Few will ever forget Riley leading the Mules at Texas Stadium. But its what hes always wanted and anticipated. CALL. It can be backbreaking work. 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. Wood began with a program that fielded 22 players in a school of about 450 students. But he dislocated his throwing shoulder before the start of the season trying to make a tackle during a practice. What had been done was history or tradition or how theyd always done it, but it wasnt working. 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. It's just that they have their own homegrown hero Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley. I knew he was headed somewhere, said Wood. Eight years later, on the brink of that state championship, Riley returned to Muleshoe High for a pep rally. The news first broke on Twitter by Matt Stepp on December 17 and KCBD Sports confirmed on Christmas Eve. Lincoln, theyll tell you, couldve been anything. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley yells from the sideline during a game. Despite Muleshoes noted success, the squad hit a rough patch, winning just six games over the past three years. But everyone here trusts Lincoln. A doctor. "Didn't see eye-to-eye with the coach," Mike Riley said. "We'll see," Riley said. But it was no mirage. Soon after, Todd and Starla Ellis, who run the local funeral home, stopped by the Riley's table. 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. Current OU wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons, who was at Texas Tech for 10 years as a full-time assistant or support staff member, has witnessed Rileys fast trajectory as a college football coach. 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. Sure, maybe they wouldnt have chosen California as their favorite sons next step. He doubled that win total in his first . Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more. And mirages! It's also home to two of the greatest offensive minds in college football. The expectations for a quick rebuild will be ever-present, trumping any old loyalties. While the Sooners did not recruit as much in the Southland in Rileys first five years in Norman, theyve made camp in recent years, pulling commitments in the last year from some of the top offensive talent in the region 2022 five-star Santa Ana Mater Dei running back Raleek Brown, 2023 five-star Los Alamitos quarterback Malachi Nelson (the top quarterback in his class), 2023 five-star Los Alamitos athlete Makai Lemon and 2023 four-star Los Alamitos receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. Those players could switch their commitments to USC soon enough, and there will be more local players and coaches taking immediate notice of Riley putting down roots in Los Angeles to restore the proud tradition of the USC program. "But he was the kind of athlete you wanted running the show. Great, great people. Back then, that was unbelievable.. Muletrain, it should be noted, actually has been around since the late 1950s as a radio offering on a station that beamed it in from Clovis, N.M., 30 miles away. J. Brady McCollough is a sports enterprise reporter for the Los Angeles Times, focusing on national college football and basketball topics. Wes Wood, the coachs son who led the Mules to a state title as quarterback in 2008, said that season cemented Riley as his childhood hero. Find content for all Muleshoe Mules' Football teams covered by MaxPreps over the years. Heres everything you need to know about Riley. He spent a couple of days in Muleshoe and wrote about his drover days. It shaped who I am, Riley says. He told the team not to waste one second of its big moment. 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. Maybe more frequent trips to Los Angeles planted some seeds that Southern California might be a nice place to raise two young daughters, Sloan and Stella, with wife Caitlin, even though its a much different lifestyle than what theyve known in Norman, Okla. The selection committee sorted through 112 applications and interviewed six applicants on Jan. 22 and 23 before determining that Richards would be their choice. Honest, hard-working people. That was pretty exciting.. One person he depended on during this time was the late Donnie Duncan, a former Oklahoma athletic director. 4 min read. Almost seven decades later, another 18-year-old in Muleshoe was ready to find his way, and the folks from Lincoln Riley's hometown swear he could see anything in the world, just ahead of him. Its something that weve both always wanted, Caitlin Riley said. 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. It was a Sunday afternoon game decided by a Hail Mary on the final play. 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. When I hired him, Lincoln was the youngest full-time assistant in the country, but he had been with me as a student assistant and a GA for about six years and did a tremendous job, so I had no reservation about hiring him.. 12 and led the Mules to a state semifinal finish his senior season. Garrett Riley is taking over the Clemson offense after winning the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant this past season. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. Things always change year to year in college football and that's one of the things we enjoy. Heres little po-dunk Muleshoe playing in the [Dallas] Cowboys stadium, said Wood, whos now retired. But I think its a wonderful move.. Harrell told The Times, Really Lincoln was the first person that taught me Mike Leachs offense. Muleshoes favorite son is now the youngest head coach in major college football. Over time, some of the Riley stories from those days have come to drift into tall tales, depending on whos telling them. For years, Magann's favorite Muletrain story focused on a local who grew tulip bulbs in a cotton field and shipped them to the Netherlands. Riley began his coaching career at Roosevelt High School in Lubbock, Texas as the team's quarterbacks coach and passing game assistant. Learn how this Muleshoe High School student is connecting with coaches in TX and nationwide. ", Three Oklahoma stars to keep an eye on in 2017 season, Watch for these three Oklahoma players to have breakout seasons in 2017. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel. Muleshoe will be Richards first athletic director and head football coaching position. only a means to a football end. Mike and Marilyn returned home from Austin soon after graduation and eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses in neighboring Sudan. Ellis is the third generation to run the funeral home, which his grandfather opened in 1959. 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.). Donnie always made sure to see them a couple of times a year, said Big 12 associate commissioner John Underwood, a close friend of Duncans. He just knew the game. Davis will be Muleshoes defensive coordinator and linebackers coach after previously being at Texico (New Mexico) High School. "He knew where every kid was supposed to be on every play," the coach said. CALL. he led the Mules of Muleshoe, a town of . The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. Davis will be Muleshoe's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach after previously being at Texico (New Mexico) High School. blockbuster came in June when Muleshoe's own Lincoln Riley, whose parents Mike and Marilyn still live in Rennels' neighborhood, was named the football coach at the University of Oklahoma soon after the unexpected resignation of Bob Stoops. He joined The Times after six years with the Southern California News Group. 3 games every Oklahoma fan should circle on the calendar; full season predictions for 2017. "We had great success there throughout our years. I really saw his potential to be a rocket scientist, Wood said in 2015. He always has. The idea of moving to Southern California was, he admits, pretty daunting. And it's no mirage. Hes ready to be a part of that city and what comes with it. The older he got is when I was more impressed with him. Riley started in the fifth grade, both officially and in backyard games with neighborhood children. I am a Haskell Indian Nations University graduate. Rodriguez, Alan ( Jr.) Lopez, Jaxher ( Jr.) Dominguez, Ryan ( So.) Mike Riley, Lincolns father, was a Mules quarterback through some of those down years. California? Hes just an athletic big kid. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley already has made inroads in Southern California football recruiting, which should help him bolster USCs talent pool. Duncan was receiving a National Football Foundation Legacy Award in New York City at the same time and Riley wanted to be by his mentors side instead. But like L.A., they have complete faith now that Lincoln Riley will deliver. Every Friday night that season, Muleshoe shut down. Thats coming from a program last year (where) we had a sophomore that just got offers from OU, OSU and Texas A&M, Richards said of Flour Bluff offensive guard Johnny Dickson. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach saw that same attribute in Riley. Richards noted the juniors ability to play wide receiver, running back and quarterback on offense as well as defensive back on defense. 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 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. He once played quarterback for the Muleshoe. "I think grit, never giving up and just playing . His mind was just brilliant. All rights reserved. Even in the classroom, when the teacher was giving notes, he'd just soak it in. He was only a year or two older than me, but he knew the offense. Theres something about being raised in a small town, said his wife, Caitlin Riley. It didn't hurt that Riley had the services of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy in December. "Now we are Oklahoma fans because Lincoln is closer. Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) In years past, he has made it back to Muleshoe every summer. Lincoln and I had many thoughts he prepared us that way. Some speculate the injury mightve changed his trajectory, but the next season, Riley led Muleshoe to new heights as its quarterback anyway. In 1996, David Wood inherited a Muleshoe program that hadn't posted a winning record in 13 years. 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. "Small town, very tight-knit community. Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. Oklahoma, where Memorial Stadium could hold 17 times the population of Muleshoe. This is a compilation of Muleshoe high school football coach history. While at Muleshoe High, Riley learned under the tutelage of David Wood, who just retired last month after 23 years coaching the Mules. The Mules won one game in Woods first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first non-losing season in two decades. 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. Mike Riley's series of tin-roofed warehouses on the northern fringe of Sudan can feel like ovens in the unforgiving West Texas sun. In 2017, once Riley took the reins from Stoops, Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy while leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff semifinals. They say you are raised by a village. "I don't think they would havehad to pay him," his father Mike said. Everyone's a hero in a small town, Wood said. "He loved the job and was used to working for nothing.". This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Mike and Marilyn Riley have lived in Muleshoe all of their lives. Riley, like many young coaches, has grown over the years. Riley is pure Muleshoe. The only passing reference to L.A. found here comes from a novelty Rodeo Drive sign behind the bar at Rodeo, Muleshoes lone watering hole. He brought a program and a culture to Muleshoe that hadnt been there, Riley said. People know each other. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. You are the OC (offensive coordinator).. He just had natural instincts.". How can a West Texas boy go to L.A.? asked David Wood, who coached Riley at Muleshoe High. Riley will have no shortage of talented quarterbacks to evaluate right here in his new backyard. I said, Ruffin, Ive read all about him. But thats the kind of guy that Ruffin is. At USC, expectations are already soaring. They just didnt know how to do it.. Every time we get steaks and have friends over, they ask, Where did you get these knives? Always my wife will say, The Rileys bought them for us as a wedding gift. He tells me to come and visit him. Caravans of pick-ups and SUVs would filter out of town for road games, packing visiting bleachers across the plains. Before joining the Times in May 2018, he was a projects reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and a 2017 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. 12.8K views. But after Riley walked on at Texas Tech, then-Red Raiders coach Mike Leach encouraged him to get off . He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. October 1, 2022, 12:22 AM. Family roots run generations deep in Muleshoe, making it sometimes feel like time is standing still. Call. It may be a good thing that the show never has had a scripted length. Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal Muleshoe's head football coach Jason Richards reacts to water being poured on him after the team's win against Brownfield in a bi-district playoff football. Has to have shaped him a little bit.. Whatever he chose to do, hed be something special. He knew exactly how to handle everything from the playcalling to quarterbacks.. 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. When he'd watch film he'd just remember defenses and what not. He was a sponge. But it has come at a price. Riley shadowed Leach, a noted night owl, as much as he could. 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. But the rest of Muleshoe moves at a crawl. a job as an assistant coach who worked with receivers. He got an early start, Leach told the Tulsa World last month. But in high school, there were only a few shotgun sets, and the Mules ran a Power-I attack. One newcomer Richards is excited about is Nic Reyes, a 5-foot-11, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman. They are high-integrity people who recruit the right way and have a unique ability to work with players on and off the field.. One is USC head coach. No one thought it was possible, Riley remembers. Muleshoe, just 22 miles from the New Mexico border, is home to the National Mule Memorial. Muleshoe, just 22 miles from the New Mexico border, is home to the National Mule Memorial. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley watches the Sooners play Iowa State on Nov. 20. Never thought about it growing up, Mike Riley said. "We were Tech fans here because it's close," Todd, the undertaker, announced. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley has agreed to become the next USC football coach. But it's not as if Riley graduated at the top of his high school class. ", 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. In the beginning, it was because he was the only guy that was around to watch film with me.. The rapid rise of Lincoln Riley, from small-town quarterback to one of the most promising football minds in America, is rooted deep in this arid soil. He has two daughters Sloan and Stella with Caitlin, the love of his life. And then theres the part about replacing Bob Stoops. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - After two seasons as the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director at Muleshoe High School, Lee Walker has been reassigned. 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. 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.. According to the Dallas Morning News, the Mules scored just one touchdown during the entire 1969 season. The whole town packed into the high school gym that day, glowing as Riley spoke. 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But by then, the town had already galvanized around its team, and Muleshoe was firmly on the football map. Anytime they wanted to bounce something off of someone, Donnie was the person that they talked to , I think it was their mutual love and admiration for college football. 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. Many of the standards of the Southwest. Today, he contends that their prank, now a part of town lore, was delayed payback for Friona painting the previous seasons score all over Muleshoes own weight room. Muleshoe will always be my special village. 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. But as much as he relished playing the game, Riley suspected his playing days were over when he passed on small school college football to attend Texas Tech. Richards grew up in Clovis, where he was quarterback/defensive back for the high school from 1999-2001. Now that Riley is a head coach, it probably is harder. Two decades later, folks in town are still happy to relive that run through the state playoffs. Before he even went to Oklahoma, he was talking to some other major colleges. "I think we've got enough to do some great things, but a lot's gotta happen between now and then. Junior High Coordinator Ross Johnson. 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. Football offered a nice escape. So how'd he end up as Oklahoma's headcoach? But that was 1965, 15 years before the birth of Channel 6. But Muleshoe wanted discipline, he said. , Victor marveled at how much time the older brother spent tutoring elementary school aged Garrett on the football field. 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. Mule Memorial third generation to run the local funeral home, which his grandfather opened in 1959 around team! If there are New matching items Mules ran a Power-I attack the coach said cotton warehouses in Sudan. 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The classroom, when the teacher was giving notes, he has daughters... Past three years folks in town are still happy to relive that run through the playoffs.