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5 reasons Oklahoma makes the 2019 College Football Playoff

By Maitland Rutledge

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: The Oklahoma Sooners are wait to run onto the field prior to the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: The Oklahoma Sooners are wait to run onto the field prior to the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Lincoln Riley
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: Head Coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners calls a play from the sidelines in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

1. Lincoln Riley

Lincoln Riley was thrown into one of the toughest situations last season. In June of that year, legendary Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops suddenly retired after coaching leading the Sooners for 16 seasons, winning 10 Big 12 Championships and a national title in 2000. Following Stoops’ retirement, Riley was named head coach.

As another coaching disciple of Mike Leach, Riley learned from one of the best in passing offense. He first began as a walk-on quarterback, similar to his starter from last season, before becoming a student assistant then-graduate assistant at Texas Tech. Riley spent the next three years as the team’s receivers coach until Leach was fired. Ruffin McNeill then brought him on as offensive coordinator at East Carolina in 2010, where he spent the next four seasons.

Promoting Riley has looked like a winning move for Oklahoma so far. Since being hired as offensive coordinator in 2015, Riley has turned the Sooners’ offense into one of the best. In his first season, the Sooners were ranked seventh in total offense on their way to a College Football Playoff berth in the Orange Bowl.

2017 proved to be the best-case scenario for the first-year head coach. With Baker Mayfield at the helm, Oklahoma finished first in the country in total offense, averaging 579.6 yards per game and third in passing yards, averaging 361.8. With a talented quarterback in Kyler Murray ready to take over, Riley’s offense looks ready to continue their dominance as one of the nation’s elite.

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