Bob Stoops to Serve as OU’s Interim Head Coach Following Lincoln Riley’s Departure

NORMAN, Okla. — (KOCO)

Former Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops will serve as the team’s interim head coach after Lincoln Riley’s announced departure to the University of Southern California.

Authorities with OU and USC officially confirmed Sunday evening that Riley was no longer the Sooners’ head coach and that he was heading to the West Coast.

Stoops left OU in 2015 after becoming the winningest head coach in the program’s history and winning 10 Big 12 Conference titles and the 2000 national championship. Stoops was also named to the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame class.

“First and foremost, I’m a program guy and whatever I can do to help OU and to support the players, of course, I’m glad to do it,” Stoops said in the news release. “I’ll do everything I can to help them finish the season in a strong and successful way and I look forward to that.

“Lincoln did a great job in his five years as head coach here and I appreciate all he did for this program. I’ll always appreciate the close friendship we’ve had and will continue to have. I wish the best for him, Caitlin and their family.”

A news conference with university President Joseph Harroz, Athletics Director Joe Castiglione and Stoops is tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday.

Riley’s departure comes a day after the Sooners lost to Oklahoma State 37-33 in Bedlam, ending OU’s shot of winning a seventh-straight Big 12 title