Lincoln Riley and the Sooners thriving in the quarterback market
It’s hard to fathom that one school can have the type of run that Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners have been on at the quarterback position.
The success that the Oklahoma Sooners have had in their recruitments of Spencer Rattler, Caleb Williams, and now Malachi Nelson can easily be related to the success the Sooners had with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts.
There isn’t a team in college football that can boast anywhere close to the level of success that the Sooners have had on offense. There isn’t a team in college football that can flaunt two Heisman Trophy winners and a finalist in three consecutive years. There isn’t a school that can boast back-to-back first overall picks and a top 50 pick.
What Lincoln Riley did in those first few years with Mayfield, Murray, and Hurts has set the stage for what he’s been able to accomplish on the recruiting trail in the last few years.
In Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams, Riley and the Sooners staff landed the number one quarterback in the 2019 and 2021 recruiting classes. With the commitment of Malachi Nelson on Sunday, the Sooners landed the number two quarterback in the country.
Lincoln Riley’s shown a special ability to build relationships with his players, recruits, and their families. When athletes make their commitment decision, they generally talk about Norman feeling like home and credit the relationship that Riley and the coaching staff have built.
On the field, Riley’s been adept at adapting his offense to fit the skills of his quarterback. The ability of Riley and the offensive staff to seamlessly transition from quarterback to quarterback over the last five seasons has provided quite the highlight reel for him and the Sooners when they pitch the University of Oklahoma.
Every recruit takes effort, and the recruitment team and coaching staff put that forward every time they go after a recruit. Whether in a meeting, at an event like the Champ U BBQ, or on social media, Riley and the Sooners staff go all-in on the recruiting trail. Though they could easily live off of past success, they continue to forge ahead into the top of each recruiting cycle and come away with some of the best players in the country.
This summer alone has been incredibly successful on both sides of the football, and it’s an indication that the University of Oklahoma has become one of the best recruiting schools in the country. As the Oklahoma Sooners set to embark on what many think could be a National Championship winning season in 2021, they’re riding a wave of momentum with the 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes that will help them maintain contender status for years to come.
Lincoln Riley has been able to pull off an incredible run of quarterbacks in his short tenure as the Sooners’ offensive coordinator and now head coach. With Spencer Rattler already projected to be the top quarterback selected in the 2022 NFL Draft and the likely success of Caleb Williams and Malachi Nelson after him, Lincoln Riley’s investments and success at the quarterback position will continue to pay huge dividends long after this weekend.
