The Oklahoma Sooners have moved on and named a new football coach after Lincoln Riley’s abrupt departure for USC. Some, however, still want to take one more parting shot at the former coach.
That includes Oklahoma state senator Bill Coleman of Ponca City. On Tuesday, Coleman proposed renaming a three-inch stretch of state highway the “Lincoln Riley Highway.” The kicker? The proposal covers the last three inches of the westbound lane of State Highway 325, which crosses the border into New Mexico.
“I felt the State of Oklahoma needed an appropriate goodbye to this former head coach whose sudden departure left many in shock, including a team of young, dedicated college players,” Coleman said in a news release, via Mark Schlabach of ESPN. “I found the tiniest section of our most desolate of highways to pay tribute to Coach Riley’s exit from Oklahoma football and the state. This is only fitting as this is the last three inches one sees before leaving our great state heading west.”
It’s not clear how seriously the bill will be considered, if it will be at all. It’s definitely an indication of how many in Oklahoma feel about Riley’s exit, including some of his former players.
Don’t expect Riley to lose much sleep over this. He’s already building a potential contender at USC, and he’s doing it at the Sooners’ expense. That just makes the departure even more bitter.
Photo: Nov 29, 2021; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Lincoln Riley poses with Fight on sign during a press conference to introduce Riley as Southern California Trojans head coach. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
