5-Star Recruit Makai Lemon Decommits from Oklahoma After Lincoln Riley's Exit
Nov 30, 2021
MISSION VIEJO, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Makai Lemon (14), of Los Alamitos, attempts to haul in a pass thrown by quarterback Malachi Nelson (7), defended by Donovan Comestro (13), of Santa Margarita, in the first half at Saddleback College Stadium on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021 in Mission Viejo, CA. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma to become head coach at USC is starting to have ramifications on the Sooners' recruiting.
Makai Lemon, a 5-star athlete who's ranked as the No. 2 athlete nationally in the class of 2023 by 247Sports, announced that he has decommitted from Oklahoma and will not be reopening his recruitment.
Lemon, a native of Southern California, told 247Sports that he made his decision to de-commit from Oklahoma when he found out receivers coach Dennis Simmons was joining Riley at USC. He said the coaching staff has expressed interest in him becoming a Trojan.
"I didn't want to de-commit right away until I knew what coach Simmons was doing,” Lemon said. "He was a big reason why I committed to Oklahoma in the first place. ... I got a call from coach Simmons this week too and he's excited about the opportunity. He knows they can do big things at USC and he wants me to be a part of that."
Lemon added that he plans on visiting USC and expects to make a decision "in the next week or two." He admitted that the situation is intriguing because he grew up as a fan of the Trojans and he also has a strong desire to play for Riley and his staff.
"It was tough to make the decision to leave home," he said. "I'm a SoCal guy and love it out here, but I wanted to play for those coaches in that offense.
"Now the coaches that I love are right here at USC, the school I always thought I would be going to. Me and Malachi [Nelson] are planning to go up there tomorrow for a visit and I think I could be ready to make my decision pretty soon here."
Lemon is a versatile player who has impressed on both sides of the ball. 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins describes him as "a twitchy two-way athlete who shows elite upside as a receiver or a cornerback. ... He works hard off the field and has all the tools to project as a Power Five starter and future high-round NFL draft pick."
Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione 'Surprised' Lincoln Riley Took USC HC Job
Nov 30, 2021
Oklahoma Athletics Director Joe Castiglione gestures as he speaks during an NCAA college football news conference, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Norman, Okla to announce that Bob Stoops, formerly the Oklahoma head coach, will step in as interim head coach for the team's bowl game. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
After initially striking a diplomatic tone to address Lincoln Riley's departure for USC, Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione provided some insight into his true feelings Monday.
"We're here today, surprised by yesterday, but with unlimited excitement for tomorrow," he said at a press conference to introduce interim coach Bob Stoops.
University president Joe Harroz said he was "absolutely" disappointed as well.
Riley's decision may have been more expected if there had been any undercurrent of frustration between him and the administration in Norman, Oklahoma.
In a similar move, Jimbo Fisher bolted Florida State for Texas A&M after the 2017 season, but that was the culmination of longstanding internal turmoil. If Fisher hadn't taken the Aggies' job, then it probably would've been another school at some point.
Based on what has come out so far, there wasn't any sort of drama at OU. Castiglione addressed perhaps the biggest question everybody had and said Riley didn't appear to be upset with the process that led the Sooners to join the SEC in July 2025.
"He was engaged in our thoughts about it," Castiglione said. "He was definitely on board with it. And in many conversations since that announcement was made, he continued to be very much on board with it. There wasn't any mention of unrest."
For whatever reason(s), Riley was no longer intrigued about leading Oklahoma, but the school is bound to have a line out the door of candidates who are interested in succeeding the 38-year-old. Few schools have been as consistent on the gridiron over the last 50 or so years.
Joe Castiglione on the allure of the Oklahoma job: "People are reaching out that some people would never believe have interest in it. That's Oklahoma for you."
Still, moving to a new, more competitive conference outside of your geographic region isn't guaranteed to leave you in a better place than you were before. Just ask West Virginia, Nebraska and Maryland.
Spencer Rattler to Transfer from Oklahoma After Lincoln Riley's Exit for USC
Nov 29, 2021
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler looks to throw down field against Baylor during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Waco, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
Quarterback Spencer Rattler announced Monday that he will enter the transfer portal:
The news comes after head coach Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to take the same job at USC on Sunday.
Rattler entered 2021 as a Heisman Trophy contender but struggled with consistency, finishing the year with 1,483 passing yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions in nine appearances. He was benched in favor of true freshman Caleb Williams in October.
The quarterback was much better in his first season as a starter, leading the Big 12 with 3,031 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns and a 172.6 passer efficiency rating.
With a 70.1 career completion percentage, Rattler has displayed plenty of upside at the college level.
The Arizona native entered Oklahoma as a 5-star recruit, and he was the No. 1 pro-style quarterback prospect in the 2019 class in 247Sports' composite rankings. There will likely be a heavy bidding war for him, especially since he has up to three years of eligibility remaining.
The latest news also creates further problems for Oklahoma as it tries to move past Riley's departure.
Though Rattler's potential transfer could have been expected after he lost his starting job, the Sooners have also lost multiple top commitments in the past two days, per Tom VanHaaren of ESPN.
It could create a significant challenge for the next coach as the Sooners try to remain a top contender.
Lincoln Riley Says Leaving Oklahoma For USC Was 'Most Difficult Decision of My Life'
Nov 29, 2021
LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 23: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners talks to players during warmups before taking on the Kansas Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on October 23, 2021 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)
Lincoln Riley addressed his decision to leave Oklahoma and become the head coach at USC, calling it "probably the most difficult decision of my life."
Riley added that he accepted the Trojans' offer "based on my willingness to go take on a new challenge, and I felt like it was the right opportunity for me and my family to do that."
USC is planning to hold a press conference Monday at 6 p.m. ET, which will potentially see Riley face pointed questions asking for more insight into his thinking.
This move isn't necessarily unparalleled, but rarely does a head coach leave what Riley had in Norman, Oklahoma, for any other position at the college level.
They won 12 games in each of Riley's first three seasons and qualified for the College Football Playoff in 2018 and 2019. Before the 38-year-old arrived, Oklahoma failed to reach 10 wins just four times in Bob Stoops' 18 years at the sideline.
While Norman isn't the biggest draw in terms of recruiting, Riley basically had everything a coach could ask for. When he said he was "not going to be the next head coach at LSU" after OU's loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday, that seemed to be the final word on the matter.
Instead, the Texas native is leaving Oklahoma behind for what is effectively a rebuilding job at USC. The Trojans stagnated under Clay Helton, and they're likely at least two years away from being a serious national power again.
The one question on everybody's mind—and surely something he will be asked about on Monday—is how much the Sooners' eventual move to SEC motivated his decision.
Perhaps Oklahoma will continue to be a perennial playoff contender when it begins playing an SEC schedule, but the road to CFP will undoubtedly be more difficult. USC provides Riley with a more clear path if he can succeed where Helton failed in terms of bringing the best in-state talent to Los Angeles.
Lincoln Riley is a genius. Don’t go to the SEC and be little brother to Alabama and Georgia. Go to the PAC 12, revive the USC Juggernaut and further cement your coaching legacy.
The Trojans might also provide more job security given how quickly things unraveled for Ed Orgeron and Dan Mullen at LSU and Florida, respectively.
That’s not even to say Riley specifically doesn’t want the SEC. I don’t know.
But the manic culture of the SEC churning through so many coaches isn't tenable long-term. Now you see coaches passing on LSU, despite it being a clear national title job.
Oklahoma is in a far better overall position, but it only needs to look to Nebraska to see how aligning with a more competitive conference and abandoning geographic rivalries can backfire in a big way.
5-Star QB Malachi Nelson Decommits from Oklahoma After Lincoln Riley Hired as USC HC
Nov 29, 2021
MISSION VIEJO, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Malachi Nelson (7), of Los Alamitos, during a game against Santa Margarita in the first half at Saddleback College Stadium on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021 in Mission Viejo, CA. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson announced his decommitment from Oklahoma on Sunday following the news that Lincoln Riley has taken the head coaching job at USC.
Nelson, a 6'3", 180-pound quarterback out of Los Alamitos, California, said in his announcement that he's not opening up his recruitment and just wants "to see how everything transpires."
Nelson committed to Oklahoma in July. He said one of the things that impacted his decision to join the Sooners was the coaching staff and "their ability to develop the QB position."
Oklahoma has become a hot spot for 5-star quarterbacks over the last few years. Spencer Rattler entered in 2019, followed by Caleb Williams in 2021, and Nelson was the next in line for 2023. It's unclear what the future holds for the Sooners at the position.
The quarterback is the second overall recruit in the class of 2023 and the top recruit out of California, per 247Sports' composite rating. He is also the second-ranked quarterback behind Isidore Newman's Arch Manning.
In addition to Oklahoma, Nelson considered USC, Alabama, Arizona and Arizona State. It's reasonable to believe he'll reconsider joining the Trojans given Riley's hiring.
The news of Riley's shocking decision to become the next head coach at USC broke Sunday afternoon. He had been head coach of the Sooners since 2017 and compiled a 55-10 record in his five seasons at the helm. Oklahoma won the Big 12 in his first four seasons as head coach, and he also led the team to three College Football Playoff appearances.
In addition to Nelson, Oklahoma lost commitments from 2023 5-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss (No. 9 in 247Sports' composite rating) and 2023 4-star running back Treyaun Webb (No. 96 in 247Sports' composite rating) on Sunday. Inniss said he was reopening his recruitment, while Webb said his decision to decommit from Oklahoma was "due to the recent changes."
As well, 2022 5-star running back Raleek Brown told ESPN on Sunday, before Riley was announced as head coach of the Trojans, that the coach's decision would impact his recruitment.
"That changes everything," he said. "I had a good relationship with all [the Oklahoma coaches], so that will really change everything."
Like Nelson, USC was also of interest to Brown before he committed to Oklahoma, ESPN noted.
With several decommitments and other recruits likely weighing their options, Oklahoma is in for one of its biggest head coaching searches in school history, and a lot will ride on who the program selects to replace Riley.
Report: Bob Stoops to Be Oklahoma Interim HC for Bowl Game After Lincoln Riley to USC
Nov 28, 2021
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners runs alongside quarterback Spencer Rattler #7 before a game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners won 28-21. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley will reportedly be the next head coach of the USC Trojans and will not coach the Sooners' upcoming bowl game, according to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman.
Former Sooners head coach Bob Stoops is reportedly expected to be named interim head coach.
According to Feldman, talks between Riley and USC "really escalated" Saturday night into Sunday morning.
"For Riley, it was the appeal of Los Angeles, the local recruiting talent and the opportunity of trying to rebuild a brand," Feldman wrote. "That was all very enticing to him. He was also impressed with the alignment of the administration."
Riley informed the team and his coaching staff of his decision on Sunday, per Feldman. Stoops was in attendance for that meeting.
The news of Riley's decision comes after he vehemently denied rumors that he would be the next head coach at LSU following Oklahoma's 37-33 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.
The Sooners' loss to the Cowboys eliminated them from Big 12 title contention. They finished with a 10-2 record and third in the conference after losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with Baylor.
Riley had been head coach of the Sooners since 2017 and compiled a 55-10 record. The Sooners won the Big 12 in his first four seasons at the helm, and he also led the team to three College Football Playoff appearances.
Riley will replace Clay Helton at USC. Helton, who was fired in September, was in his seventh full season with the Trojans (he was the interim head coach for one game in 2013) before being canned just two games into the 2021 campaign.
USC finished the 2021 season 4-7 and fourth in the Pac-12 South behind Utah, Arizona State and UCLA.
Stoops, meanwhile, coached the Sooners from 1999-2016, compiling a 190-48 record in that span and a 9-9 record in bowl games. He hired Riley as his offensive coordinator in 2015 and pushed for him to be named the team's next head coach in 2017.
Stoops has been working as a panelist for Fox Sports's college football team. According to 247Sports, he had been linked to USC and Florida's head coaching vacancies but expressed interest in remaining with Fox.
Oklahoma HC Rumors: Cardinals' Kliff Kingsbury Targeted After Lincoln Riley to USC
Nov 28, 2021
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury looks on against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
The Oklahoma Sooners apparently already have a candidate in mind to replace Lincoln Riley, who is reportedly set to be named head coach at USC.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Oklahoma has targeted Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as one of the potential replacements. Schefter noted that Kingsbury has one year left on his contract after this season.
Kingsbury is in his third year coaching Arizona, which has the best record in the NFL at 9-2. He led the Cardinals to a 5-10-1 record in his first year in 2019 and the team improved to 8-8 last season.
When he accepted the head coaching position at Arizona, Kingsbury was tasked with developing quarterback Kyler Murray, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
In his third year, Murray has blossomed into one of the most dynamic players in the league and was considered an MVP candidate prior to missing three games with an ankle injury. He's thrown 17 touchdowns and rushed for three more scores in eight games.
Prior to joining the Cardinals, the 42-year-old made a name for himself as one of the best offensive minds in college football. Kingsbury was the head coach of Texas Tech from 2013-18, where he coached quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes.
Kingsbury was a fast-riser in the coaching ranks. He got his start on the offensive staff at the University of Houston in 2008. He was then named offensive coordinator for Texas A&M in 2012, the same year Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy.
Kingsbury and the Cardinals were on a bye in Week 12 and will return to action on Dec. 5 against the Chicago Bears.
Lincoln Riley Named USC Head Coach After 5 Seasons as Oklahoma HC
Nov 28, 2021
Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley watches his team play against Iowa State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
USC has found its next head coach as it looks to reestablish itself among college football's elite programs.
The Trojans announced the hiring of Lincoln Riley, who was the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners since the start of the 2017 campaign:
The position became open after athletic director Mike Bohn announced USC fired Clay Helton on Sept. 13. His departure came after the Trojans lost 42-28 in their Pac-12 opener to Stanford and didn't look like the conference championship contenders fans were hoping to see in 2021.
Helton released a statement saying he was "forever indebted" to the players he led during his tenure:
USC made Helton the interim head coach in 2015 following the firing of Steve Sarkisian, and he led the team to a 5-4 record that first season. The Trojans made him the full-time head coach during that time, and it appeared to be the correct move when they finished the 2016 campaign with nine straight wins.
Victories over Notre Dame, Oregon, Washington and UCLA were included in that stretch, as was a Rose Bowl win over Penn State.
However, that was the program's last bowl win. It went 5-7 in 2018, 8-5 in 2019 and lost to Oregon in the Pac-12 title game during the shortened 2020 campaign. Helton went 45-24 since 2015 and was unable to return USC to the consistent excellence it once enjoyed.
Reports of potential candidates immediately started to come out.
Thamel reported James Franklin, Bob Stoops, Chris Petersen, Matt Campbell, Bill O'Brien, Luke Fickell, P.J. Fleck, Mario Cristobal, Greg Schiano and Tony Elliott were potential hires, while ESPN's Adam Schefter reported some NFL sources saw Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as a candidate for the position.
There is always going to be pressure at USC as it attempts to rediscover the glory days of the Pete Carroll era. The Trojans were annual national title contenders under his watch and won double-digit games seven years in a row from 2002 through 2008.
However, they have struggled to compete with the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and other national powerhouses since.
It is up to Riley to change that, and he found plenty of success with the Sooners.
Oklahoma went 55-10 during his tenure and reached double-digit wins in every season except for the shortened 2020 campaign. The Big 12 powerhouse went to the College Football Playoff in three of the previous four years and was in position to perhaps battle for a spot this year until Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State.
While there was some speculation Riley could go to LSU until he shut that down Saturday, this is still something of a surprise.
Oklahoma has been one of the best programs in the entire country of late and is primed to join the SEC in the near future. USC, by contrast, has struggled to rediscover its glory days while competing in a Pac-12 conference that does not get the same level of attention or playoff spots as the SEC. The school dropped to 4-7 after a 35-31 loss to No. 12 BYU on Saturday.
Still, Riley will look to bring the Trojans back to the top of college football and perhaps do something he was unable to do with the Sooners—win a national title.
Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley: 'I’m Not Going to Be the Next Coach at LSU' Despite Rumors
Nov 28, 2021
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 20: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners watches his team before a game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 20, 2021 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
The Oklahoma Sooners suffered a disappointing 37-33 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday, and despite some of the team's struggles this season, head coach Lincoln Riley isn't considering leaving for the vacant head coaching position at LSU.
“Let me stop you right there. I’m not going to be the next coach at LSU. Next question,” Riley told reporters after the loss.
Riley's comments come after long-time LSU head coach Ed Orgeron announced he would not coach the team's bowl game following an upset win over Texas A&M on Saturday. Orgeron and the Tigers agreed to part ways on Oct. 17 following a disappointing 4-3 start to the 2021 season.
The Tigers have fallen short of expectations since winning the national championship in 2019. They are 11-11 over the past two seasons, so it's no surprise Orgeron is on his way out, even if he is the fourth-winningest coach in LSU history at 51-20.
Riley has been linked as a target for LSU athletic director Scott Woodward since it was announced Orgeron was out as head coach after the 2021 season. However, Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher is reportedly Woodward’s top target. Fisher has adamantly denied interest in the LSU job, though.
Riley has been at Oklahoma for five seasons, compiling a 55-10 record. The Sooners won the Big 12 in his first four seasons and he also has three College Football Playoff appearances to his name.
However, Oklahoma finished the 2021 season 10-2 with Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State and missed out on a chance to play in the Big 12 title game. The team also likely doesn't have chance to make the CFP this year.
In addition to Riley, LSU has also been linked to Louisiana's Billy Napier and Iowa State's Matt Campbell for their vacant head coaching job.
No. 7 Oklahoma State Outlasts Caleb Williams, No. 10 Oklahoma for Bedlam Rivalry Win
Nov 28, 2021
STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 27: Safety Tanner McCalister #2 and cornerback Christian Holmes #0 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys celebrate after stopping a drive by the Oklahoma Sooners in the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 27, 2021 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
The No. 7 Oklahoma State Cowboys defeated the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners 37-33on Saturday to improve to 11-1 on the season. It was the team's first win over Oklahoma since December 2014.
Oklahoma State had already punched its ticket to the Big 12 title game before Saturday's win, which was head coach Mike Gundy's third win over Oklahoma since taking over as head coach in 2005.
Notable Stats
Caleb Williams, QB, OU: 20/39 for 252 YDS, 3 TD, 0 INT and 19 CAR for 36 YDS
Spencer Sanders, QB, OSU: 19/30 for 214 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT and 16 CAR for 93 YDS, 1 TD
Kennedy Brooks, RB, OU: 22 CAR for 139 YDS; 1 REC for 25 YDS
Tay Martin, WR, OSU: 7 REC for 89 YDS, 1 TD
Brennan Presley, WR, OSU: 3 REC for 40 YDS; 2 kick returns for 142 YDS, 1 TD
Oklahoma State Overcomes Turnovers
Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders tossed a late first half interception to allow Oklahoma to tie the game entering halftime, and it was the Sooners who came out of the locker room for the third quarter with all the momentum thanks to multiple miscues by the Cowboys.
While Oklahoma was forced to punt on its first possession of the second half, the team forced a safety to go up 26-24 early in the third quarter. Oklahoma State's Dominic Richardson fumbled and it was recovered in the end zone for the safety.
The team came up big again on special teams by forcing Oklahoma State's Brennan Presley to fumble on a punt. Sooners star Justin Broiles recovered the ball for a touchdown to help put Oklahoma up 33-24.
Oklahoma State's struggles only continued when Tanner Brown missed a 44-yard field goal with 7:43 remaining in the third quarter. He entered Saturday's game having made 10-of-12 field goals on the season, with his longest being 49 yards.
And while Oklahoma State forced an Oklahoma fumble after missing the field goal, quarterback Spencer Sanders tossed his second interception of the night on the following drive.
Despite all the turnovers, the Cowboys cashed in when it mattered most, capitalizing off a muffed punt by Oklahoma's Eric Gray with 9:43 remaining in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma State's Demarco Jones recovered before Jaylen Warren rushed in for a touchdown to give the Cowboys a 37-33 lead.
Regardless of the win, the amount of turnovers from Oklahoma State on Saturday was absurd. They'll have to clean that up before facing Baylor in the Big 12 title game.
Oklahoma's Offensive Performance Disappointing
Oklahoma's rushing performance in Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State was disappointing. While Kennedy Brooks led the way with 22 carries for 139 yards, the rest of the team combined for just 14 yards on the ground and quarterback Caleb Williams recorded 19 carries for 36 yards.
This is in comparison to an Oklahoma State rushing offense that combined for 140 yards and three touchdowns and was more effective on the ground.
While it was a disappointing night for Oklahoma, the team's performance on the ground doesn't necessarily come as a surprise. The Sooners entered their regular-season finale averaging just 174.9 yards per game on the ground, fifth in the Big 12, compared to 266.5 passing yards per game, second in the conference.
In addition to the team's rushing performance, the receiving performance wasn't all that great either. Jeremiah Hall led the team with four catches for 76 yards, while Austin Stogner had three catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
However, the Sooners finished with two turnovers compared to the Cowboys' three and also led with 441 yards to Oklahoma State's 354. So while the offense could have been better, it's clear that turnovers played a massive role in this game.
What's Next?
Oklahoma State will face the Baylor Bears in the Big 12 title game, while Oklahoma will watch from the couch.
