Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley won’t start Baker Mayfield vs. West Virginia

By Staff     Nov 20, 2017

article image
The sixth-grade Hurricanes and Cougars shake hands before the coin toss. The Hurricanes got the ball first Oct. 9 at Youth Sports Inc.

Baker Mayfield will not start and for a game not serve as team captain in Oklahoma’s regular-season finale vs. West Virginia on Saturday, Sooners coach Lincoln Riley announced at his Monday press conference.

The punishment stems from him twice grabbing his crotch and sending F-bombs across the field at the Kansas sideline.

Kyler Murray, who in a 41-3 victory over Kansas averaged 11 yards on three rushes and completed 3 of 5 passes for 55 yards, will start in place of Mayfield.

“This program has very high standards and when they’re met, there are going to be consequences,” Riley said.

When talking about the qualities he finds special in Mayfield and how proud he is to coach him, Riley grew teary-eyed and needed to take a 30-second break from talking to compose himself.

Kansas coach David Beaty holds his weekly presser on Tuesdays. It will be interesting to see how he answers questions about whether his three captains will be disciplined in any way for not shaking Mayfield’s extended right hand during the pre-game coin toss.

Beaty did not appear overly concerned about the snub after the game, but during Monday’s Big 12 conference call the third-year coach (3-32 overall, 1-31 vs FBS schools) apologized on behalf of his team and shared that he believes Dorance Armstrong, Joe Dineen and Daniel Wise “care deeply” about representing KU and the football program in a “classy” manner and that they’re “great men” who made a mistake.

PREV POST

Lawrence's Amani Bledsoe enjoys 'fun' homecoming game against KU

NEXT POST

51359Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley won’t start Baker Mayfield vs. West Virginia