Lol. No. The poster you responded to is right. Heupel isn’t leaving but IF he did, yes we would be incredibly screwed. How has that next man up worked the past 10-12 years?
We wouldn't be screwed if we actually did for a change like other top-10-in-D-I-history football programs do when they have an opening and swing for the fence, rather than bunting as we have done every time for the last fourteen years. USC didn't say to themselves, "No chance we could hire Riley away from OU - they're rolling and we suck and haven't been good for fifteen years." They simply didn't take no for an answer. You think he would have gone there for 4 mil a year, the most we have paid any football coach? Guaranteed Riley will be getting Saban-type money - don't be surprised if when his salary is announced it makes him the highest-paid coach in D-I history.
ESPN is reporting that OU is targeting Cliff Kingsbury of the Arizona Cardinals to replace Riley. There's none of this, "He'd never leave the NFL, downward or lateral move, less pay, has to recruit, etc." His team is in first place in the NFC and has home-field advantage throughout the playoffs as of today - and OU isn't blinking an eye. He'll get paid on the level that Riley is, or they'll hire someone else equally accomplished, i.e. someone we wouldn't even try for, and they'll pay 2.5 to 3 times what we're paying our coach.
The people on here wailing and gnashing their teeth over losing Heupel are slightly, as in drastically, out of touch with reality. Programs that are serious about winning don't go out and hire coaches fresh off a 7-5 season in the SEC.
