re: The Official Coaching Search Thread- updates in OP

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What's taking so long if they've known it was going to be Riley?

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"They've known" is a relative term. He didn't say "known," and neither did I. He said they had been in contact with him for a month.

My contact down in Charleston telling me a week ago "they've been talking to Riley for a month," is not the same as "they" who are going to be doing the hiring.

He assumed, and admitted so, that based upon what he was being told ... "they" are serious about Riley. Then he went on to fill me in on Riley's background. I was not familiar with Riley at the time and was more focused on the Herman who, I knew for a fact, was our number one candidate at the time followed by Kirby Smart. (I had found out that day that Fuente did not pass the vetting process.)

So I let the Riley mention go through one ear and out the other.

My buddy, who I'll call Bill, is 70 years old and fairly connected, still doing business, refuses to retire and golf with me more often ... but he's always been laid back so he didn't press his prediction with me. He just said they had reached-out to Riley and had been talking with him and then he went on to say things like "search firm" and "search committee" and so-on and so-forth (that's the "they" in all of this) ... I maybe should have listened better. We'll see.

If this does turn out to be the case then I was wrong to accuse Tanner of not being a very good chess player and not thinking-out all the moves well in advance.

If this turns out to be true and does come to pass then I should have known better knowing who Tanner had guiding him through this process.

I'm knocking on wood and keeping my fingers crossed because, if potentially landing Lincoln Riley doesn't excite our fan base ... nothing will.

We wanted a young, energetic, offensive-minded coach ... this would be the one. We wanted a guy who could recruit in the state of Texas ... this would be the one. We wanted a guy who could recruit in North Carolina ... this would be the one. We wanted a guy with a strong resume ... this would be the one.

ETA: But now, and this is important, we need to see if Tanner can close the deal. He needs to get this done in a hurry, close the deal, get whomever out on the road recruiting and assembling a staff. Time is of the essence at this stage in the game. Timing is absolutely imperative for us right now ... that cannot be stressed enough. Ray Tanner has got to prove that he can close the deal.