Oklahoma coaching candidates: NFL coach dismissed as potential Lincoln Riley replacement

The Oklahoma Sooners head coaching search has been narrowed down by at least one candidate. Matt Rhule isn’t next up in Norman.

With Lincoln Riley taking over in Los Angeles at USC, the Sooners suddenly have to act fast and fill their head coaching void. Leading a college football program is far more than just coaching, as recruiting and managing top-tier assistant coaches takes up most of the time. Riley was excellent at that in his time at OU, and finally took his talents elsewhere after being mentioned in several high-caliber jobs over the years.

The 38-year-old will be an interesting fit in L.A., but in the meantime, Oklahoma needs to make a hire. While several top available coaching talents were mentioned as ideal fits, Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule will reportedly not be the next Sooners coach.

Oklahoma football: Would Matt Rhule be a good fit?

Rhule has experience in the Big 12 with Baylor, and contended with Oklahoma quite well during his time there. With the Sooners heading to the SEC, nabbing a head coach of Rhule’s profile would’ve helped them continue some of the positive momentum they gained under Riley, rather than starting over from scratch.

Former Sooners coach Bob Stoops will take over interim duties for any postseason play, but it’s unclear if he would be heavily considered for a full-time head coaching gig, or if he’d even be interested.

Brent Venables, Mike Leach and Lane Kiffin have all been mentioned as potential Riley replacements as well. It’s tough to blame the Sooners for swinging for the fences, especially after losing a coach of Riley’s caliber.

Rhule, meanwhile, may be interested in going back to college, as his time with the Panthers has not gone well. Carolina is in last place in the NFC South as of this writing.

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