Riley expects to use 10-12 receivers Riley ready to adjust to new sideline rule
Sooners coach Lincoln Riley first named freshman
CeeDee Lamb a starter at one of the outside receiver spots and then tried to tamp down expectations, while still praising him.
“I don’t want to make too much about it,” Riley said. “He’ll be the guy out there for the first snap. After that, we’ll see. Again, they have to continue to produce. But he’s shown a good maturity at that level or at that age, which is impressive.”
Riley said he expected 10 to 12 receivers to see action Saturday, when the Sooners open the season against UTEP (2:30 p.m., FOX).
The Sooners have 11 receivers/tight ends listed on their depth chart.
“Some of the positions are unsettled enough that we want to divvy up those reps and see how they do with them,” Riley said.
Riley has never been an animated yeller and screamer on the sidelines during his time as an offensive coordinator and he doesn’t expect to start now.
But the new NCAA rule that mandates an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a coach who enters the field to disagree with an officiating call has Riley thoughtful entering the season.
“It’s going to be interesting,” Riley said. “They are talking like they are really going to almost go over the top with enforcing it. I think everyone will be feeling it out. The guys like myself who have always kind of stood out there a little bit will have to watch it.”
Riley said he’s assigned a strength and conditioning coach to keep a close eye on him and pull him back to the sideline if needed.
Thomas monitors, reflects on hurricane
It’s been tough for Jordan Thomas to watch the news coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
The senior cornerback grew up in the Houston area.
“The only time my heart hurts is just because that’s my city,” Thomas said. “That’s where I grew up and I’m sitting here looking at pictures of the hospital I was born in and it’s just, like, water everywhere on the floors and stuff like that and just looking back at places I used to go and hang out and they’re just completely underwater.
“And some of my friends’ houses are just—it’s all gone.”
Thomas said his family is fine, as their house is in a higher spot in their neighborhood.
Riley said he talked with the Sooners’ equipment staff and they’d be sending supplies to Houston. The Sooners also are helping their athletes from the area with student-athlete assistance funds.
“Some guys weren’t affected early and are now, some guys it’s gotten a little bit better,” Riley said. “Some of our guys are going through a lot right now with it, so it’s been a trying time for some of the guys on the team.”
Stoops joins Broyles selection committee
Bob Stoops might be retired, but he’s still keeping busy in his post-coaching life.
Stoops, along with fellow retiree Steve Spurrier, have joined the selection committee for the Broyles Award, an honor given annually to college football’s top assistant coach.
“The addition of Coach Spurrier and Coach Stoops, means we are committed to having the sport’s very best evaluating the invaluable work of assistant coaches each season,” said Molly Arnold, vice president of the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation and granddaughter of Frank Broyles, in a release.
Stoops is obviously plenty familiar with the award, especially in recent years after his successor, Riley, won the award in 2015. At the time, 32-year-old Riley was the youngest recipient.
Stoops also coached with the 2000 recipient, former OU offensive coordinator Mark Mangino, and the 2008 recipient, Kevin Wilson.