Riley's name has come up a lot with the NFL too over the last few years, so even if USC doesn't work out, he can probably Kingsbury himself into an NFL job pretty easily. I can 100% see him just not wanting to spend the rest of his career in Oklahoma for purely non-football reasons. I think the OU-scared-of-the-SEC thing is way overrated. That's not happening for a few more years, and OU over the last 5 years would be a top 3 team in the SEC. Are they Alabama? No. Is their resume better than everyone else in the SEC? Hell yes, maybe on the same level as Georgia. The smoked #7 Florida in last year's bowl game. They lost to the #1 overall team the previous two years (LSU, Alabama). They lost in double OT to Georgia in the playoffs the year before that. They beat #14 Auburn the year before. They've been legitimately in that top 5-7 tier consistently.
A lot of people are reporting this is near done. This would be absolutely nuts considering ND is an upset away from being back in the CFP.
Les Miles and Ed O were able to win Natty’s there. He’s more likely to win one there even if the path is harder.
No, the contracts aren't worth the paper they are printed on if the next school is willing to fork over the cash for the buyouts.
Besides that, I don't think any great coaches are scared of competition - that's what makes them great. Just like players want to play in the SEC, coaches want to coach there. Same reason a Jimbo Fisher would leave FSU for A&M.
Don't get me wrong - I know that big name coaches leave programs all the time. Just never really hear of a successful coach leaving in the middle of a successful season for another school. At the end of a season even though their contract isn't up yet? Sure. But this stuff can happen immediately, at mid-season where your team is still 10-2 and is still up for a solid bowl game? Crazy how this wasn't somehow baked into the contract, that you have to finish the season out. With Riley gone and a lot of big commits decommitting now, it's not even going to be fun roasting the Sooners when they lose next season.
Almost all coaches get fired and hired between end of the regular season and before the bowl games. You have to do it for recruiting, etc. Riley did it the day after their regular season ended. Brian Kelly apparently may be leaving while his team is still in contention for the playoffs. It's just how it works.
It'll be funny if Luke Fickell accepts the ND job, Okie State and Michigan lose their championship games, and both Notre Dame and Cinci end up in the playoffs without their head coaches.
