Lincoln Riley addressed Oklahoma fans upset with his departure for USC during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday.
Riley was reported to be the next coach at USC on Nov. 28. He denied interest in LSU's head coaching vacancy one day prior.
“I understand they’re disappointed that we left,” Riley said Monday regarding Oklahoma fans. “I have a lot of love for that place. Me and my family poured our heart and soul into that place for seven years. Loved every second of it. Had a tremendous run of championships, success on and off the field. We’ve got nothing but love.
“These things, when you leave a university, they either fire you or you leave on your own accord and neither one of them are easy and we understand it.”
“Our love for that place will never go away,” Riley continued. “We certainly hope as time goes on, the time over there will be remembered fondly and everybody will remember all the great success we had together.”
Riley was one of college football's most successful coaches in five years in Norman. He tallied a 55–10 record, adding four Big 12 titles and three CFP appearances. Riley now hopes to turn around a USC program that is just 95–52 since Pete Carroll's departure at the end of the 2009 season.
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