Lincoln Riley Says He Never Worried About Kyler Murray’s Work Ethic

The USC coach voiced his support for his former quarterback.
Lincoln Riley Says He Never Worried About Kyler Murray’s Work Ethic
Lincoln Riley Says He Never Worried About Kyler Murray’s Work Ethic /

The commitment of Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray came into question this week after a controversial clause was revealed in Murray’s $230.5 million contract extension.

The clause, which has since been removed, required four hours of “independent study” by Murray during game weeks, leading many to believe that the Cardinals included the clause to ensure that their franchise quarterback was committed to his craft.

Murray held a surprise press conference to address the clause, Arizona walked it back, and now the franchise is left with egg on their face in the middle of training camp.

Former Oklahoma coach and current USC head whistle Lincoln Riley was asked if he was ever concerned about Murray’s work ethic when he was the starting quarterback for the Sooners.

“Yes, I was concerned. I was concerned he would burn himself out. He pushes the limits. He loves to compete and win. I never worried about the amount of preparation he put in,” Riley told reporters on Friday.

Under Riley’s tutelage, Murray won the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 2018, when he completed 69.0% of his passes for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns for the Sooners. His breakout season led to him being selected first in 2019 by the Cardinals, where he has spent his entire pro career to-date.

With an eye on the new season, Arizona and its franchise are looking to move past the controversy. The Cardinals will look to improve upon their second-place finish in the NFC West and a 34–11 loss in last year’s NFC wild card game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams.

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Mike McDaniel
MIKE MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.