Sooner: The Making of a Football Coach—Lincoln Riley’s Rise from West Texas to the University of Oklahoma

At age 34, Lincoln Riley became the youngest U.S. college football coach, leading the University of Oklahoma. In just three years, he’s led the Sooners to a 36-6 record. Sneed (Head in the Game) tells the story of Riley’s upbringing and journey through coaching, carefully detailing how a few key decisions in Riley’s life led him to becoming a top coach in college football. Growing up in West Texas, Riley was on his way to becoming a top college football recruit until he faced an injury. He ultimately decided to become a walk-on football player at Texas Tech University, which led him to a life of coaching. Football fans will appreciate details about the air-raid offense, as well as more insight into the concepts that made this offense revolutionary. Sneed does an excellent job interviewing those around Riley and in college football to create this complete picture of the coach’s career.