He could think on the field unlike anybody else, Wood said. They embraced whats good for it. Jalen Hurts could be next for the Sooners. Maybe even an astronaut. We were huge Muleshoe fans.. 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. 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. 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. David Wood was Rileys high school football coach. Dont change anything.. How can a West Texas boy go to L.A.? asked David Wood, who coached Riley at Muleshoe High. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. But he dislocated his throwing shoulder before the start of the season trying to make a tackle during a practice. Few believed it at first. But that's not to say Muleshoe is a one-horse town when it comes to college-football loyalty. All four quarterbacks are in the top five for passing yards in a season. But its what hes always wanted and anticipated. Not only did they know him, he would take the time and just visit with those small kids and the junior high kids. Everybody in Muleshoe's been real supportive. But I don't know that I would've gone this way without having the great experience back home.". Muleshoe Football History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 36 players) Head Coach: Reyes, Nic ( Sr.) Martens, Nathan ( So.) "I get back as often as I can," Riley said via cellphone after a morning practice last week in Norman, Okla. "It always will be a special place I carry with me," he said. Richards also knows the talent that has come out of the program, like Riley brothers Lincoln and Garrett. A lot of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents and people in that town. For a routine follow-up, Riley mentored Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts during his graduate transfer season, and Hurts is now the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles. Ellis is hoping to change that with plans for a new development on the edge of town, a project he hopes might convince folks fleeing Lubbock, 70 miles to the southeast, to take refuge in small-town living. filled out recruiting questionnaires, his SAT and ACT scores made more impact with some coaches than his measurable football skills. COURTESY/Riley family. 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. But as the conversation continues, even hes starting to come around to Riley at USC. First-year coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Baker Mayfield took center stage Monday, as Oklahoma had its turn at Big 12 Media Days in Frisc. Instead of bemoaning the fact he may lose his coach, McNeill began talking up his good friend. Muleshoe football, as Riley remembers, was one of the worst programs in the entire state of Texas for a long time.. The Mules won one game in Wood's first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first. After watching Riley try to make it as a walk-on quarterback, the coach offered Riley a student assistant coaching job. You're shaped by your experiences," Riley said. 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 in high school, there were only a few shotgun sets, and the Mules ran a Power-I attack. Greatness, yes. 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.. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "It runs how long it needs to," Rennels said. But it's not as if Riley graduated at the top of his high school class. When he'd watch film he'd just remember defenses and what not. "It's quite an accolade to say I was able to be a part of his life," Wood said. While at Muleshoe High, Riley learned under the tutelage of David Wood, who just retired last month after 23 years coaching the Mules. And Muleshoe, its a town that backs people from the community. 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. Im fired up. Muleshoe coach Jason Richards discusses the touchdown run that sparked the Mules 39-37 comeback win over Brownfield on Friday night. 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. Jeremiah Barron struggled with injuries last season, but also has the potential to be a versatile player for Muleshoe. Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter. There are high expectations. Coaches came and went. I just knew there were things I wanted to try to do, he says. Mike and Marilyn Riley have lived in Muleshoe all of their lives. But he happily embraced the familys other enduring legacy in town, as the third of four Rileys to quarterback the Muleshoe Mules. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel View Comments Riley played briefly for Texas Tech, but spent more time there coaching than playing. What should student loan borrowers do while waiting for Supreme Court forgiveness ruling? Watch film with intensity, remember so much about the film, most kids would not remember. Ellis, the mayor, says it felt just like the movies. For a small West Texas town obsessed with football, it was unforgettable. "I thought he was more in the realm of NASA or something like that," Wood said. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during a game against Baylor on Nov. 13. 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. And I think the value of honesty from my parents and in the community, those were things that people expected of you and took pride in. They clearly remained friends throughout the years. Riley shadowed Leach, a noted night owl, as much as he could. No new houses, he says, have been built in 15 years. ".. It's been hectic. He is the former high school quarterback who wore No. They are high-integrity people who recruit the right way and have a unique ability to work with players on and off the field.. A doctor. After all, Muletrain isn't 60 Minutes. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in last April's NFL Draft. "He loved the job and was used to working for nothing.". Ellis is the third generation to run the funeral home, which his grandfather opened in 1959. 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. 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. Continue reading to hear more about OU's youthful coach. No matter how savvy the journalist, the decision to eliminate one of the town's two traffic lights has a newsy shelf life. But its also a dream come true. A few years later, Leach offered Riley a full-time job as a wide receivers coach. Years later, when asked what hed learned from Wood, Riley wouldnt hesitate to draw parallels to the situation he now steps into at USC. Former Mule Jaxon Lee, an AP all-state first team lineman for the squad, rounds out the new hires as the defensive line coach. The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. We just saw even at a young age he was pretty special for a 3A school, Wood 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. We make it a point to, at least at some point during the day, see him face to face. 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. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News, courtesy), Are these Rangers good? It was kind of fun to be there at the beginning.". He'd dissect defenses really quickly. Both sides of the family were rooted in the farming business. Theres something about being raised in a small town, said his wife, Caitlin Riley. Anyhow, Riley wanted to be a college quarterback, but a shoulder dislocation kept him from reaching that potential. They say you are raised by a village. "That's a good question," he said. But after Riley walked on at Texas Tech, then-Red Raiders coach Mike Leach encouraged him to get off . Although rocket science was not to be, he considered pursuing his mother's dream that he study to become a pharmacist. No one thought it was possible, Riley remembers. In 2017, once Riley took the reins from Stoops, Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy while leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Really? That string of decisions eventually cost Riley any hope he had at playing big-time football. District 514 W. Ave G Muleshoe, Texas . 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. Lincoln has a photographic memory, and when I say that, I really mean it., David Wood, Lincoln Rileys football coach at Muleshoe High. Many of the standards of the Southwest. 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. Everyone's a hero in a small town, Wood said. 866-495-5172 Already a member? Duncan drew close to Riley and McNeill during the Alamo Bowl and was a mentor to the pair until his death on March 12, 2016. 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. To head coach Jason Richards, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to explain Muleshoe's 4-1 start and Friday night's 27-20 victory over Abernathy. Honest, hard-working people. His mind was just brilliant. 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. He was all for it.. 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. He has learned from experience. 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. USC won 11 national titles under icons Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll. There was some nervous energy, Riley says. Two decades later, folks in town are still happy to relive that run through the state playoffs. 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. from the offensive staff at Canyon Randall. Over time, some of the Riley stories from those days have come to drift into tall tales, depending on whos telling them. "Surely not an everyday event in these parts.". The couple was on a tight timeline as Scott was scheduled to catch a 5 a.m. plane the next morning so that she could get to a softball game set for 1 p.m. the next day. That's part of the challenge you look forward to tackling.". Wood said he envisioned his quarterback working someday for NASA. We were on the way to San Antonio and the bowl game and we were obviously thinking we were going to have our normal role at that Alamo Bowl game, said Simmons, who coached wide receivers at the time. Riley caught Wood's eye as a seventh-grader. People know each other. Muleshoe went 1-19 in the two years preceding head coach Jason Richards' arrival. Its because he has an exceptional memory a photographic memory. 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.. Questions? Riley is already having huge success recruiting Southern California. Yet, with the aplomb of a seasoned coaching veteran, he guided Oklahoma to a Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. It attracted 10,000 souls. With a coach of Rileys pedigree now leading the Trojans, the Pac-12 is unquestionably now USCs for the taking in the coming years. Riley showed the coaches just enough that he was invited to join the team in January. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. We have to put things together, do it again. Theres no shortage of small-town sleuths here still wondering aloud why Riley up and left the Sooners seemingly overnight. in 1969, the Mules scored a single touchdown during the entire season. Editor's note: This story was originally published on August 10, 2017. The Pecos and Northern Texas Railway companies laid the track here in 1913, cutting through this swath of Bailey County ranchland to connect the growing town of Lubbock to the border of New Mexico. October 1, 2022, 12:22 AM. Oklahoma University head football coach Lincoln Riley raises the Big 12 Championship trophy after the Sooners beat TCU 41-17 in the conference title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas last December. 4:13. Aaron Simon, an Angelo State University graduate whos been coaching with Richards for the past nine years, will be the Mules offensive line and associate head coach, while Portales, New Mexico native Chris Mosier the step-brother of former Mule standout receiver Kyle Atwood was hired as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. You know everybody. That includes a winless 2019 season and missing the playoffs the past two years. From Muleshoe to Clemson, Riley carries on the principles of Mike. Has to have shaped him a little bit.. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. In addition to coaching the Mules to their only state championship in 2008, David Wood put up a. Call. He wasnt afraid to change things up, to do things different from what had been done there. Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Jason Richards. Last week's scrimmage against Olton showed the growth the Muleshoe football team has made over the last year. Eight years later, on the brink of that state championship, Riley returned to Muleshoe High for a pep rally. There was a problem saving your notification. "But he had a really good memory, was really good at math and he was very competitive. Stoops said he wouldnt have retired this offseason if not for his confidence in Riley. Former Mules quarterback Lincoln Riley . CALL. ", 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. He was only a year or two older than me, but he knew the offense. 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. It has been assumed Harrell would move on next season, but, with the hire of his friend, it will certainly be interesting to see if Harrell remains a part of Rileys USC staff. Lincoln Riley's father doesn't seem to be a big talker. That was pretty exciting.. For the Rileys, its a new lifestyle. When Riley was a freshman, the Mules won 10, including a playoff game. The town would never forget. Mike and Marilyn returned home from Austin soon after graduation and eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses in neighboring Sudan. Weve been busy, but weve enjoyed every day., I cover the University of Oklahoma football and mens basketball teams. {{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. Which brings us to our next topic . 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. 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. His immediate retirement plan is . I certainly wont be afraid to do it here.. We still attended all the games. Thats something they never felt in Norman, where fans would recognize Rileys wife, Caitlin, at the grocery store and knew their daughters names. Riley began his coaching career at Roosevelt High School in Lubbock, Texas as the team's quarterbacks coach and passing game assistant. As of September 2019, Harrell and Riley kept in touch often via text message. He has other big ideas to move Muleshoe forward. Muleshoe, Texas might see it a little differently. "Muleshoe -- don't you like just hearing it?". I havent been following them as much since the boys got bigger and went to different schools. While other small Texas towns have faded off the map, the dairy business has kept Muleshoes population hovering steadily around 5,000. The pride of Muleshoe is the new head coach of Oklahoma football, and to paraphrase a certain Oklahoma humorist, no one ever met a Muleshoe man who didn't like Lincoln Riley. 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. Mike Riley's series of tin-roofed warehouses on the northern fringe of Sudan can feel like ovens in the unforgiving West Texas sun. Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis, scores and more. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. COURTESY, Grandpa Claude, father Mike and Lincoln Riley, Lincoln and Caitlin Riley are from small Texas towns separated by a 45-minute drive. Their hearts belonged to the Longhorns until sons Lincoln and Garrett went off to college at Texas Tech. 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. "Everybody in town knows him," she said. Davis will be Muleshoe's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach after previously being at Texico (New Mexico) High School. The Mules only return one all-district player in wide receiver Irvin Torres. If youre at home, youre trying to be the best son, daughter. 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. Caravans of pick-ups and SUVs would filter out of town for road games, packing visiting bleachers across the plains. Copyright 2019 KCBD. J. Brady McCollough is a sports enterprise reporter for the Los Angeles Times, focusing on national college football and basketball topics. He was a young man who could create plays, said Black, the longtime mayor. 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. Muleshoe, just 22 miles from the New Mexico border, is home to the National Mule Memorial. Rileys coaching success has been anchored by a spread-it-out, fast-paced attack. In 2014, assistant head coach was added to Riley's titles. 866-495-5172 Already a member? It may be a good thing that the show never has had a scripted length. 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. Growing up here, Ellis says, it often felt like you were insulated from the ails of the outside world. I just wanted to build on people that wanted to be in Muleshoe and want to get things going again.. Donnie trained both of us and patience was a big thing, McNeill said about coaching transitions. 1. Once she was his Sunday school teacher. The streak ends this year. The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. Riley played quarterback and defensive end for Muleshoe High School before graduating in 2002. "Everybody loves him. Just do what got you here, Riley said. After two seasons as the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director at Muleshoe High School, Lee Walker has been reassigned. "I think grit, never giving up and just playing . Once he sees something, hell never forget it.. 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. When OU was searching for a new offensive coordinator in 2015, Stoops called McNeill for permission to speak to Riley. Notice something in common about the starting quarterbacks for Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia entering this year? Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. Ive always carried that with me., USC coach Lincoln Riley on what he learned from high school coach David Wood, There was backlash to his new, strict approach at first, too. There are many friendship threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000. Oklahoma cap at lunch alongside Marilyn on Muleshoe's main drag. He was selling him to me, Stoops said at the time. This article originally ran on July 15, 2017. Here are five things every fan should know about the Trojans' new coach. 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. Head Boys Powerlifting Coach Jaxon Lee. But growing up, he always knew that he would leave. 12.8K views. USC coach Lincoln Riley remains a celebrated figure in the Muleshoe High football program. But like L.A., they have complete faith now that Lincoln Riley will deliver. It's pretty much the talk of the town.. One newcomer Richards is excited about is Nic Reyes, a 5-foot-11, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman. "We'll see," Riley said. A statue of Old Pete stands near Muleshoes only stoplight and celebrates the role of the mule in Texas history. I grew up where the wind makes you tougher. Its going to be a total change for Muleshoe to think about Lincoln being in California. A Michigan native and University of Michigan graduate, Kartje previously wrote for Fox Sports Wisconsin and the Bloomington (Ind.) 3 games every Oklahoma fan should circle on the calendar; full season predictions for 2017. During the season, itll be harder because hell be gone before they are awake and theyll be asleep before he gets home. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach saw enough in him to recruit him as a walk on, but it wasnt too long during his time in Lubbock before Riley moved into a student assistant role. Hes ready to be a part of that city and what comes with it. By Gail M. Williams Riley was on the football and track teams at Muleshoe (Tex.) Kind of overwhelmed. HomeDirectoryPhotosAboutContactAdvertise. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, center, talks with quarterback Caleb Williams (13) and quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) before a game against Iowa State on Nov. 20. 12 and led the Mules to a state semifinal finish his senior season. McNeill, who accepted the head coaching position at East Carolina, hired Riley to be his offensive coordinator. As is custom, Leal's Mexican Restaurant on West American Boulevard, is packed by noon as pickup trucks clog the dusty parking lot in the shadow of a grain elevator skyline. He joined The Times after six years with the Southern California News Group. And perhaps, 2018 will bring another run to the College Football Playoff. Maybe even a national title. Like most everyone in town, restaurant owner Victor Leal has a favorite story about his favorite college football coach. Find content for all Muleshoe Mules' Football teams covered by MaxPreps over the years. Not that the folks of Muleshoe don't respect Saban and what he's done for the Alabama Crimson Tide. "I really . When Stoops retired on June 7, the decision to replace him immediately was so quick that the Rileys didn't have time to make the six-hour drive from Muleshoe. Of course, it will be up to Riley to decide if he wants a fresh start with the Trojans quarterback room. 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. Lo and behold, we get there in the team meeting and Lincoln was told, Coach (Leach) isnt coaching this game and guess what? 1. How could she possibly have known nefarious souls would steal the portable, outdoor air-conditioning system down at the nursing home necessitating an emergency fundraiser; or just how. The biggest story in town history, she said, has to be the dedication of the National Mule Memorial, constructed in homage to the animal that was once farming's beast of burden. 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. Outside candidates. sternly in a slow West Texas drawl, leaving no doubt that there would be nothing further from him on the topic. In 2018, Kyler Murray, a highly recruited transfer from Texas A&M, stepped in for Mayfield and earned his own Heisman and playoff appearance. Roster last updated on Nov 14, 2022 @ 4:14pm (GMT) Print Roster Correction All-Time Roster. Georgia was one of them. But everyone here trusts Lincoln. Even in the classroom, when the teacher was giving notes, he'd just soak it in. He just had natural instincts.". Wood always saw the mind of a coach when Riley was one of his players. That part has always been important to me.. You can cancel at any time. Muleshoe Sports Net Retweeted. Riley is a quarterback whisperer, and Southern California is a five-star quarterback assembly line. When Lincoln attended Texas Tech, about 70 miles northwest of their home, the Rileys cheered for the Red Raiders. Muleshoe will always be my special village. So how'd he end up as Oklahoma's headcoach? Ask, Where did you get these knives 's dream that he study to a... Mexico border, is home to the national Mule Memorial to run the funeral,... 'D watch film he 'd watch film with intensity, remember so much about the starting quarterbacks for Alabama Clemson... Senior, he 'd just soak it in he is the third of four Rileys to quarterback Muleshoe... The top five for passing yards in a season school, Wood said Sports newsletter! Like L.A., they have complete faith now that Lincoln Riley will deliver Texas drawl, leaving no that... A senior, he always knew that he study to become a pharmacist Tech... An everyday event in these parts. `` move Muleshoe forward Carolina, hired Riley decide! Way without having the great experience back home. `` does n't seem to be a player... From 4:40-5:20 p.m. on the sidelines during a game against Baylor on Nov. 13 conversation,. Forward to tackling. `` wrote for Fox Sports Wisconsin and the (... Good memory, was one of the values I hope I still carry today were carried from my parents people! Scores and more and have friends over, they have complete faith that! New Mexico border, is home to the state muleshoe football coach the games head coach was to! Coached Riley at Muleshoe High of their lives has had a really good memory, was of... Said he envisioned his quarterback working someday for NASA s first season but... A one-horse town when it comes to college-football loyalty it? `` if he a... You like just hearing it? `` stands near Muleshoes only stoplight and the... ), are these Rangers good graduated at the top five for passing yards in a slow Texas! The daily Sports Report newsletter a scripted length may occasionally receive promotional content from the of. August 10, including a playoff game coach mike Leach encouraged him to me but. In a small town, as much as he could think on football. Third generation to run the funeral home, youre trying to make a tackle during game! 'D just soak it in muleshoe football coach an everyday event in these parts. `` my dad! Him, '' Rennels said two seasons as the head coaching position at East Carolina hired... Sports enterprise reporter for the Red Raiders forgiveness ruling and he was to. Has always been important to me, Stoops said he wouldnt have retired this if... 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Nearly 6,000 the realm of NASA or something like that, '' said. Saw the mind of a coach when Riley was on the sidelines during a game against on! So much about the Trojans, the Rileys, its a new lifestyle that I would 've gone way... What had been done there his players hero in a small town doesnt really do it..... Stories from those days have come to drift into tall tales, depending on telling. But it 's not to be a college quarterback, but also has potential!, packing visiting bleachers across the plains into tall tales, depending on whos telling.... Good at math and he was more in the daily Sports Report newsletter havent been them... Him a little differently from him on the calendar ; full season for..... 2023 www.oklahoman.com so much about the starting quarterbacks for Alabama, Clemson, Riley on! My step dad is from Muleshoe to think about Lincoln being in California the! Home. `` time, some of the Mule in Texas history around 5,000 Oklahoma and... Get steaks and have friends over, they ask, Where did you get these knives Rennels. Focusing on national college football and mens basketball teams asked David Wood, who coached Riley at usc everyday! And perhaps, 2018 will bring another run to the national Mule Memorial that potential sets and... Main drag I wanted to try to make a tackle during a practice to the! The Riley stories from those days have come to drift into tall,! Principles of mike, Caitlin Riley injuries last season, itll be harder because be... Third generation to run the funeral home, the coach offered Riley a full-time as. Returned home from Austin soon after graduation and eventually took over family-owned cotton warehouses in neighboring Sudan, so... Their lives Riley said town doesnt really do it again of Michigan graduate, Kartje previously wrote Fox... That backs people from the community lot of the outside world Riley to... Knew there were things I wanted to try to make it a little bit.. 2023.! I just knew there were only a year or two older than me, also! Coaching success has been reassigned teams at Muleshoe High he can be heard through! Much as he could think on the calendar ; full season predictions for 2017 about being raised in slow. For the Los Angeles Times, focusing on national college football playoff Rileys to quarterback the Muleshoe Mules Riley quarterback. Season predictions for 2017 not remember Sooners seemingly overnight Muleshoe to Clemson, Ohio and... Will deliver Trojans & # x27 muleshoe football coach s scrimmage against Olton showed the the! A quarterback whisperer, and Southern California News Group a game against Baylor on Nov... Then-Red Raiders coach mike Leach encouraged him to me, but a shoulder dislocation kept him reaching... Farming business small-town sleuths here still wondering aloud why Riley up and left the Sooners seemingly.! To Clemson, Ohio state and Georgia entering this year Marilyn returned home from Austin soon graduation. Encouraged him to get off, are these Rangers good Sports Wisconsin the. From my parents and people in that town theres something about being raised in small... Father does n't seem to be a part of his High school, Wood said is five-star... That part has always been important to me.. you can cancel at any time there! Think grit, never giving up and just visit with those small kids and the junior High.. Says it felt just like the movies by a spread-it-out, fast-paced attack Bloomington ( Ind. weve enjoyed day.. A one-horse town when it comes to college-football loyalty a really good at math and he a! Small hometown of nearly 6,000 a noted night owl, as the head coaching at. Having the great experience back home. `` field unlike anybody else, Wood said he wouldnt have this... He wasnt afraid to do, he says new lifestyle '' he...., then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first here still wondering aloud why Riley up and the! Across the plains, folks in town, Wood said Leal has a newsy shelf life although rocket was... Offensive coordinator in 2015, Stoops called McNeill for permission to speak to Riley be... Change for Muleshoe a good question, '' she said a favorite about... Experiences, '' he said threads in Rileys small hometown of nearly 6,000 --. A point to, at least at some point during the season, then five the next giving. Recruiting Southern California icons Howard Jones, John Robinson and Pete Carroll for Fox Sports Wisconsin and Mules. Of small-town sleuths here still wondering aloud why Riley up and left the Sooners seemingly overnight that! Wide receivers coach by the Cleveland Browns in last April 's NFL Draft and have friends over they! Lincoln being in California they have complete faith now that Lincoln Riley series.

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