Lincoln Riley on OU Unity March: 'Nobody Can Do it by Themselves ... But We Are United'

As OU launches mandatory diversity training, it's the Sooner football team that sets the example for the rest of the campus

NORMAN — On Thursday afternoon, the University of Oklahoma press release announced an initiative to begin mandatory diversity training for all students and faculty and staff.

And on Friday morning, the OU football team locked arms and marched across campus, from the Barry Switzer Center to the Unity Circle at the school’s South Oval.

When it comes to racial equality and social justice, the Sooner football team is and should be out front for whatever the school at large wants to accomplish.

“I hope so. I hope we can,” said head coach Lincoln Riley. “But nobody can do it by themselves. I know there’s a lot of eyes on us, a lot of eyes on our program. We always want to use that for positivity, and this would be no different.”

The entire team — players, coaches and support staff — led by Riley front-and-center, took part in what Riley called a unity march. The idea came about late Thursday night/early Friday morning, Riley said. It was only a few blocks and took less than 30 minutes, but it made a powerful statement.

“I don’t want to stand up here, myself, this team, like we have all the answers,” Riley said. “We don’t. We have a lot more questions than answers. But we are united, and we do believe that unity is a huge step in this.”

Riley was asked if Friday — a peaceful and solemn demonstration supporting movements against continued police brutality around the country — felt anything like the march that took place in 2015, when a campus fraternity was caught on video singing racist songs.

Riley had only been on campus a few months when that happened but he was struck by the team’s awareness and solidarity then, too.

“Our players have been a part of potential policy changes, they’ve been a part of a lot of changes within the university, within the athletic department,” Riley said.

“We’re always pushing our players to try to do more and more and more. That doesn’t apply to just the football field, it doesn’t apply to just the classroom.”

Riley clarified that a football team is just a football team. He said he had spoken with local law enforcement entities and his players have been “great” in their interactions, but there was still much to do — in Norman and everywhere.

“We don’t have all the answers,” Riley said. “I darn sure don’t. But the problems out there are real. As we talk, as we discuss, we can’t come up with a better solution than unity.”

For Riley, who grew up in predominantly white West Texas, he said his daily experiences continue to help him grow and evolve.

“I grew up a white male. I’ve not lived or had to experience some of the things my players have had to,” he said. “ … It’s absolutely been a learning experience for me. Every step of it. It’s definitely made me more aware.

“It’s not gonna change overnight. It’s about taking positive steps. And keeping the faith, and let’s don’t let this be a thing that divides us even further; why can’t this be a thing that brings us even more together? I’ve seen that on this team.

“If all those people in there, from all different walks of life, can come together and find common ground, then why can’t that be done on a larger scale?”

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