There are few coaches in college football who have more to sell recruits on than Lincoln Riley, but you might be surprised to learn what impresses some young players the most when they visit the Oklahoma campus.
No, it’s not the fact that Riley has helped produce two different Heisman Trophy winners in his two seasons with the Sooners — it’s his massive collection of Jordan Brand shoes.
It’s gotta be the shoes. @LincolnRiley joked that most of the @OU_Football recruits are more excited about his collection of Jordans than they are about the last two Heisman Trophy statues sitting in his office. pic.twitter.com/SUkUuza5F0
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) August 13, 2019
Who cares if Riley helped Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray become the first two players who played the same position at the same school get drafted No. 1 overall in back-to-back years? With a collection of kicks like that, you hardly need anything else.
All joking aside, Riley’s recruiting prowess obviously stretches well beyond his Jordan collection. The confidence he has expressed in Oklahoma’s offense this year probably helps, too. If the Sooners win 12 or more games again this season even after losing a second consecutive Heisman Trophy winner, Riley’s recruiting job will become even easier.
