USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley has opened up about the security threats his family faced after he announced his departure from the University of Oklahoma in November 2021.
In an exclusive interview on the YouTube series “In Depth with Graham Bensinger,” Riley disclosed that multiple security incidents forced him to take immediate action to protect his family.
“I had a lot of different people trying to break into the house the days after it happened,” Riley stated in the interview. “And 95% of the fans and people out there at Oklahoma or anybody else are great. You typically always have that percentage that at times take it too far. Obviously, this was one of those instances.”
Lincoln Riley on Oklahoma exit: 'People were trying to break into the house the days after it happened'https://t.co/d5ouH3dPwO
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) September 13, 2023
Riley’s move to USC was officially announced on November 28, 2021, just days after Thanksgiving. Initially, the plan was to allow his two young daughters, aged nine and five at the time, to finish out the fall semester in Oklahoma before relocating them to Los Angeles.
However, a series of disturbing incidents, including break-ins, forced Riley to rethink his family’s safety.
“I told my wife and the couple of people that I confided in the night we made the decision, I told them it’s going to be bad,” Riley revealed. “A couple of people were like, ‘Well, it’ll be a few hours, a few days, but it’ll blow by.’ I said ‘No, I’ve lived in these shoes. It’s going to be that bad.'”
When Lincoln Riley was hired at #USC, he wanted his daughters to finish the semester in #Oklahoma, but security issues forced the Rileys to reconsider.
"As that stuff transpired we said, ‘No, we gotta get them the hell out of here as fast as we can.’ " https://t.co/tRR7mZupyM pic.twitter.com/veYSOranOr
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) September 13, 2023
Riley’s departure from Oklahoma was nothing short of historic, marking the first time in 74 years that an Oklahoma coach had left for another college job since 1947.
His exit initiated the first external coaching search for the Sooners since Bob Stoops was hired after the 1998 season.
During his five-year tenure at Oklahoma, Riley amassed an impressive record of 55 wins and 10 losses. He secured four consecutive Big 12 championships and made three appearances in the College Football Playoff.
His success at Oklahoma made him one of the most sought-after coaching talents in the country – but many expected him to stay, potentially permanently, at Oklahoma.
I see Oklahoma is living rent free in Lincoln Riley’s head still. #BoomerSooner
— Jared (@Silverback_10) September 13, 2023
In his debut season as USC’s head coach, Riley quickly made an impact, leading the Trojans to a surprising 11-3 record and securing a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Now in his second season, Riley and reigning Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams are in legitimate contention for a potential Playoff spot.
Lincoln Riley: Oklahoma was too dangerous for my family so I moved us to Los Angeles.
Everyone. Literally everyone else: pic.twitter.com/Vq6SJ9OH9L
— Quinn (@danfreakinpants) September 13, 2023
What do you make of the situation?
Taking a step back, were you surprised when Riley made the decision to leave Oklahoma for USC?
Would you have done the same if you were him?