Lincoln Riley on Browns HC Interest: 'I Don't Have That Itch Right Now'
October 29, 2018
Lincoln Riley is already taking his name out of the Cleveland Browns' head coaching vacancy.
"The truth is for me, I love Oklahoma. I love coaching here. I love coaching college football. I certainly don't have that itch right now," Riley told reporters Monday.
The Browns reportedly fired head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley on Monday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Riley coached Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma, helping him win a Heisman Trophy.
"I'm never going to be a guy to stand up here and say 'no way, no how' will these things ever happen," Riley told reporters. "I don't know that. But I know right now I could(n't) care less about the NFL. We're trying to win this game and trying to make a run that we all think we have in us right now."
Mayfield has thrown for 1,471 yards and eight touchdowns against six interceptions this season. Football Outsiders' metrics rank the rookie as one of the worst quarterbacks in football.
The Browns' decision to fire both Jackson and Haley came as a surprise given reports of the pair clashing. Instead, it appears they'll turn to defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
Riley is 19-3 since taking over for Bob Stoops at Oklahoma and is considered one of the best offensive minds in college football. The Sooners are averaging 48.9 points per game, and Riley has Kyler Murray playing like a Heisman frontrunner.
