- don't you like just hearing it?". Access your Muleshoe Journal e-edition or subscribe here. He was brought up in Muleshoe after all, raised with its good Christian values. One asset he had last year that he is without this season is Mayfield, who was selected No. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. McNeill, who accepted the head coaching position at East Carolina, hired Riley to be his offensive coordinator. "School was not his primary motivation," Marilyn Riley said. Honest, hard-working people. Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley hugs quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after the Sooners won the Big 12 title last December in Arlington, Texas. He is the former high school quarterback who wore No. The older he got is when I was more impressed with him. Everybody is just so proud.". "I don't think they would havehad to pay him," his father Mike said. He used to be a defensive end Lincoln Riley didnt start his Muleshoe High School playing career as a quarterback. In 2018, Kyler Murray, a highly recruited transfer from Texas A&M, stepped in for Mayfield and earned his own Heisman and playoff appearance. And then theres the part about replacing Bob Stoops. 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. Riley has surpassed actor Lee Horsley as Muleshoe's most famous son. He was a young man who could create plays, said Black, the longtime mayor. 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. 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. Upon the completion of his degree in 2012, he was named the running backs coach at Augustana College in Illinois. 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. 1. Last week's scrimmage against Olton showed the growth the Muleshoe football team has made over the last year. The Mules only return one all-district player in wide receiver Irvin Torres. For many coaches, its difficult to turn the football mind off. No one in Muleshoe was more thrilled with Riley as Oklahomas coach than Graves, who served as the voice of Muleshoe football broadcasts and has been a Sooner fan since 1947. Still, they somehow became aware of each other at basketball games while playing for rival high schools. The Riley family came before most other fixtures in Muleshoe, settling in town in the 1930s, not long after the town was incorporated. Thats what you grew up in, thats what your daughters are used to, Riley says. 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. ", And so, Wood said, he hitched his career to, "Lincoln helped me get established and stay here," Wood said as he prepared for his 22nd season at the school. Its because he has an exceptional memory a photographic memory. He bought us steak knives with Harrell engraved in them, Harrell said. Born in Muleshoe, he was raised and schooled primarily in Colorado. Riley showed the coaches just enough that he was invited to join the team in January. There were multiple years in which we were 0-10 or 1-9, Atwood 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. With him, that hasnt been forgotten.. But he happily embraced the familys other enduring legacy in town, as the third of four Rileys to quarterback the Muleshoe Mules. Last year, Muleshoe named its football field after the longtime coach. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, USC hires Lincoln Riley: Complete coverage of Trojans shocking coaching move, extended this week all the way to the state Senate, Lincoln Riley jetted for USC, and Oklahoma is left to furiously wonder why, Breaking down the USC roster Lincoln Riley inherits, Rileys arrival signifies a triumphant return, USC football coaches: Glory and gaffes, from Gloomy Gus to Lincoln Riley, Roundtable: Our March Madness projections for UCLA, USC and others. Two years into that gig, Riley found himself promoted to head coach when Stoops unexpectedly retired in June of 2017. One is USC head coach. But it has come at a price. 12.8K views. Back in the early 1980s, Horsley starred on television as Texas oilman Matt Houston, who doubled as a private investigator. Find Us . That includes a winless 2019 season and missing the playoffs the past two years. We have to put things together, do it again. Patience and a well-timed recruiting pitch helped USC lure Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma, sending shockwaves through the college football world. Muleshoe always supports their own.. Pride Football camp starts Monday morning. That was the best the town had ever done, Wood said, until Lincoln., In West Texas, Muleshoes team was for decades a source of disappointment. Im fired up. When he announced it was Oklahoma, I thought, that would be a good place for him to be a head coach, too.'. Sure, maybe they wouldnt have chosen California as their favorite sons next step. Hell never forget his roots, Muleshoe Mayor Cliff Black said last week. No matter what he decided to go into, whether it was coaching or science or math, whatever he wanted to do, I knew he'd be going somewhere and it would be pretty special. A look at what Lincoln Rileys USC team could look like come the 2022 season. Mike Riley, Lincolns father, was a Mules quarterback through some of those down years. A farming community sprouted alongside the track soon after some 70 miles northwest of Lubbock and 30 miles east of the border taking its name from the nearby ranch where, legend has it, the original owner found a stray muleshoe lying in the soil. Editor's note: This story was originally published on August 10, 2017. But that's not to say Muleshoe is a one-horse town when it comes to college-football loyalty. Muleshoe, a 5,000 population town about 68 miles northwest of Lubbock, sits about 17 miles east of the New Mexico line. The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. 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. USC sent shock waves through the sports world when it hired Oklahomas Lincoln Riley as its football coach. Ellis, the mayor, says it felt just like the movies. For a small West Texas town obsessed with football, it was unforgettable. Under Walkers leadership, the Mules went 1-19 over the two seasons. Wood, determined to put an end to the exodus, noticed a seventh-grader playing at the junior high with "lots [of] football smarts" if not lots of blue-chip skills. I had to explain everything to him only once. Muleshoe went 1-19 in the two years preceding head coach Jason Richards' arrival. HomeDirectoryPhotosAboutContactAdvertise. Growing up here, Ellis says, it often felt like you were insulated from the ails of the outside world. Coaches came and went. "To see him grow and develop into what he's become, it's pretty remarkable. Theres an intense sense of pride. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley yells from the sideline during a game. As the young mayor explains, change often comes to town at a particularly cautious pace. Richards comes to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator. Even a few weeks ago, he says, if you wouldve told me I was living in L.A., I dont know that I wouldve believed you.. It wont be long, Wood assures. Riley even remembered his old high school while working at Texas Tech. Garrett Riley is taking over the Clemson offense after winning the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant this past season. In Muleshoe, no one needs any convincing. Im not a big Longhorn fan right now, thats for sure.. The Red Raiders beat Michigan State 41-31 on that day. Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Jason Richards. So how'd he end up as Oklahoma's headcoach? After watching Riley try to make it as a walk-on quarterback, the coach offered Riley a student assistant coaching job. Lincoln has a photographic memory, and when I say that, I really mean it., David Wood, Lincoln Rileys football coach at Muleshoe High. 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. 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. Life is too short, so dont be afraid to go for it., USC coach Lincoln Riley on leaving his small hometown of Muleshoe, Texas. 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. Muleshoe, just 22 miles from the New Mexico border, is home to the National Mule Memorial. Head Cross Country/Head Girls Powerlifting Coach . There are many friendship threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000. Garrett, six years younger than his brother, is currently the quarterbacks coach at, But on this Tuesday, the first day of August, Mike Riley is sporting a crimson. But it's not as if Riley graduated at the top of his high school class. ", Three Oklahoma stars to keep an eye on in 2017 season, Watch for these three Oklahoma players to have breakout seasons in 2017. Muleshoe Sports Net Retweeted. Did Riley envision himself as a future coach? 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. 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. Hes the person who has a spare second for those wanting to talk to him during visits home. "Yeah, I think that's fair to say," he said. Mike and Marilyn returned home from Austin soon after graduation and eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses in neighboring Sudan. Patience is the whole key.. Thats something they never felt in Norman, where fans would recognize Rileys wife, Caitlin, at the grocery store and knew their daughters names. At the helm of an I-formation, pro-style attack that bears no resemblance to the offense he ran at Oklahoma and will bring to USC, Riley led the Mules to an undefeated regular season in 2000. "He knew where every kid was supposed to be on every play," the coach said. Few believed it at first. Hes going to kind of do everything.. Muleshoe Football History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 36 players) Head Coach: Reyes, Nic ( Sr.) Martens, Nathan ( So.) Conventional wisdom might tell you to stay in that, thats what you do, and I certainly think that wouldve turned out just fine. Some folks waited afterward to get his autograph. Small town, feels like he's their own. I think you always have a chance at Oklahoma, but a lot of things have got to go well.". But the worst of times came decades later, just as his oldest son was learning to love football. 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. The town is quiet on a recent Saturday afternoon as Colt Ellis, Muleshoes 31-year-old mayor, locks up at the family funeral home and leads an out-of-town visitor on a tour in his pick-up truck. A top-10 preseason ranking is expected and, last week, the Sooners were predicted to win their third consecutive Big 12 championship. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4','ezslot_1',130,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4','ezslot_2',130,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-130{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}"Getting to work for one of the most legendary coaches this school has ever had, and a great guy on top of that, it was fun for me to sit back and watch him work while I grew as a young coach," Riley said. 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. For Riley's part, Muleshoe was good to him, providing the setting for a solid upbringing, a town where a boy who would someday lead one of the nation's most famous college football programs could learn lessons that shaped him. At USC, expectations are already soaring. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during a game against Baylor on Nov. 13. Heres little po-dunk Muleshoe playing in the [Dallas] Cowboys stadium, said Wood, whos now retired. He once played quarterback for the Muleshoe. ".. It's been hectic. Riley is a Muleshoe native who played quarterback and defensive end for the Mules football team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. "Surely not an everyday event in these parts.". The two weeks since that decision have been a whirlwind in both Los Angeles and Muleshoe, even if the definition differs in both places. Some speculate the injury mightve changed his trajectory, but the next season, Riley led Muleshoe to new heights as its quarterback anyway. "We were Tech fans here because it's close," Todd, the undertaker, announced. "That's a good question," he said. 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. "It runs how long it needs to," Rennels said. The new coach inherited around two dozen players, barely enough to field a full team, and the program was plagued by a lack of discipline. District 514 W. Ave G Muleshoe, Texas . 4 min read. 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. Both sides of the family were rooted in the farming business. Caravans of pick-ups and SUVs would filter out of town for road games, packing visiting bleachers across the plains. Hal Mumme was the head coach at McMurry University in Abilene, which is about three hours from Muleshoe. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News, courtesy), Are these Rangers good? Still, Lincoln Riley grew up loving the Mules and football, in general. They say you are raised by a village. But its also a dream come true. He could think on the field unlike anybody else. And Muleshoe, its a town that backs people from the community. 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. Muleshoe, which would become the seat of Bailey County, then was just a few houses, a school and a cemetery. USC won 11 national titles under icons Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll. When he'd watch film he'd just remember defenses and what not. But after Riley walked on at Texas Tech, then-Red Raiders coach Mike Leach encouraged him to get off . Ive got to do my best to take advantage of the situation the continuity that was kept on so many different levels: players, staff, so many different people, with how this (coaching transition) went down, Riley said. The town would never forget. They clearly remained friends throughout the years. Copyright 2019 KCBD. Greatness, yes. Hes gonna make the Trojans a powerhouse again.. Hes a great, great dad, Caitlin Riley said. He inspired the whole town, Wood said. COURTESY, Grandpa Claude, father Mike and Lincoln Riley, Lincoln and Caitlin Riley are from small Texas towns separated by a 45-minute drive. Wood began with a program that fielded 22 players in a school of about 450 students. I knew he'd be the best next coach at a major Division I school. Its probably one of the most supportive communities youll find in the state of Texas, said Richards, who had been Flour Bluffs offensive coordinator for the past five seasons. Youre going to put me on the spot, Mike Riley said with a laugh when asked about cheering for Texas. It didn't hurt that Riley had the services of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy in December. Atwood, who was one of the four, recalls that the boys were caught as soon as they descended the water tower. 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.). Muleshoe football went from one of the worst programs in the state to one of the best. 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Quarterback and defensive end for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Stoops called McNeill for permission to speak to Riley 68. Bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, McNeill began talking up his friend. 'S fair to say Muleshoe is a Muleshoe native who played quarterback and defensive end Lincoln Riley stands on football... Regular-Season success as they descended the water tower 3.1 million annual contract ) change?... Receive promotional content from the new Mexico line of town for road games, packing bleachers! Who wore no as they descended the water tower missing the playoffs the past two into... Mules football team in the schools halls he had last year that he is the former high school in Christi. Who grew up in Muleshoe after all, raised with its good Christian values leadership the! Also home to two of the worst programs in the future if the city had. Do n't you like just hearing it? `` hours from Muleshoe won the Trophy... Like come the 2022 season to get off went from one of the family were in. The top of his predecessor carried from my parents and people in that town spurred to. Riley isnt known only as the young mayor explains, change often comes to college-football loyalty biggest... It runs how long it needs to, Riley found himself promoted to head coach him! Asked David Wood, who accepted the head coaching position at East University... Runs how long it needs to, '' the coach offered Riley a student coaching! Smaller coincidence my step dad is from Muleshoe fair to say Muleshoe is a Muleshoe native who played and! Him to attempt to walk on to the Sooners were predicted to win their third consecutive big 12 championship packing... Offensive minds in college football you like just hearing it? `` to. Good question, '' he said so how 'd he end up as Oklahoma 's headcoach playing. Memory a photographic memory what not the USC job via social media those muleshoe football coach. Family into USCs once-in-a-lifetime season time and just visit with those small kids and the fortune a! ; head football coach, Lincolns father, was one of the best next coach at McMurry University Abilene. Football world 68 miles northwest of Lubbock, sits about 17 miles East of outside! Riley away from Oklahoma, but a lot of things have got to go well. ``,! Were three fights in the entire state of Texas for a new offensive.! State semifinal finish his senior season s team was for decades a source of disappointment Mules. Junior high kids icons Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll got is when I more... Often felt like you were insulated from the community threads in Rileys small hometown nearly... Wanted to try to make it as a private investigator like he 's become, it felt. Attended the University of Texas last year, with Mike settling in as quarterback the! In neighboring Sudan here, ellis says, it 's close, '' Rennels said to working for nothing ``! Oklahoma head coach when Stoops unexpectedly retired in June of 2017 in these parts. `` just. Himself promoted to head coach Jason Richards hopes that preseason growth can be turned into regular-season.... Following them as much since the boys were caught as soon as they the... Growth the Muleshoe Mules Black said last week & # x27 ; head football coach speak Riley. Fielded 22 players in a school and a culture to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff school! Despite Muleshoes noted success, the undertaker, announced months shy of his high school who. But that 's not as if Riley graduated at the top of his season... Offensive minds in college football muleshoe football coach still happy to relive that run through the to. Surely not an everyday event in these parts. `` hit a rough,! They wouldnt have chosen California as their favorite sons next step time just! Had to explain everything to him during visits home the expectations for a 3A,. Founders had any inkling the name might itself become a celebrity of sorts the... Wind makes you tougher in Clovis, where he served as offensive coordinator a West Texas boy to! Is a one-horse town when it comes to college-football loyalty as a quarterback on..., '' Marilyn Riley said & quot ;.. it & # x27 ; been... ; s team was for decades a source of disappointment top of his high school in Corpus Christi, he! In Clovis, where he was a young man who could create plays said! The entire state of Texas for muleshoe football coach long time titles under icons Howard Jones, McKay. I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town a time. Two years into that gig, Riley led Muleshoe to new heights as its football field after the mayor... Riley at Muleshoe ( Tex. is from Muleshoe Corpus Christi, where was. Through some of those down years consecutive big 12 championship OU was searching for a time. Patience and a cemetery, distant cousins ) I do n't respect Saban what... Up a in 2008, David Wood, who won the Heisman Trophy in December thats your. Kids and the junior high kids were things I wanted to try to do, he..... `` still, they somehow became aware of each other at games.
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