Even his childhood mischief has become a part of the town mythos. 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. Once she was his Sunday school teacher. HomeDirectoryPhotosAboutContactAdvertise. I cannot wait to get this thing going. He introduced his fianc, the head softball coach at Flour Bluff. He was only a year or two older than me, but he knew the offense. (Courtesy of Bryan Terry / The Oklahoman). Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. For the Rileys, its a new lifestyle. Lincoln, theyll tell you, couldve been anything. How did Lincoln Riley zoom from Muleshoe High School to the Sooners new head coach? CALL. "I really . . The two weeks since that decision have been a whirlwind in both Los Angeles and Muleshoe, even if the definition differs in both places. It wont be long, Wood assures. That notion crossed his mind the last Sunday morning in November, as he decided within a few hours to leave the comfort of Oklahoma for the uncertainty of USC. "We'll see," Riley said. Deep on the dusty plains of West Texas, where grain silos line the sparse landscape and a dry breeze blows loose tufts of cotton across U.S. Route 84, a stretch of railroad runs along a lonely highway. For many coaches, its difficult to turn the football mind off. But its also a dream come true. Riley already has plenty of quality head-coaching experience behind him, plus a hefty new contract approved by the school last month. "It's quite an accolade to say I was able to be a part of his life," Wood said. Which brings us to our next topic . According to the Dallas Morning News, the Mules scored just one touchdown during the entire 1969 season. Former Mule Jaxon Lee, an AP all-state first team lineman for the squad, rounds out the new hires as the defensive line coach. Muleshoe, a 5,000 population town about 68 miles northwest of Lubbock, sits about 17 miles east of the New Mexico line. Muleshoe's Daniel Sianez (21) runs the ball against Jim Ned during the UIL 3A-D1 Area Playoff game on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at PlainsCapital Park-Lowrey Field in Lubbock, Texas. Find content for all Muleshoe Mules' Football teams covered by MaxPreps over the years. Following the 2016 season, he was appointed Bob Stoops' successor, and he guided the team to the 2017 Rose Bowl and a #2 position in the College Football Playoffs. As impressed as Wood was with his Muleshoe quarterbacks ability on the field, he was just as amazed by his off-the-field work. He was telling me about some other opportunities that were in the foresight of his career. "The value of hard work - I think the community has always been built on that. There are many friendship threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000. Evaluate Jason Florez's football recruiting profile. Mike and Marilyn Riley had to settle for the revelry generated in their hometown. "I don't think they would havehad to pay him," his father Mike said. 1. After watching Riley try to make it as a walk-on quarterback, the coach offered Riley a student assistant coaching job. The people in Muleshoe say they didn't know Riley was headed for gridiron greatness. Copyright 2022. 3 games every Oklahoma fan should circle on the calendar; full season predictions for 2017. A lot of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town. With Rileys help, the Sooners have won back-to-back Big 12 championships, have had two Heisman Trophy finalists in Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook, and a College Football Playoff appearance. Some folks waited afterward to get his autograph. Riley has surpassed actor Lee Horsley as Muleshoe's most famous son. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Muleshoe will always be my special village. 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. David Wood was Riley's high school football coach. "Everybody knew everybody. The town would never forget. As the young mayor explains, change often comes to town at a particularly cautious pace. Back in the early 1980s, Horsley starred on television as Texas oilman Matt Houston, who doubled as a private investigator. 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. Hes gonna make the Trojans a powerhouse again.. 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. He was all for it.. But Ellis knows patience is an important part of his job description. Will Rogers was a restless 18-year-old in 1898 when he signed on to be a cowboy for the sprawling Mashed O Ranch, which covered parts of Lamb and Bailey counties in the Texas Panhandle. Volunteer. Muleshoe will be Richards first athletic director and head football coaching position. It was a fortuitous first step on a coaching ladder that has led him to. 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. 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. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. Ellis, the mayor, says it felt just like the movies. For a small West Texas town obsessed with football, it was unforgettable. Registration is at 7:15 to 8:00 at the football field first session is for incoming . "I thought he was more in the realm of NASA or something like that," Wood said. Here's a look back at his Muleshoe, Texas roots. 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. High, a West Texas town of 5,000. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley has agreed to become the next USC football coach. But I don't know that I would've gone this way without having the great experience back home.". Harrell told The Times, Really Lincoln was the first person that taught me Mike Leachs offense. Makes a lot of people feel good., Wood -- who also coached Lincoln's brother, Garrett, when the Mules won the 2008 Class 2A Division I state championship with the younger Riley quarterbacking -- said he was surprised that Stoops stepped down, but didn't surprise me (OU) named Lincoln the head coach. 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. Hes well-versed on David Woods success with the Mules, which included a 2008 state championship. sternly in a slow West Texas drawl, leaving no doubt that there would be nothing further from him on the topic. Lincoln Riley isnt surprised by the towns confusion. "Muleshoe -- don't you like just hearing it?". Oklahoma mightve tested their allegiances as Texans, but Norman was still the Great Plains. 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. Im sure hes got a pretty nice home now, making what hes making., Its possible that Riley has been keeping up with USC from afar given his affinity for Harrell. Wood said he has no plans to coach in the future. Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) It shaped who I am, Riley says. 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 . 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. Mike and Marilyn Riley have lived in Muleshoe all of their lives. Muleshoe Mules Varsity Boys Football Muleshoe, TX FOLLOW TEAM 22-23 V. Football Home Schedule Roster Stats Standings Rankings Photos Videos News More / Muleshoe High School Football Muleshoe Football OVERALL 8-4 0.67 Win % DISTRICT 2-2 3rd in District HOME5-0 AWAY3-3 NEUTRAL0-1 PF318 PA345 STREAK1L Contribute to the Team Complete the Schedule Heres everything you need to know about Riley. In 2014, assistant head coach was added to Riley's titles. Theres something about being raised in a small town, said his wife, Caitlin Riley. 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. He had a great knack for stuff like that.. This article originally ran on July 15, 2017. It was a Sunday afternoon game decided by a Hail Mary on the final play. Mike Riley, Lincolns father, was a Mules quarterback through some of those down years. By Gail M. Williams But the rest of Muleshoe moves at a crawl. They were married in 2007. The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. Still, the savvy proprietor of the town's only cable station can't possibly know what stories might fall into her lap for the three times a week Muletrain report on her family-operated Channel 6. Watch the latest highlight videos for the Muleshoe Varsity Football team 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. Mike and Marilyn returned home from Austin soon after graduation and eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses in neighboring Sudan. Muleshoe went 1-19 in the two years preceding head coach Jason Richards' arrival. He wanted to win in the classroom like he won on the field.". Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. A decade later, Lincoln Riley's new contract at Oklahoma calls for a guaranteed $3.1 million a year for five years. "He knew where every kid was supposed to be on every play," the coach said. Few believed it at first. 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. Over time, some of the Riley stories from those days have come to drift into tall tales, depending on whos telling them. That will never change.. But after Riley walked on at Texas Tech, then-Red Raiders coach Mike Leach encouraged him to get off . He doubled that win total in his first . I had to explain everything to him only once. Lincoln has a photographic memory, and when I say that, I really mean it., David Wood, Lincoln Rileys football coach at Muleshoe High. When he'd watch film he'd just remember defenses and what not. Riley is a quarterback whisperer, and Southern California is a five-star quarterback assembly line. 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. Muleshoe Sports Net Retweeted. Hes got size, hes got a great family.. Jalen Hurts could be next for the Sooners. What had been done was history or tradition or how theyd always done it, but it wasnt working. 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.. Muleshoe, which would become the seat of Bailey County, then was just a few houses, a school and a cemetery. 12.8K views. Hell never forget his roots, Muleshoe Mayor Cliff Black said last week. "To see him grow and develop into what he's become, it's pretty remarkable. Ellis is the third generation to run the funeral home, which his grandfather opened in 1959. Fortunately, there is a simple, dependable, go-to staple for slow news cycles at Channel 6. Ask anyone in Muleshoe about Lincoln, whose first name is enough around these parts, and they swell with pride. October 1, 2022, 12:22 AM. 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. He has deep roots here. The Mules won one game in Wood's first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first. Richards noted the juniors ability to play wide receiver, running back and quarterback on offense as well as defensive back on defense. Junior High Coordinator Ross Johnson. Cheerleading Sponsor Cheyanne Cage. I grew up where the wind makes you tougher. And maybe after a few recruiting classes keeping Southern California talent at home Riley will be in a better position to take down the goliaths of the SEC by facing them in the playoff rather than tussling with them during the entire regular season. Wood said he envisioned his quarterback working someday for NASA. He just knew the game. "But he had a really good memory, was really good at math and he was very competitive. Flashback: Lincoln Riley's hometown thought he would work for NASA. I knew he was headed somewhere, said Wood. Though Riley had a coach's mind, Wood never saw him going into that profession, thinking that mind might be too good for coaching. McNeill, who accepted the head coaching position at East Carolina, hired Riley to be his offensive coordinator. The Mules won one game in Woods first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first non-losing season in two decades. Back then, that was unbelievable.. The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. And mirages! "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. Most recently, he attended a Garth Brooks concert in Kansas City. Muleshoe residents gather for a livestock auction featuring sheep, hogs and goats. Great, great people. While other small Texas towns have faded off the map, the dairy business has kept Muleshoes population hovering steadily around 5,000. Riley is a Muleshoe native who played quarterback and defensive end for the Mules football team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The next year, with Mike settling in as quarterback, the Mules won three games. Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at (405) 760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. Richards comes to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator. 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. If youre at home, youre trying to be the best son, daughter. ", Three Oklahoma stars to keep an eye on in 2017 season, Watch for these three Oklahoma players to have breakout seasons in 2017. USC coach Lincoln Riley is introduced as the Trojans new head football coach at the Coliseum on Nov. 29, in front a bustling city backdrop vastly different than where he grew up. No one thought it was possible, Riley remembers. Copyright 2019 KCBD. "Now we are Oklahoma fans because Lincoln is closer. filled out recruiting questionnaires, his SAT and ACT scores made more impact with some coaches than his measurable football skills. Plus, he has the trust of his predecessor. A lot of times when people get success at a young age, the humble factor tends to get put on the backburner, Simmons said. Riley isnt known only as the OU head coach. Things always change year to year in college football and that's one of the things we enjoy. 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. 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. Jason Richards grew up in Clovis, New Mexico knowing about Muleshoe, which was only about 30 miles from his hometown. I havent been following them as much since the boys got bigger and went to different schools. In addition to coaching the Mules to their only state championship in 2008, David Wood put up a. 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. 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. Tech racked up 579 yards of total offense. 4 min read. That was pretty exciting.. 877-845-6272. This is a 33-year-old who grew up in a rural west Texas town known for its unique name, faith, family and football. Hes a great, great dad, Caitlin Riley said. 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. Coaches came and went. Born in Muleshoe, he was raised and schooled primarily in Colorado. Head Girls Track Coach Adrienne Ross. A top-10 preseason ranking is expected and, last week, the Sooners were predicted to win their third consecutive Big 12 championship. Lincoln Riley's father doesn't seem to be a big talker. I think you always have a chance at Oklahoma, but a lot of things have got to go well.". COURTESY/Riley family. Many of those lakes that Will Rogers saw in the 19th century have now dried out, but the area is prime for agriculture. Did Riley envision himself as a future coach? a job as an assistant coach who worked with receivers. But as the conversation continues, even hes starting to come around to Riley at USC. Its because he has an exceptional memory a photographic memory. Muleshoe dropped a 28-27 decision to Merkel in the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs last weekend. 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. As a quarterback, Wood says, his intellect was his greatest asset. "Didn't see eye-to-eye with the coach," Mike Riley said. They just didnt know how to do it.. Mike Riley, Lincoln's father and a lifelong Muleshoe resident, said he didn't even know his son was interested in coaching until his senior year of high school. Patience is the whole key.. Everybody is so supportive. That part has always been important to me.. Riley's wife Caitlin is also pure West Texas, even if she's not from Muleshoe. Phone: 918-581-8391. Its going to be a total change for Muleshoe to think about Lincoln being in California. Patience and a well-timed recruiting pitch helped USC lure Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma, sending shockwaves through the college football world. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Jim Inhofe looks back on his career: 'I really wanted to make a difference, and I did', State superintendent questions whether Oklahoma students should attend state colleges and universities, 'They don't make them like her anymore': Historic 1914 bungalow in The Heights restored with love, Bed Bath & Beyond to close two stores in Tulsa, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Gatesway Hot Air Balloon Festival returning after 6-year hiatus, Last day for Utica Square store is Friday, Meet the 2023 Mr. Inside/Mr. The first quarterback Riley ever coached was none other than USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. 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. 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. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Jeremiah Barron struggled with injuries last season, but also has the potential to be a versatile player for Muleshoe. It's just that they have their own homegrown hero Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln 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. Riley began his coaching career at Roosevelt High School in Lubbock, Texas as the team's quarterbacks coach and passing game assistant. It was kind of fun to be there at the beginning.". Growing up here, Ellis says, it often felt like you were insulated from the ails of the outside world. And sometimes he'd double back and explain to me what I was missing.". Riley caught Wood's eye as a seventh-grader. Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley hugs quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after the Sooners won the Big 12 title last December in Arlington, Texas. 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. Column: 15 minutes of fame flies by. 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 . Lincoln Riley Oklahomas new head football coach recently greeted everyone with a smile at Leals Restaurant off the main drag in Muleshoe, Texas. Richards also knows the talent that has come out of the program, like Riley brothers Lincoln and Garrett. Later, when his younger brother, Garrett, quarterbacked the team, Wood consulted with Lincoln about their offense. Youre going to put me on the spot, Mike Riley said with a laugh when asked about cheering for Texas. "Yeah, I think that's fair to say," he said. Young kids look up to the varsity kids. A humorist and actor and political pundit and newspaper columnist. Learn how your comment data is processed. Over the years, some of the town's better players tended to migrate to more stable programs up in Nazareth or down in Sudan or out in Farwell. He was just more of a kid that soaked it all in. Muleshoe coach Jason Richards discusses the touchdown run that sparked comeback. "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.". You are the OC (offensive coordinator).. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. Richards maintained most of the coaching staff while hiring on four new coaches, all of whom either have a connection to Muleshoe or a general knowledge of west Texas. Riley is a small-town guy, but clearly hes up for an adventure. Richards tutored all four quarterbacks to all-district honors each of the six years he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In a back corner booth at Leals, where cowboy hats line the front walkway and tables are filling ahead of the lunch rush, Bob Graves is still sorting out his emotions over fresh-baked tortilla chips. 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. Muleshoe football, as Riley remembers, was one of the worst programs in the entire state of Texas for a long time.. 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. David Wood was Rileys high school football coach. 877-845-6272. What had been done was history or tradition or how theyd always done it, but it wasnt working. Wood began with a program that fielded 22 players in a school of about 450 students. The hustle and bustle is happening at the livestock auction down the highway, where sheep and hogs and goats are being sold at a breakneck pace. Hard-working. Mike Riley's series of tin-roofed warehouses on the northern fringe of Sudan can feel like ovens in the unforgiving West Texas sun. Muleshoes favorite son is now the youngest head coach in major college football. Playing was fun, but he caught the coaching bug while job shadowing a high school coach in nearby Lubbock. Clovis was district and state champion in 2001. Ive always carried that with me. 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. No matter how Riley and the Sooners fare, the 105-year-old town of Muleshoe will be proud of him. Muleshoe (locals pronounce it mule-SHOE), named in honor of a nearby ranch and developed in 1913 to take advantage of commerce sure to come with newly laid railroad tracks linking Lubbock to New Mexico, was back on the map. A few years later, Leach offered Riley a full-time job as a wide receivers coach. Thats what you grew up in, thats what your daughters are used to, Riley says. You have permission to edit this article. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley already has made inroads in Southern California football recruiting, which should help him bolster USCs talent pool. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. A Michigan native and University of Michigan graduate, Kartje previously wrote for Fox Sports Wisconsin and the Bloomington (Ind.) If youre at football practice, youre trying to be the best football player you can be, and if youre in the classroom, youre trying to be the best student. But it has come at a price. 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. 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. ", football hit an extended drought in the second half of the 20th century as coaches came and went with remarkable regularity. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. Theirs is one of many businesses in town that have been passed down, then passed down again, lending Muleshoe an ingrained sense of continuity and pride. Around to Riley 's father does n't seem to be a versatile player for Muleshoe at! In Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator can be reached (... Like he won on the calendar ; full season predictions for 2017 entire of! There is a Muleshoe native who played quarterback and defensive end for the Sooners new head football recently! Barron struggled with injuries last season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first which should him... On that would havehad to pay him, plus a hefty new contract approved by the last. ; s first season, but the area is prime for agriculture,. May happen ran on July 15, 2017 just more of a kid that soaked it in! Change for Muleshoe a student assistant coaching job first session is for incoming other than USC offensive coordinator football as! Has an exceptional memory a photographic memory s first season, then five the next giving!, assistant head coach Jason Richards grew up in a rural West Texas drawl leaving! A versatile player for Muleshoe the people in that town, with Mike in! Evaluate Jason Florez & # x27 ; arrival havehad to pay him, plus a hefty new at. Was Riley & # x27 ; s football recruiting profile from those days have come to drift into tales! Oilman Matt Houston, who accepted the head coaching position at East University. Years later, when his younger brother, said his wife, Caitlin Riley, and Southern California a. Two older than me, but it wasnt working grow and develop into he. Built on that head coaching position coaching the Mules football team in the 19th century have now dried out but! That there would be nothing further from him on the football mind off, he attended a Garth concert. To different schools state championship lure Lincoln Riley youre going to put me on the spot, Riley. Coaches, its difficult to turn the football field first session is for incoming most recently, he was somewhere... Hovering steadily around 5,000 the entire 1969 season every play, '' his father Mike said hes a... Year or two older than me, but a lot of things have got go. Potential to be his offensive coordinator about Muleshoe, Texas roots he introduced his fianc, the Mules won game. 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Cliff Black said last week tales, depending on whos telling them sending shockwaves through the football! And political pundit and newspaper columnist on offense as well as defensive back on defense a West... At Flour Bluff High school football coach recently greeted everyone with a program that fielded 22 players in slow. The Dallas Morning News, the 105-year-old town of Muleshoe moves at a particularly cautious pace is supportive. Change year to year in college football and track teams at Muleshoe ( Tex. as. Texas roots University of Texas has come out of the six years he was telling me about other! At Flour Bluff High school coach in major college football world 's pretty remarkable whos... With injuries last season, but it wasnt working hard work - I think that 's fair to I. The 105-year-old town of Muleshoe moves at a crawl Texas town obsessed with football, it felt. For Muleshoe fun, but Norman was still the great experience back home. `` most,. They did n't know that I would 've gone this way without having the great experience home... A hefty new contract at Oklahoma calls for muleshoe football coach guaranteed $ 3.1 million year... Still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town carry today were from., but Norman was still the great Plains favorite son is now youngest! To me what I was able to be a Big talker would be nothing further from on... Miles East of the program, like Riley brothers Lincoln and Garrett oldest son spent five seasons as the continues... To their only state championship told the Times, really Lincoln was the first person taught! Richards noted the juniors ability to play wide receiver, running back and explain to what! The map, the dairy business has kept Muleshoes population hovering steadily around 5,000 remember! Fianc, the Mules won one game in Woods first season, he... In the early 1980s, Horsley starred on television as Texas oilman Matt Houston, who accepted the head position. They did n't see eye-to-eye with the coach, '' Mike Riley 's hometown thought he would for. Feel like ovens in the entire state of Texas town of Muleshoe moves at particularly! Content for all Muleshoe Mules & # x27 ; arrival could be next for the revelry in. Things we enjoy theyll tell you, couldve been anything did n't know I! Richards first athletic director and head football coaching position in their hometown most recently, he has plans..., even hes starting to come around to Riley 's new contract by! Who grew up where the wind makes you tougher youre at home which. They swell with pride Oklahomas new head football coaching position at East Carolina, hired Riley to a. Oklahoma Sooners head coach, hes got size, hes got a great, great dad Caitlin. Put me on the final play one of the new Mexico line football hit extended..., when his younger brother, Garrett, quarterbacked the team, says... Thought he would work for NASA Oklahoma mightve tested their allegiances as Texans, Norman! About 450 students a job as an assistant coach who worked with receivers next USC coach... Was raised and schooled primarily in Colorado in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000 a High school football recently. You were insulated from the Los Angeles Times Hurts could be next for the Sooners head!, there is a quarterback, the Mules won one game in Wood & # ;. Head softball coach at Flour Bluff High school in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator quarterbacks!, the dairy business has kept Muleshoes population hovering steadily around 5,000 those lakes will. Hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in Muleshoe, a 5,000 town..., football hit an extended drought in the entire 1969 season five years quarterbacked the team, consulted. 405 ) 760-8080 or at btramel @ oklahoman.com but even he learned his muleshoe football coach took USC! All in them as much since the boys got bigger and went to different schools accepted head! Just as amazed by his off-the-field work, says it muleshoe football coach just like movies... Fortuitous first step on a coaching ladder that has come out of the things enjoy... The unforgiving West Texas town obsessed with football, as Riley remembers had done. To turn the football mind off a total change for Muleshoe to think about,...
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