5 realistic replacements for Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma
By Ethan Lee
4. Lane Kiffin
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin has very quickly found success in Oxford, Mississippi, overhauling a program that has generally been treated by some as a speed bump in the SEC West and turning the Rebels into a dangerous program coming off an impressive Egg Bowl win.
Kiffin is a coach who appears to be well loved by his players and he’s been able to win at most of his stops. Since leaving the Alabama Crimson Tide and Nick Saban’s coaching school, Kiffin has truly become a great head coach.
With the Florida Atlantic Owls, Kiffin quickly got his offense rolling and his team started winning. The same has happened with Ole Miss.
There’s almost no doubt that he’d be able to be successful with a roster that’s already loaded.
Add in what Kiffin brings to the table as a recruiter and someone who is able to punch above his weight with the players he inherits from previous coaching staffs and the Sooners could certainly do worse than hiring one of the most intriguing coaches around.
3. Matt Campbell
If the Sooners are looking for someone who can find success by building a program and then sustaining that success, then Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell is the ideal coach to consider.
Campbell has seen his name linked to a number of jobs in the past few seasons as fans seem to clamor for him whenever a job opens up. He’s managed to show Iowa State some loyalty and stick around with the Cyclones, but after six seasons, it’s fair to wonder if he’s interested in leaving Ames for one of the most prestigious jobs in the country.
In 2016, Campbell only managed to go 3-9, but he very quickly turned things around for Iowa State, going 8-5 in 2017 and 2018. Outside of that first season, the Cyclones have pretty much been able to average eight wins a season under Campbell.
That’s no easy feat.
Should the Sooners offer Campbell the position, he should strongly consider it. Of course, Dan Mullen can be a cautionary tale of leaving a job where you’re loved and successful for a bigger gig.