From Experience, Lincoln Riley, Other Sooners Speak Out About Racial Injustice, Social Unrest

Oklahoma football has been down this road before, though not quite this far.

Standing at the precipice of a racial divide so immense it felt as though America might split irreparably, the Sooners locked arms and banded together and spoke in tones both furious and reasoned.

That was March 2015, when members of OU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity enjoyed their racist little singalong as phone cameras rolled, not knowing their house would soon be banished, unaware that a few football players they pretended to party with would soon march across campus in protest of the despicable cloud that suddenly hovered over their campus.

Now, somehow, five years later, things are even worse. Police are just as brutal, the fear in black communities is just as tragic, and the death of George Floyd and others are just as inexplicable.

But now, people are angrier, protests are more violent and that precipice has grown as cities across America burn.

Late Saturday night, Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley — who was beginning his first year as the Sooners’ offensive coordinator when racial unrest smoldered on the OU campus in 2015 — spoke out for the first time on social media.

“I ALWAYS stand with my players and I am thankful that I was raised in a home that taught me that no human, regardless of race, religion or any other factor...should ever be treated differently...we have a long ways to go as a society- I am committed to being a part of the change,” Riley posted on Twitter at almost 1 a.m.

I ALWAYS stand with my players and I am thankful that I was raised in a home that taught me that no human, regardless of race, religion,
or any other factor...should ever be treated differently...we have a long ways to go as a society- I am committed to being a part of the change
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) May 31, 2020

About 20 minutes earlier, OU linebackers coach Brian Odom also expressed his opinion and support via Twitter.

“I choose NOT to stand in silence with the racial injustices that are present in our country,” Odom wrote.

pic.twitter.com/2lteEbCm4g
— Brian Odom (@CoachBOdom) May 31, 2020

Sunday morning, more voices arose from the OU program, starting with outside linebackers coach Jamar Cain.

“Couldn’t stay quiet any longer,” Cain wrote. “… I’m living in fear for my son who is 12! I’m afraid when he walks the dog, I’m afraid to buy him a car at 16 and that shouldn’t be (an) issue.”

Saturday night, as coverage of protests and riots across the country reached social media, a number of current and former OU players expressed concern.

Too many of y’all mighty quiet right now.
— Robert Barnes (@r0bertbarnes) May 31, 2020

A lot of you “ultimate football fans” got things backwards. Understand that there’s more to life than the sport especially during these times. Telling some of us football players to “keep our opinions to a minimum” or “ just worry about performing on sundays” is foul.
— Neville Gallimore (@Path2Greatwork) May 30, 2020

We have to be confident in crisis ... knowing that the God we serve is almighty and will turn all situations around for the better 🙏🏾
— Delarrin Turner-Yell (@dtturner11) May 30, 2020

I got so much to say, so many emotions and thoughts... Just to be argued down by the people that claim to be friends or fans ...
— Brayden Willis (@Bwillis_11) May 30, 2020

Praying for change.
— Charleston Rambo (@CharlestonRambo) May 30, 2020

Please Stop setting places on fire! Nothing positive comes out of that...
— BA (@brianasamoah) May 31, 2020

Five years after a detestable serpent slithered from the OU campus, Sooner players and coaches continue to stand united against it.

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