The Sooners escaped a pre-Halloween home scare and put up serious numbers against the Red Raiders. Check out our highlights from the 52-21 victory:
Filmed by Justin Jayne and Collin McDaniel
Edited by Justin Jayne
For the second consecutive week, a Big 12 coach has been let go. For Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, the news is heartbreaking.
TCU’s Gary Patterson resigned after being asked to take an off-field role after the season, effectively ending his coaching responsibilities on Sunday. Just six days prior, Matt Wells was fired by Texas Tech despite coaching to a 5-3 record at the time.
Patterson, the winningest coach in school history, and the Horned Frogs lost to Kansas State 31-12 on Saturday. On Oct. 16, the Sooners defeated TCU 52-31 in what would be Patterson’s third-to-last game at the helm.
“I don’t know all of the circumstances behind it, but seeing Gary Patterson go out in the middle of a season is just,” Riley said before taking a long pause. “I don’t know what to think of it. I was sick when I heard the news, to be completely honest. … Gary Patterson not finishing a season at a place he built, that ain’t right.”
Patterson was the second-longest tenured coach in the country behind Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. He also played a large role in the school’s improvement, which led to an invite into the Big 12 from the Mountain West.
“I know it’s a tough business,” Riley said. “I know our jobs are scrutinized. We’re big boys and can live with big boy decisions. But man, what he did at that place and to not even finish out the year. … It’s not good for our game. It’s not good for our league.”
Riley suggested schools are starting to replace head coaches early to get a head start on hiring a replacement. And with the NCAA Transfer Portal’s rise to prominence, coaches' importance are heightened given the desire to build competitive rosters quickly by appealing to players with new hires.
Patterson finished his TCU career with a 181-79 record in 22 seasons as head coach. Wells was fired after a 13-17 record with the Red Raiders in three seasons. Texas Tech, who played the Sooners with interim coach Sonny Cumbie on Saturday, fell 52-21 in Norman.
“It feels strange,” Riley said on Tuesday. “It does. We’ve had some pretty long tenured and historically great coaches in this league. And now to see two guys out, midseason like that, one with a winning record and one is undoubtedly the greatest coach in the history of his school.”
