Lincoln Riley fits the chemistry criteria with Caleb Williams perfectly for the Chicago Bears’ job
Lincoln Riley recruited Caleb Williams to Oklahoma as the number one dual-threat quarterback in the 2021 high school class. After Williams took the starting job from Spencer Rattler in his true freshman season, he followed Riley to USC to continue his collegiate career.
Upon arriving at USC, Williams stock took off. The generational talent claimed the Heisman Trophy in the 2022 season, his first as a Trojan. While Riley and Williams never made the College Football Playoff together, they were very successful as a coach/playcaller and quarterback duo. The results they collected together cemented Williams’ spot as the top pick in the 2024 draft.
But could the two soon reunite? With the Chicago Bears needing a new head coach, Lincoln Riley’s name is already being floated out there just for the simple fact that he has ties to the quarterback. Riley has not indicated that he wants to leave USC just yet but if the Bears come calling for their head coach opening, there’s a chance that Lincoln Riley at least thinks about it right? One former Heisman trophy winner and current football analyst believes so.
Former NFL QB believes the match would make a lot of sense
Robert Griffin went on the Pardon My Take podcast and voiced his opinion on Riley being a strong fit as the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. Griffin believes that whoever is the next offensive mind to work with Williams doesn’t necessarily need to change him. Instead, having someone who knows and understands the 23-year-old might be what is most important.
“If he wanted to come to the NFL and be with the quarterback that he won a Heisman Trophy with you make him the offensive coordinator,” Griffin said. “Whoever is working with Caleb doesn’t need to be somebody that comes in and tries to change what he is. They need to know him.”
This isn’t to say that Riley would be completely hands-off with Williams if he was offered the head coaching position with the Chicago Bears. There would still be growing pains in the quarterbacks’ second season in the NFL and especially in Riley making the jump from the college ranks. The two would be going through those changes together which we level out the overall learning curve in their adjustments.
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As it’s already been reported, Kevin Warren has the ability to spend whatever necessary when hiring the Chicago Bears next head coach. Early indication shows that the team has interest in former Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel. The current Browns staffer brings something to the table that Riley does not, which is previous head coaching experience at this level. Vrabel has a pedigree of preaching physicality and forcing his teams to play hard-nosed football, which embodies everything the Chicago Bears are about.
Ben Johnson is another name that the Bears will be heavily involved in with the news of management being able to spend as they please. Johnson has led the Lions offense to contention the last two seasons, and will be a highly coveted coaching target in a month. He would bring success calling plays in the NFL to Chicago, which is something Riley has no experience in doing.
Riley would have stiff competition if he’s trying to make the leap to the NFL, but there are no true rumblings behind him even wanting to leave USC. The Chicago Bears would likely be the one organization RIley would even consider leaving the college ranks for, which makes for an interesting conversation.
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