Oklahomas Lincoln Riley denies LSU interest: Im not going to be the next head coach

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley has denied interest in coaching the LSU football team, a program to which he has been tied since the university announced this would be Ed Orgeron’s final season in Baton Rouge.

The fifth-year Oklahoma coach made his thoughts known following the Sooners’ 37-33 loss to Oklahoma State in Bedlam late Saturday night, addressing the coaching carousel rumors in his postgame news conference.

Riley put it plainly: “I’m not going to be the next coach at LSU.”

LSU athletic director Scott Woodward reportedly considers Riley one of his top targets to replace Orgeron in 2022. Riley is 55-10 through five seasons in Norman, with four consecutive Big 12 championships and three College Football Playoff berths in 2017-19. A Cotton Bowl win in 2020 brings his bowl record — all in the New Year’s Day 6 — to 1-3. He has also coached two Heisman-winning quarterbacks and a runner-up in Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts, respectively.

Though Riley is considered a viable candidate in LSU’s coaching search, Woodward is also reported to favor Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, whom he brought to College Station when he was still athletic director there. Fisher has also denied involvement with the program, saying he intends to see the end of his current contract.

That raises the question of whom Woodward will go after if both Riley and Fisher are adamant about staying in their current roles. Other candidates include Louisiana’s Billy Napier, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin and Oregon’s Mario Cristobal, among others.

If Woodward wasn’t already full-steam ahead on his coaching search, he should be now that the Tigers’ regular season is over, capped with a 27-24 win over No. 15 Texas A&M on Saturday. Orgeron announced in his postgame interview that he will not coach LSU in its bowl game.

Offensive line coach Brad Davis will act as the interim coach for the game for the 6-6 Tigers.

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