The Oklahoma Sooners have done so much winning in the last three seasons that it’s easy to overlook how unusual Lincoln Riley’s tenure has been.
He replaced a legendary head coach in a unique transfer of power just weeks before the start of a season. He shook up his coaching staff in the middle of a tumultuous year, rebounding to win a conference title. He helped three different quarterbacks get to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Riley is now trying to steer OU through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. That is just one of the challenges he is facing in what is shaping up to be his toughest test yet as a head coach.