Oklahoma has experienced nothing but success in the two years since Bob Stoops hired Lincoln Riley to call plays.
The Sooners have won two Big 12 championships -- becoming the first team to post a perfect 9-0 mark in the league’s 6-year round-robin era in 2016 -- reached the College Football Playoff in 2015 and scored a whole bunch of points under Riley’s direction. The Sooners have finished fourth and third in scoring, respectively, in 2015 and ’16.
As such, the folks in crimson and cream have locked their wunderkind offensive coordinator into a long-term deal.
Oklahoma announced Thursday a contract extension that keeps Riley in Norman through 2019 at an advanced salary of $1.3 million.
#Sooners offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley's contract extended through Jan. 31, 2020 to $1.3m
— Ryan Aber (@ryaber) May 11, 2017
It’ll be the second time in as many off-seasons Riley has enjoyed a $400,000 raise. He made $500,000 in arriving from East Carolina and $900,000 after the success of the 2015 season where he helped OU reach the CFP and won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. As pointed out by, uh, me at FootballScoop Riley earned $151,000 as ECU’s offensive coordinator in 2012.
“This has been in the works for a few months,” Stoops said in a statement. “Lincoln’s done a phenomenal job in his two years here and we’re excited for him and his family. They’re great people and have fully immersed themselves into the Oklahoma community. He’s fully committed to OU and what we’re doing as a university and football program, and all of us are looking forward to continuing to work together to develop young men on and off the field, and bring more championships to Norman.”
Riley sent this not-so-coincidentally timed tweet earlier today.
Always seem to fly out Gate 12 in Dallas..was here 2 years ago when I got a phone call that changed my life...thankful to work at OU-
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) May 11, 2017
Boomer pic.twitter.com/BKo1i5JYVL
“I appreciate OU and Coach Stoops taking a chance on me a couple of years ago and the loyalty they’ve shown to my family,” Riley said. “We are extremely grateful, and I want to display my strong loyalty to this school and program in return. We absolutely love living here. It’s a place we relate to, a place we feel very much at home. I love the people I work with at OU and I love the players I coach. It’s been a fantastic first two years, but I’m excited for what’s ahead in Norman. We’re looking forward to being a part of this university and community for a long time.”
Today’s extension makes it abundantly clear Riley will remain in Norman until the 33-year-old takes his first head coaching job, whenever that happens to be.
