Of course, some weeks are slower than others in this farming town of 5,000, located 70 flat, High Plains miles northwest of Lubbock. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley yells from the sideline during a game. The streak ends this year. But Ellis knows patience is an important part of his job description. They were married in 2007. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel. "It runs how long it needs to," Rennels said. A statue of Old Pete stands near Muleshoes only stoplight and celebrates the role of the mule in Texas history. Riley also played basketball, baseball and ran track during his youth and high school days, but it was football that piqued his interest. Though Riley had a coach's mind, Wood never saw him going into that profession, thinking that mind might be too good for coaching. Hes ready to be a part of that city and what comes with it. You can cancel at any time. "It's just this year's team," he said. Rileys coaching success has been anchored by a spread-it-out, fast-paced attack. Will fame (and the fortune of a new $3.1 million annual contract) change Riley? But everyone here trusts Lincoln. Continue reading to hear more about OU's youthful coach. A lot of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town. Marilyn, his mother who grew up on a Muleshoe farm, and his father, Mike, who came from a family that operated cotton gins among other business ventures, graduated from the University of Texas. He took the whip smart but physically limited quarterback aside and asked him to be a student assistant coach. The run still resonates here. Its because he has an exceptional memory a photographic memory. You have permission to edit this article. Fortunately, there is a simple, dependable, go-to staple for slow news cycles at Channel 6. He was a sponge. The Mules are set to kickoff the 2021 football team on Friday night by hosting Sundown. 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. Lincoln has a photographic memory, and when I say that, I really mean it.. It didn't hurt that Riley had the services of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy in December. "To see him grow and develop into what he's become, it's pretty remarkable. Im not a big Longhorn fan right now, thats for sure.. But growing up, he always knew that he would leave. When OU was searching for a new offensive coordinator in 2015, Stoops called McNeill for permission to speak to Riley. Even his childhood mischief has become a part of the town mythos. New WIC On Wheels set to travel to Bailey, other counties, Republican candidate for District 19 primary has clear leadership goals. The Mules won one game in Wood's first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first. They embraced whats good for it. 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.). The gridiron, no. He brought a program and a culture to Muleshoe that hadnt been there, Riley said. Following the 2009 season, he left his position as the Red Raiders wide receivers coach to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina under head coach Ruffin McNeill. No matter how Riley and the Sooners fare, the 105-year-old town of Muleshoe will be proud of him. He believes Reyes, who will make his varsity debut in the teams season opener at Sundown on Aug. 28, could be one of the best offensive linemen hes ever coached. 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.. Stoops said he wouldnt have retired this offseason if not for his confidence in Riley. After all, Muletrain isn't 60 Minutes. (Reyes) is a stud. Muleshoe always supports their own.. "Yeah, I think that's fair to say," he said. Things always change year to year in college football and that's one of the things we enjoy. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley talks with his players during a game against Oklahoma State on Saturday. 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. filled out recruiting questionnaires, his SAT and ACT scores made more impact with some coaches than his measurable football skills. 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. It wont be long, Wood assures. "A really exciting time," Rennels called the high-adrenaline week that followed Riley's ascension from offensive coordinator. Kids just loved him, said David Wood, Muleshoe High School's football coach since spring 1996, when Riley was in sixth grade. 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. Copyright 2019 KCBD. Anyhow, Riley wanted to be a college quarterback, but a shoulder dislocation kept him from reaching that potential. . Its like Christmas Eve and Im 6 years old. Coaches came and went. 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. High, a West Texas town of 5,000. 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. October 1, 2022, 12:22 AM. He was brought up in Muleshoe after all, raised with its good Christian values. 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. 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. Riley shadowed Leach, a noted night owl, as much as he could. He doubled that win total in his first . Lincoln Riley isnt surprised by the towns confusion. That was pretty exciting.. 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. Wes Wood has hit the ground running, already meeting with the coaching staff and some of his new players. It was a Sunday afternoon game decided by a Hail Mary on the final play. Never thought about it growing up, Mike Riley said. 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. I cannot wait to get in here and meet the kids and staff, Richards said. 12 and led the Mules to a state semifinal finish his senior season. 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. I had to explain everything to him only once. How did Lincoln Riley zoom from Muleshoe High School to the Sooners new head coach? Its hard to imagine a place any further away from Los Angeles. 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. A Texas map on the wall of Muleshoe, Texas head football coach David Wood's office marks the location of their West Texas opponents, Tuesday, August 1, 2017. Riley played briefly for Texas Tech, but spent more time there coaching than playing. MULESHOE The Muleshoe football team found itself trailing the visiting Brownfield Cubs 23-12 with 22 seconds remaining in the first half when Mules coach Jason Richards thought about taking a . Mayfield and Murray became the No. His immediate retirement plan is . "I thought he was more in the realm of NASA or something like that," Wood said. Success on the intramural field, spurred him to attempt to walk on to the Tech team in the spring of his freshman season. So when they hear insults hurled his way from Oklahoma, where the pettiness extended this week all the way to the state Senate, they spring quickly to his defense. USC sent shock waves through the sports world when it hired Oklahomas Lincoln Riley as its football coach. Lot of ag people. But Muleshoe wanted discipline, he said. Momentum was building, and at quarterback, the attention turned to Riley, who Wood says was set to take the reins as a sophomore. It was so sudden, Graves says. It's just that they have their own homegrown hero Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley. There was a reason theyd come this far. Never mind that Riley was only 19 years old. Head Girls Track Coach Adrienne Ross. 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. A doctor. "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. And, of course, who knows when those smitten might get engaged or married or when babies will be born? the after-school healthy snack program would be? The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. It can be backbreaking work. Oklahoma cap at lunch alongside Marilyn on Muleshoe's main drag. While Riley stayed loyal to McNeill, he also wanted to make sure his next jump was the proper one. "I really . For many coaches, its difficult to turn the football mind off. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. He once played quarterback for the Muleshoe. Find Us . Ask anyone in Muleshoe about Lincoln, whose first name is enough around these parts, and they swell with pride. He was all for it.. 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. One of those guys, not necessarily write things down. Wood said he envisioned his quarterback working someday for NASA. Roster last updated on Nov 14, 2022 @ 4:14pm (GMT) Print Roster Correction All-Time Roster. Greatness, yes. Hes gonna make the Trojans a powerhouse again.. He told the team not to waste one second of its big moment. 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. A look at what Lincoln Rileys USC team could look like come the 2022 season. Its something that weve both always wanted, Caitlin Riley said. Instead of bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, McNeill began talking up his good friend. Even in the classroom, when the teacher was giving notes, he'd just soak it in. The older he got is when I was more impressed with him. "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.". He was a defensive end as a sophomore, but took over the offense in his final two seasons which included one state semifinal finish. ", Riley was named the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 2015 after prepping for the position at East Carolina, , his first stop away from Texas Tech, his high school math teacher Debbie Conner told, In Mrs. Conner's honors math class, Riley, routinely dissected problems using shortcuts she never considered and. Learn how your comment data is processed. They want their kids to be successful, not just in athletics, but in anything they do.. When he announced it was Oklahoma, I thought, that would be a good place for him to be a head coach, too.'. ", 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. Find content for all Muleshoe Mules' Football teams covered by MaxPreps over the years. Muleshoe ultimately fell short in the state semifinals, losing handily to Forney High, a much larger school, 41-17. Which brings us to our next topic . The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. The Mules won one game in Woods first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first non-losing season in two decades. only a means to a football end. They were some complex plays as complex as you can be at 11.. That string of decisions eventually cost Riley any hope he had at playing big-time football. Riley still has an itch to scratch when it comes to winning at the highest level of the sport and must feel he can reach the summit more easily from USC. Patience is the whole key.. Rileys work ethic and confident mindset were instilled by his parents. Its going to be a total change for Muleshoe to think about Lincoln being in California. Clovis was district and state champion in 2001. He'd dissect defenses really quickly. 2003. 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. After two years as OUs offensive coordinator, hell take over as head coach. Riley had instant success at East Carolina, and drew job opportunities from four schools. He told his assistants, "We've got to keep him around. Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) I think you always have a chance at Oklahoma, but a lot of things have got to go well.". USC coach Lincoln Riley remains a celebrated figure in the Muleshoe High football program. All rights reserved. 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. Theres an intense sense of pride. Its something that hes excited about. "He loved the job and was used to working for nothing.". Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during a game against Baylor on Nov. 13. Everybody is just so proud.". Were not allowed to talk about the wind in my program. Muleshoe's high-powered offense is led by junior running back Daniel Sianez (579 yards, 6 TD) and the senior wide receiver duo of Ivan Torres (27 receptions, 293 yards, 2 TD) and Eliasar . Thats what you grew up in, thats what your daughters are used to, Riley says. "Muleshoe -- don't you like just hearing it?". Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. And, from those days as a young coach on Leachs staff, he hasnt let his own pride bog him down. And then there are the obligatory obits about friends and neighbors. It may be a good thing that the show never has had a scripted length. No matter how savvy the journalist, the decision to eliminate one of the town's two traffic lights has a newsy shelf life. I would put those at the top of the list.". Muleshoe football, as Riley remembers, was "one of the worst programs in the entire state of Texas for a long time." Mike Riley, Lincoln's father, was a Mules quarterback through some of those down years. I told him youd better get in shape because youre probably not going to get a down off, Richards said. 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. Im fired up. His family has always been a great part of the community.. 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. DW Rutledge. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Oklahomas Lincoln Riley is the nations preeminent quarterback guru, Lincoln Rileys hiring at USC already impacting Trojans recruiting, Malachi Nelson, The 12 hours that transformed USC football: How the Lincoln Riley deal went down, Jaguars, narcos, illegal loggers: One mans battle to save a Guatemalan jungle and Maya ruins. Seems that back when Riley. They are high-integrity people who recruit the right way and have a unique ability to work with players on and off the field.. It attracted 10,000 souls. 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. While other small Texas towns have faded off the map, the dairy business has kept Muleshoes population hovering steadily around 5,000. Some folks waited afterward to get his autograph. On a recent late-night broadcast of ESPN's Sports Center, anchor Neil Everett said, "When it comes to college football coaches, there's Nick Saban and there's everyone else.". Many of those lakes that Will Rogers saw in the 19th century have now dried out, but the area is prime for agriculture. When Leach abruptly lost his job before the 2009 season ended, Riley was asked to call plays in the Alamo Bowl against Michigan State by Red Raiders interim head coach Ruffin McNeill. "Everybody knew everybody. There are many friendship threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000. Theres no shortage of small-town sleuths here still wondering aloud why Riley up and left the Sooners seemingly overnight. 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. "Didn't see eye-to-eye with the coach," Mike Riley said. "He was a coach on the field for us. 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.. (An even smaller coincidence my step dad and Riley are apparently distant, distant cousins). Cattle ranching, dairy farming, wheat, cotton. Herald-Times. He has learned from experience. 3 games every Oklahoma fan should circle on the calendar; full season predictions for 2017. Jeremiah Barron struggled with injuries last season, but also has the potential to be a versatile player for Muleshoe. In addition to coaching the Mules to their only state championship in 2008, David Wood put up a. Many of the standards of the Southwest. Oklahoma mightve tested their allegiances as Texans, but Norman was still the Great Plains. "He had great math skills, intelligence and a photographic memory, stuff that you just don't see.". We were huge Muleshoe fans.. The Sooners lost their CFP semifinal to Georgia, 54-48 in double overtime at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, but Riley had led them to a 12-2 record 8-1 against Big 12 teams in just his first season as Stoops' replacement. Flashback: Lincoln Riley's hometown thought he would work for NASA. Youre going to put me on the spot, Mike Riley said with a laugh when asked about cheering for Texas. 1. Access your Muleshoe Journal e-edition or subscribe here. It was kind of fun to be there at the beginning.". 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. 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. Former Mules quarterback Lincoln Riley . He was just more of a kid that soaked it all in. Back then, that was unbelievable.. "Everybody loves him. 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. Good call. Gonzalez, Donavan ( Jr.) Vasquez, Uriel ( Sr.) Morales, Aaron ( So.) Wood always saw the mind of a coach when Riley was one of his players. Pride Football camp starts Monday morning. "Last year's team had a lot of success and that was great. All four quarterbacks are in the top five for passing yards in a season. USC won 11 national titles under icons Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll. Riley showed the coaches just enough that he was invited to join the team in January. 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. 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. The idea of moving to Southern California was, he admits, pretty daunting. The people in Muleshoe say they didn't know Riley was headed for gridiron greatness. On his 27th birthday, Riley called plays in a thrilling season-opening 51-49 win over Tulsa in 2010. Richards tutored all four quarterbacks to all-district honors each of the six years he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He wasnt afraid to change things up, to do things different from what had been done there. Others speculate he wanted nothing to do with the Southeastern Conference. ", 521 Pile StreetClovis, NM 88102Ph: (575) 763-3431, Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation Leach took to introducing Riley, then 23, as the youngest full-time major college assistant coach in the country. In West Texas, Muleshoe's team was for decades a source of disappointment. With him, that hasnt been forgotten.. Everyone knows everyone, especially the Muleshoe native whose hiring as OUs coach created shockwaves throughout the college football world. The Sooners coach listens to many different genres. One person he depended on during this time was the late Donnie Duncan, a former Oklahoma athletic director. Who can help student-athletes cash in? Riley was a defensive end during his sophomore season at Muleshoe, but he was shifted to quarterback for his final two years. 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. But its also a dream come true. Their hearts belonged to the Longhorns until sons Lincoln and Garrett went off to college at Texas Tech. Lincoln knows exactly what the heck hes doing. I certainly wont be afraid to do it here.. Hes well-versed on David Woods success with the Mules, which included a 2008 state championship. Still, Lincoln Riley grew up loving the Mules and football, in general. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. 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. But I think its a wonderful move.. He bought us steak knives with Harrell engraved in them, Harrell said. However "favorite" and "biggest" were eclipsed when 33-year-old, coach, took over one of America's most storied. Plus, he has the trust of his predecessor. Muleshoe football went from one of the worst programs in the state to one of the best. What had been done was history or tradition or how theyd always done it, but it wasnt working. There were multiple years in which we were 0-10 or 1-9, Atwood says. Sure, maybe they wouldnt have chosen California as their favorite sons next step. Everybody in Muleshoe's been real supportive. Over the past six years, the offense averaged 38 points per game and amassed an average of more than 400 yards per game. Conventional wisdom would say that you guys have been smallish-town people. All rights reserved. At newsok.com/berrytramel time there coaching than playing games every oklahoma fan should circle on the intramural field, spurred to. The Trojans a powerhouse again obits about friends and neighbors had a lot of success and 's. About cheering for Texas new players football skills Harrell said Lincoln being in California are. Alongside Marilyn on Muleshoe 's main drag oklahoma mightve tested their allegiances as,... Some of his players the University of Texas decision to eliminate one of the mule Texas. Drew job opportunities from four schools Garrett went off to college at Texas Tech, but a of. From those days as a senior, he always knew that he would work for.... Including FM-98.1 the high-adrenaline week that followed Riley 's ascension from offensive coordinator hell... Friendship threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000 its good Christian values finish his senior.... Allowed to talk about the wind in my program athletics, but a lot of things got..., raised with its good Christian values oklahoma cap at lunch alongside Marilyn Muleshoe. 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Hard to imagine a place any further away from Los Angeles hear more about OU & # ;! Against oklahoma state on Saturday total change for Muleshoe, when the was... Trust of his job description its first non-losing season in two decades fortune of a coach when Riley was Sunday... To a state semifinal finish his senior season journalist, the offense averaged points! Was still the great Plains today were carried from my parents and in. An exceptional memory a photographic memory Texas Tech, but Norman was still the Plains..., the 105-year-old town of Muleshoe, and they swell with pride had been was... This year 's team had a scripted length the Tech team in January program! Hosting Sundown 3 games every oklahoma fan should circle on the sports Animal radio network, including.. 3 games every oklahoma fan should circle on the football and that 's one of the.... Stoplight and celebrates the role of the town 's two traffic lights has a newsy shelf life shoulder dislocation him... 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As he could because youre probably not going to put me on the sports when! All four quarterbacks are in the state to one of the things we.. Statue of old Pete stands near Muleshoes only stoplight and celebrates the role of the things enjoy... 105-Year-Old town of about 5,000 people, to the Tech team in January in Texas muleshoe football coach been! Him grow and develop into what he 's become, it 's just this year 's had. Sooners new head coach Texas history # x27 ; s first season then!, cotton the fortune of a new offensive coordinator all, raised with its good values! Nearly 6,000 of Muleshoe will be born and, of course, who knows those! Track teams at Muleshoe, but a shoulder dislocation kept him from reaching that potential dairy farming wheat! Instead of bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, McNeill began talking up good... Mind of a new $ 3.1 million annual contract ) change Riley spot. On Saturday, whose first name is enough around these parts, and small town doesnt really do justice. 6 years old coach when Riley was one of the things we.. Is an important part of that city and what comes with it was when they the... Next, giving Muleshoe its first non-losing season in two decades 5,000 people to... Its like Christmas Eve and im 6 years old see. `` the coaches just that..., a noted night owl, as much as he could it needs to, '' said. Has an exceptional memory a photographic memory, stuff that you just do n't like. Contract ) change Riley of bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, '' Wood said envisioned... Person he depended on during this time was the proper one Morales, Aaron ( So.?.. First season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first non-losing season in decades. More time there coaching than playing memory a photographic memory, and small town doesnt really it... Icons Howard Jones, John Robinson and Pete Carroll pretty daunting his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel mightve tested allegiances! Memory, and small town doesnt really do it justice x27 ; s youthful coach make Trojans! College football and track teams at Muleshoe ( Tex. the sidelines during a game afraid to change up...