Whicker: Lincoln Riley, Mike Bohn and the power of USC’s calculated audacity

LOS ANGELES — In September, they said they were launching a nationwide search.

In reality, the federation was nary wider than the metropolis limits of Norman, Oklahoma and the hunt began and ended with 1 coach.

Sure, determination were others. Brandon Sosna, the right-hand antheral to Athletic Director Mike Bohn, said USC had investigated “dozens” of candidates. There was a Plan B and a C and possibly adjacent a Z.

But Lincoln Riley, the fourth-highest-paid manager successful the crippled and the victor of 55 of 65 games astatine Oklahoma, was it.

It was similar buying for batteries. He was A, AA and AAA.

“He was ever our No. 1,” Sosna said, arsenic helium stood connected a balcony precocious supra the Coliseum floor. Behind him were the mountains and the skyscrapers and everything but the large nasty redhead by Randy Newman’s side. It was the soundstage for Riley’s instauration arsenic USC’s coach.

“That goes backmost to erstwhile I was Mike’s intern astatine Cincinnati. We called Lincoln. He didn’t instrumentality our call. We laughed astir that. But we didn’t cognize helium was astir to go the caput manager astatine Oklahoma.”

That was 2016. Riley had spent two years arsenic the Sooners’ violative coordinator. He took them to the College Football Playoff successful 3 of the adjacent 5 years and had won 4 consecutive Big 12 league titles earlier a nonaccomplishment to Oklahoma State connected Saturday.

Make nary mistake. Hiring Riley is simply a cataclysm that is inactive hard to fathom 2 days aft the quality broke. Absolutely nary 1 suspected helium would permission Oklahoma for USC.

But Bohn said helium felt “immense pressure” to marque the beforehand page, to interruption into regularly scheduled programming, to bash what the Dodgers and Rams and Lakers traditionally do.

“And we got the guy,” helium shouted, slapping the podium.

Bohn, Sosna and a hearty colony of staffers showed the powerfulness of calculated audacity. Has specified a celebrated manager ever bolted for different assemblage job, without shadows of scandal? Maybe it’s Frank Leahy, 20-2 astatine Boston College, who went to Notre Dame successful 1941 to found dynasty days.

USC fired Clay Helton successful September due to the fact that of an irredeemable nonaccomplishment to Stanford but besides due to the fact that Bohn’s conflict program required time.

He said that whenever a snag appeared, USC president Carol Folt would implore him to “get the guy.” That meant a fiscal committedness that USC hasn’t disclosed, but figures to beryllium astatine slightest $9 cardinal a twelvemonth for astatine slightest 5 years. Riley was already making $7.6 cardinal astatine OU, and there’s a $4.5 million buyout.

The biggest feat was keeping it quiet. The restless media kept coming up with names which, Sosna said, “provided immoderate levity” successful the warfare room.

“If connection gets out, it astir apt ruins it,” Sosna said.

On Saturday nighttime Sosna was pacing successful USC’s Coliseum suite, and not due to the fact that the existent Trojans were opening an afterthought crippled against Brigham Young. He was sweating retired Oklahoma’s crippled astatine Oklahoma State and fearing a Sooners win, them clinching a travel to the Big 12 rubric crippled and possibly different CFP semifinal connected New Year’s Eve.

“I’m not definite radical understood wherefore we were truthful attentive,” helium said. “It was 1 of the much excruciating experiences of my life. Intellectually, if Oklahoma wins possibly it’s a antithetic outcome. Luck tin beryllium incredible.”

So possibly USC will grant Collin Oliver, the Oklahoma State defender who ended the 37-33 triumph by sacking backmost Caleb Williams.

Once Riley returned to Norman, USC called. That led to a Sunday greeting Zoom call. Because Riley was specified a known quantity, determination was nary request for a backstage level formation that the sleuths could person tracked.

After Riley said yes, Sosna called Tim Tessalone, the sports accusation manager who is retiring adjacent month.

“He’s usually truthful level-headed and calm,” Sosna said. “But determination was nary response. He said aboriginal that helium couldn’t truly process it. He had written each these bios for the different candidates, but not Lincoln’s.”

What got it done?

The money, obviously, but it goes a batch farther successful Norman, wherever the median location terms is lone $183,000.

Ultimately, it’s an escapade for a young household with thing to lose, and a shot throne to reupholster.

Riley doesn’t subordinate USC with bare seats and booing, and fans telling recruits not to come, successful hopes of getting a manager fired. Riley associates USC with Reggie Bush and Clay Matthews Jr. and Rose Bowls and championships.

“We learned that our marque is inactive incredibly beardown nationwide,” Sosna said, “despite each the negativity locally.”

Sosna shook his head.

“I haven’t truly slept since Saturday morning,” helium said, looking astatine the city. “It’s surreal.”

Sure. It’s L.A., wherever the stars travel retired and shine.