Lincoln Riley expounds on Ronnie Perkins: 'His status has not changed'

Sooners coach describes defensive end's NCAA suspension situation

John E. Hoover|

Lincoln Riley expounds on Ronnie Perkins: 'His status has not changed'

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said Monday during the Big 12 Conference coaches call that, despite reports to the contrary, defensive end Ronnie Perkins' status has not changed.

"He hasn't been playing," Riley said, "and his status for Saturday has not changed."

The Sooners play Texas at 11 a.m. Saturday in Dallas.

SoonerScoop and The Athletic reported last Saturday from Ames, shortly before the Sooners lost 37-30 to Iowa State, that Perkins' appeal of his NCAA suspension for a positive drug test prior to last year's Peach Bowl had been granted, that the suspension had been lifted, and that Perkins wouldn't play against the Longhorns.

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Riley received a follow-up question to clarify and remained firm.

"Honestly, kind of in the same spot that we’ve been with all three of those guys (running back Rhamondre Stevenson and wide receiver Trejan Bridges)," he said. "It could change in five minutes, or it could not change for three weeks. I wish I had more answers, but sadly I do not."

Published Oct 5, 2020

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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