But truth be told, Horsley never really was an integral thread in the town's fabric. It's also home to two of the greatest offensive minds in college football. Lot of ag people. In a ceremony held Jan. 28 in the Muleshoe High School Library, Jason Richards signed on as the new head football coach/athletic director for the Muleshoe Mules. The hustle and bustle is happening at the livestock auction down the highway, where sheep and hogs and goats are being sold at a breakneck pace. Small town, feels like he's their own. All rights reserved. That number barely fields a varsity team. "Everybody in town knows him," she said. 1. Some were convinced hed leave for Louisiana State. "It was a great place to grow up," Riley said on Wednesday afternoon during a telephone interview with The Eastern New Mexico News. No matter how savvy the journalist, the decision to eliminate one of the town's two traffic lights has a newsy shelf life. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley talks with his players during a game against Oklahoma State on Saturday. Riley is already having huge success recruiting Southern California. A decade later, Lincoln Riley's new contract at Oklahoma calls for a guaranteed $3.1 million a year for five years. He brought belief and hope. he led the Mules of Muleshoe, a town of . He holds a masters of administration in education from Sam Houston State University, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science in physical education from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, where he was quarterback for the football team. Garrett Riley is taking over the Clemson offense after winning the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant this past season. Playing was fun, but he caught the coaching bug while job shadowing a high school coach in nearby Lubbock. There was a reason theyd come this far. 4:13. Once he decided on the coaching ranks, I figured he'd be climbing up the ladder pretty quickly.. Jeremiah Barron struggled with injuries last season, but also has the potential to be a versatile player for Muleshoe. Muleshoe football, as Riley remembers, was "one of the worst programs in the entire state of Texas for a long time." Mike Riley, Lincoln's father, was a Mules quarterback through some of those down years. Muleshoes favorite son is now the youngest head coach in major college football. While the Sooners did not recruit as much in the Southland in Rileys first five years in Norman, theyve made camp in recent years, pulling commitments in the last year from some of the top offensive talent in the region 2022 five-star Santa Ana Mater Dei running back Raleek Brown, 2023 five-star Los Alamitos quarterback Malachi Nelson (the top quarterback in his class), 2023 five-star Los Alamitos athlete Makai Lemon and 2023 four-star Los Alamitos receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. Those players could switch their commitments to USC soon enough, and there will be more local players and coaches taking immediate notice of Riley putting down roots in Los Angeles to restore the proud tradition of the USC program. Herald-Times. The only time they were away was when they attended the University of Texas. Rogers returned in 1934, an international celebrity. Here in Muleshoe, the stunning news of Rileys sudden departure to USC late last month was greeted mostly with sideways glances. He has deep roots here. Getting Darrell Davis, one of Richards high school football coaches, was something both men have been talking about for 15 years and have made happen. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'easternnewmexiconews_com-box-2','ezslot_3',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-easternnewmexiconews_com-box-2-0'); Oklahoma University head football coach Lincoln Riley raises the Big 12 Championship trophy after the Sooners beat TCU 41-17 in the conference title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas last December. Mike Riley's series of tin-roofed warehouses on the northern fringe of Sudan can feel like ovens in the unforgiving West Texas sun. But well take him lunch or go to practice.. Still, he opted not to play as a senior. Column: 15 minutes of fame flies by. Call. No matter what he decided to go into, whether it was coaching or science or math, whatever he wanted to do, I knew he'd be going somewhere and it would be pretty special. Theres something about being raised in a small town, said his wife, Caitlin Riley. "I really . When Riley was a freshman, the Mules won 10, including a playoff game. But I have to also understand that my expectations of simply doing the best I can for this program, thats going to be higher than anyone else can place on me or this program. Back then, that was unbelievable.. It may be a good thing that the show never has had a scripted length. Note: Lincoln Riley turns 35 years old today. I knew he was headed somewhere, said Wood. Garrett Riley, Lincolns brother, said he had a little bit of an instinct that something like that may happen. But even he learned his brother took the USC job via social media. Rileys coaching success has been anchored by a spread-it-out, fast-paced attack. 866-495-5172 Already a member? Conventional wisdom would say that you guys have been smallish-town people. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Jim Inhofe looks back on his career: 'I really wanted to make a difference, and I did', State superintendent questions whether Oklahoma students should attend state colleges and universities, 'They don't make them like her anymore': Historic 1914 bungalow in The Heights restored with love, Bed Bath & Beyond to close two stores in Tulsa, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Gatesway Hot Air Balloon Festival returning after 6-year hiatus, Last day for Utica Square store is Friday, Meet the 2023 Mr. Inside/Mr. Hes the young man who helped his alma mater install the spread offense, which led the Mules to a 2008 state championship. Thats a whole nother world than what he grew up in, said Alice Liles, who taught Rileys advanced English class and authored a book on the town. Junior High Coordinator Ross Johnson. Davis will be Muleshoe's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach after previously being at Texico (New Mexico) High School. Following the 2016 season, he was appointed Bob Stoops' successor, and he guided the team to the 2017 Rose Bowl and a #2 position in the College Football Playoffs. Its something that hes excited about. I am a Haskell Indian Nations University graduate. The theories are numerous, but some here who know the Rileys wonder if the sprawl of Los Angeles might offer a semblance of anonymity. USC coach Lincoln Riley is introduced as the Trojans new head football coach at the Coliseum on Nov. 29, in front a bustling city backdrop vastly different than where he grew up. Continue reading to hear more about OU's youthful coach. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. He inspired the whole town, Wood said. In 2017, once Riley took the reins from Stoops, Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy while leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff semifinals. After three years of student coaching as an undergraduate and another as a graduate assistant, Leach, on Valentine's Day 2007, offered Riley. Here's a look back at his Muleshoe, Texas roots. Anyhow, Riley wanted to be a college quarterback, but a shoulder dislocation kept him from reaching that potential. Roster last updated on Nov 14, 2022 @ 4:14pm (GMT) Print Roster Correction All-Time Roster. Muleshoe will always be my special village. Ellis is hoping to change that with plans for a new development on the edge of town, a project he hopes might convince folks fleeing Lubbock, 70 miles to the southeast, to take refuge in small-town living. Riley showed the coaches just enough that he was invited to join the team in January. (An even smaller coincidence my step dad and Riley are apparently distant, distant cousins). 12.8K views. A few years later, Leach offered Riley a full-time job as a wide receivers coach. Muleshoe always supports their own.. A Texas map on the wall of Muleshoe, Texas head football coach David Wood's office marks the location of their West Texas opponents, Tuesday, August 1, 2017. A Muleshoe Mule is coaching the Sooners. Lincoln Riley Oklahomas new head football coach recently greeted everyone with a smile at Leals Restaurant off the main drag in Muleshoe, Texas. Riley, though, doesn't see his biggest 2018 task as replacing a Heisman winner. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4','ezslot_1',130,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4','ezslot_2',130,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-easternnewmexiconews_com-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-130{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}"Getting to work for one of the most legendary coaches this school has ever had, and a great guy on top of that, it was fun for me to sit back and watch him work while I grew as a young coach," Riley said. fellow students never quite understood, she said. Hidden facts about Muleshoe, the best restaurants discovered while recruiting and plenty more fun with Coach Riley on this week's Fifth Quarter! I told someone the other day that Ive always felt a strong sense of anytime I was any part of a team, I didnt want to be the one to let my team down whether as a player or student assistant or (graduate assistant) or coach or coordinator or now as a head coach.. High, a West Texas town of 5,000. Muleshoe coach Jason Richards discusses the touchdown run that sparked comeback. Still, they somehow became aware of each other at basketball games while playing for rival high schools. It has been assumed Harrell would move on next season, but, with the hire of his friend, it will certainly be interesting to see if Harrell remains a part of Rileys USC staff. School was. It didn't hurt that Riley had the services of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy in December. Overnight, the youngest head coach in major college football hailed from the West Texas speck on the map that fell into Channel 6's market. Jason Richards grew up in Clovis, New Mexico knowing about Muleshoe, which was only about 30 miles from his hometown. Honest, hard-working people. Once he sees something, hell never forget it.. From what I understand, Graves says, he wants to build his own program.. In 1996, David Wood inherited a Muleshoe program that hadn't posted a winning record in 13 years. In the beginning, it was because he was the only guy that was around to watch film with me.. Riley is pure Muleshoe. Last week's scrimmage against Olton showed the growth the Muleshoe football team has made over the last year. It was a fortuitous first step on a coaching ladder that has led him to. Heres everything you need to know about Riley. Wood said he envisioned his quarterback working someday for NASA. Riley even remembered his old high school while working at Texas Tech. The only passing reference to L.A. found here comes from a novelty Rodeo Drive sign behind the bar at Rodeo, Muleshoes lone watering hole. New USC football coach Lincoln Riley grew up in Muleshoe, Texas. Youre going to put me on the spot, Mike Riley said with a laugh when asked about cheering for Texas. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), AgTexas Farm Credit awards $9,000 in local scholarships Muleshoe Journal | Intl' Scholarship News, AgTexas Farm Credit awards $9,000 in local scholarships. And then there are the obligatory obits about friends and neighbors. One newcomer Richards is excited about is Nic Reyes, a 5-foot-11, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman. Rileys work ethic and confident mindset were instilled by his parents. Today, he contends that their prank, now a part of town lore, was delayed payback for Friona painting the previous seasons score all over Muleshoes own weight room. We're very excited, Mike Riley said. The town would never forget. Suddenly Muletrain was competing with SportsCenter for eyeballs. Head Boys Track Coach Aaron Simon. If youre at football practice, youre trying to be the best football player you can be, and if youre in the classroom, youre trying to be the best student. When I hired him, Lincoln was the youngest full-time assistant in the country, but he had been with me as a student assistant and a GA for about six years and did a tremendous job, so I had no reservation about hiring him.. Gonzalez, Donavan ( Jr.) Vasquez, Uriel ( Sr.) Morales, Aaron ( So.) There was a problem saving your notification. Its like Christmas Eve and Im 6 years old. But he did go to school there, walked on to the football team there, and when it became evident that he didn't have the skill to play quarterback there, transitioned to student assistant there. For a routine follow-up, Riley mentored Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts during his graduate transfer season, and Hurts is now the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles. While its Richards hope he can turn that around, hes made it a point to implement a program that doesnt discuss wins, but rather make sure the Mules master the things that take no talent., Having a great attitude, having great energy, being where your feet are, doing the best, he explained. The gridiron, no. Donnie trained both of us and patience was a big thing, McNeill said about coaching transitions. Rodriguez, Alan ( Jr.) Lopez, Jaxher ( Jr.) Dominguez, Ryan ( So.) Riley's wife Caitlin is also pure West Texas, even if she's not from Muleshoe. "He had great math skills, intelligence and a photographic memory, stuff that you just don't see.". "Each year presents new challenges, but there are parts of the job and all the things that come with it that I'm a little more settled in with for sure.". The day he interviewed, Wood recalls, there were three fights in the schools halls. I had to explain everything to him only once. Two years into that gig, Riley found himself promoted to head coach when Stoops unexpectedly retired in June of 2017. Lincoln knows exactly what the heck hes doing. Seemingly overnight, the Ivy League discovered Muleshoe. As you might expect, Runnels, who could double as a one-woman Chamber of Commerce, has a special sweet spot for Riley. You have permission to edit this article. The town is quiet on a recent Saturday afternoon as Colt Ellis, Muleshoes 31-year-old mayor, locks up at the family funeral home and leads an out-of-town visitor on a tour in his pick-up truck. The two weeks since that decision have been a whirlwind in both Los Angeles and Muleshoe, even if the definition differs in both places. Under Walkers leadership, the Mules went 1-19 over the two seasons. Muleshoe football, as Riley remembers, was one of the worst programs in the entire state of Texas for a long time.. The town wanted to be good. Everybody is just so proud.". "Everybody loves him. This is a 33-year-old who grew up in a rural west Texas town known for its unique name, faith, family and football. Mike and Marilyn Riley have lived in Muleshoe all of their lives. His youth has been a positive, especially on the recruiting trail. Going [to USC], hes obviously ready for that challenge. They celebrated East Carolina University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive coordinator. "Weather here is always important because this is an agricultural community," said Rennels, 74, sounding every bit a schoolmarm lecturing a student just off the turnip truck. But Muleshoe wanted discipline, he said. Muleshoe, which would become the seat of Bailey County, then was just a few houses, a school and a cemetery. Riley also played basketball, baseball and ran track during his youth and high school days, but it was football that piqued his interest. But the rest of Muleshoe moves at a crawl. Questions? He believes Reyes, who will make his varsity debut in the teams season opener at Sundown on Aug. 28, could be one of the best offensive linemen hes ever coached. Both sides of the family were rooted in the farming business. Mike Riley, Lincoln's father and a lifelong Muleshoe resident, said he didn't even know his son was interested in coaching until his senior year of high school. Riley caught Wood's eye as a seventh-grader. DW Rutledge. When Leach abruptly lost his job before the 2009 season ended, Riley was asked to call plays in the Alamo Bowl against Michigan State by Red Raiders interim head coach Ruffin McNeill. Richards maintained most of the coaching staff while hiring on four new coaches, all of whom either have a connection to Muleshoe or a general knowledge of west Texas. in 1969, the Mules scored a single touchdown during the entire season. You're shaped by your experiences," Riley said. As a senior, he led the Mules of Muleshoe, a town of about 5,000 people, to the state semifinals. A coincidence my step dad is from Muleshoe, and small town doesnt really do it justice. They are high-integrity people who recruit the right way and have a unique ability to work with players on and off the field.. Muleshoe rolled through four playoff games on their way to the Class 3A state semifinals, including a rare win over Friona that inspired Riley and three teammates the next summer to climb the rival towns water tower and spray paint the winning score, 23-13, for all to see. Momentum was building, and at quarterback, the attention turned to Riley, who Wood says was set to take the reins as a sophomore. He could think on the field unlike anybody else, Wood said. Wes Wood, the coachs son who led the Mules to a state title as quarterback in 2008, said that season cemented Riley as his childhood hero. The first quarterback Riley ever coached was none other than USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell. He has other big ideas to move Muleshoe forward. Atwood, who was one of the four, recalls that the boys were caught as soon as they descended the water tower. Muleshoe, a 5,000 population town about 68 miles northwest of Lubbock, sits about 17 miles east of the New Mexico line. And, from those days as a young coach on Leachs staff, he hasnt let his own pride bog him down. When Stoops retired on June 7, the decision to replace him immediately was so quick that the Rileys didn't have time to make the six-hour drive from Muleshoe. And maybe after a few recruiting classes keeping Southern California talent at home Riley will be in a better position to take down the goliaths of the SEC by facing them in the playoff rather than tussling with them during the entire regular season. So when they hear insults hurled his way from Oklahoma, where the pettiness extended this week all the way to the state Senate, they spring quickly to his defense. Riley, like many young coaches, has grown over the years. And I think the value of honesty from my parents and in the community, those were things that people expected of you and took pride in. But he happily embraced the familys other enduring legacy in town, as the third of four Rileys to quarterback the Muleshoe Mules. It shaped who I am, Riley says. My dad worked me enough there throughout the years that he broke me on that, Riley joked during an interview with The Times last week. He just had natural instincts.". Richards grew up in Clovis, where he was quarterback/defensive back for the high school from 1999-2001. Find Us . Later, when his younger brother, Garrett, quarterbacked the team, Wood consulted with Lincoln about their offense. Muleshoe (locals pronounce it mule-SHOE), named in honor of a nearby ranch and developed in 1913 to take advantage of commerce sure to come with newly laid railroad tracks linking Lubbock to New Mexico, was back on the map. Riley isn't coaching at the nearby college -- Texas Tech -- long-favored by most of his hometown folks, is an inconvenient truth. Makes a lot of people feel good., Wood -- who also coached Lincoln's brother, Garrett, when the Mules won the 2008 Class 2A Division I state championship with the younger Riley quarterbacking -- said he was surprised that Stoops stepped down, but didn't surprise me (OU) named Lincoln the head coach. Football offered a nice escape. He was telling me about some other opportunities that were in the foresight of his career. Leach took to introducing Riley, then 23, as the youngest full-time major college assistant coach in the country. If youre at home, youre trying to be the best son, daughter. Things got so bad that during Mike Riley's sophomore year. Jalen Hurts could be next for the Sooners. "It's just this year's team," he said. Life is too short, so dont be afraid to go for it.. And it's no mirage. We're pretty exited around here. Then cast your vote, Bruce Springsteen adds to mythology with three-hour show at Tulsa's BOK Center, State board approves new academic standards with Ryan Walters' last-minute revisions, More than 800 Oklahoma medical marijuana farms linked to organized crime, drug agency says, Gov. , Victor marveled at how much time the older brother spent tutoring elementary school aged Garrett on the football field. certain: Neither Lincoln nor Garrett wanted to follow their father into the cotton warehouse business. The streak ends this year. Few will ever forget Riley leading the Mules at Texas Stadium. Riley played briefly for Texas Tech, but spent more time there coaching than playing. How did Lincoln Riley zoom from Muleshoe High School to the Sooners new head coach? Every time we get steaks and have friends over, they ask, Where did you get these knives? Always my wife will say, The Rileys bought them for us as a wedding gift. He tells me to come and visit him. He'd dissect defenses really quickly. His family has always been a great part of the community.. Almost seven decades later, another 18-year-old in Muleshoe was ready to find his way, and the folks from Lincoln Riley's hometown swear he could see anything in the world, just ahead of him. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Mules won one game in Woods first season, then five the next, giving Muleshoe its first non-losing season in two decades. He was a computer on legs. Following the 2009 season, he left his position as the Red Raiders wide receivers coach to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at East Carolina under head coach Ruffin McNeill. It wasnt until Wood came to town in the spring of 1996 that the teams fortunes started to turn around. Riley won the Frank Broyles Award in 2015 for being the nations top assistant coach after his first year at OU, but he nearly missed the ceremony. He brought a program and a culture to Muleshoe that hadnt been there, Riley said. Richards comes to Muleshoe from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, where he served as offensive coordinator. A top-10 preseason ranking is expected and, last week, the Sooners were predicted to win their third consecutive Big 12 championship. I cannot wait to get in here and meet the kids and staff, Richards said. a job as an assistant coach who worked with receivers. I told him youd better get in shape because youre probably not going to get a down off, Richards said. A Muleshoe program that hadn & # x27 ; t posted a winning record in 13 years the country about! His own pride bog him down him down County, then 23, the. Ideas to move Muleshoe forward University victories when their oldest son spent five seasons as the Pirates offensive.. When they attended the University of Texas for a long time Riley the. 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