NORMAN — Baker Mayfield and Lincoln Riley have been side-by-side while helping return Oklahoma to college football’s elite status.
On Monday, Riley made a difficult decision and choked up during his press conference announcing he had decided to punish Mayfield for his weekend actions at Kansas. Mayfield was demoted as a starting quarterback and team captain for Senior Day. Mayfield will play, Riley said, but no timeline was given for his entrance against West Virginia.
The choice came after Mayfield’s obscene gestures and expletives directed at the Jayhawks’ sideline during Saturday’s 41-3 victory in Lawrence. The OU quarterback’s actions were triggered by KU’s decision to not shake hands during a pregame coin flip and chippy play between the teams, including a KU defender's late hit on Mayfield.