Lincoln Riley disputes Charley Casserly’s comments on Kyler Murray

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Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley believes NFL Network commentator Charley Casserly is peddling bad information about quarterback Kyler Murray.

Although Casserly described Murray’s interviews with NFL teams at the Scouting Combine as disastrous, Riley said he has personally spoken to most of the teams that talked to Murray and doesn’t believe Casserly’s claims are true.

“I’ve personally spoken with the majority of teams that he met with [at the Combine} and everyone was glowing about their conversations with Kyler,” Riley told Dan Patrick. “Basically the complete opposite of what Charley said.”

Riley also said Casserly is incorrect in saying Murray is not a good leader.

“Kyler was a tremendous leader for us,” Riley said. “All he cares about is winning. I think our team took on his personality.”

Riley may have his own motives to talk up Murray — he would like to be known as the coach who developed a baseball prospect into the first overall pick in the NFL draft — but he is also in a better position than anyone else to assess what kind of player Murray is. And Riley has nothing but glowing things to say about his quarterback.

66 responses to “Lincoln Riley disputes Charley Casserly’s comments on Kyler Murray

  1. Maybe the Vikings can somehow trade Cousins and Griffen to move up to number one to draft Murray. I’m sure Kirk would do well down in the desert and Kyler would shine at the most beautiful football facility in the world, U.S. Bank Stadium.

  2. Hey…it’s an opinion by one analyst. It might be proven correct or incorrect.
    Let is go. Why is there such a frantic effort to discredit Casserly’s opinions?

    What is so special about this Kid that he has so many people desperately maneuvering to ensure he goes #1??

    What about Haskins? Doesn’t he deserve this treatment?
    What about Bosa? Why is it ok to virtually ignore his draft prospects?

    Again, what is so special about Kyler Murray??
    …I have nothing against him and hope he has a wonderful career. But I also don’t see why he needs so much promotion and protection.

  3. Do you ever hear a college coach bad mouth his players? That would not be real helpful in their recruiting efforts, “Come play at Oklahoma. I’ll trash you to pro scouts once you’re done playing here.”

  4. I don’t think so Lincoln. In this case Murray came across in the group interview with the media as an arrogant, “I’m too cool to talk to you guy”, a bit confrontational, he mumbled and seemed very nervous under it all ( which is understandable at such a you g age).
    Maybe Casserly wants The Redskins to get him but other then that I can not see any othe motive from Casserly. What does Casserly have to gain by ripping this young man Murray? If it is false I have lost all respect for Charlie. I just don’t think it is and another prominent name mentioned the same reports.

  5. Shocking. Normally college coaches only trash their #1 ranked QB of the draft.
    I’m still going with Charlie on this one. He doesn’t have a dog in the fight. For whatever reason – smokescreen or blunt truth – I believe what he said is what was told to him by a few associates he knows well.
    Personally, I would love to see him do one of those Mooch sessions where he throws all of this info at the QB, testing his football IQ.

  6. You have to take everything you hear about draftees during the NFL’s “lying season” with a grain of salt. Everyone making anonymous comments has a reason/agenda behind the comment. Teams saying bad things about Murray are probably hoping his draft stock will go down so that he falls to their team in the draft.

  7. If you watch Kyler Murray’s interview with Dan Patrick you’ll see how well he represents himself. Awkward is a generous description. Based on watching that interview, I have no doubt that this is a struggle for him.

    His on-field performance is outstanding though. Some lead by actions, not words.

  8. Lincoln Riley is not exactly a disinterested, unbiased observer.

    Anything he says in public about Kyler Murray is largely irrelevant and has exactly zero probative value.

  9. Perhaps they were a little less forthcoming when speaking to his former coach. They could have sugar-coated it when talking to Riley, then blasted the kid when talking to Casserly.

  10. Teams who talk to Riley have just as much incentive to speak well of the young man…as anything negative said to Riley about Murray can be seen as a direct reflection on Riley’s coaching.

  11. So a head coach hyping one of his players that if drafted higher makes him look like a QB guru which helps with his recruiting. Both are doing a smoke screen, the higher the pick the better Riley looks, if he drops then Riley doesn’t look like a great coach anymore. Charlie will look good if Murray is a bust, by like all reporters and analysts there is no repercussion if they are wrong, I would like to see one of them stake their job on what they are reporting or analyzing.

  12. “Kyler was a tremendous leader for us,” Riley said.”
    =====================

    This is a garbage line. As his former coach, you can dispel the narrative with specific examples of his leadership skills. Riley can’t come up with actual events that demonstrate those skills.

    Which was also the point of Casserly’s report – Murray didn’t INTERVIEW very well. He might have those necessary skills – but it didn’t come across that way during the sit downs and the agent is at fault for not preparing the kid for the most obvious questions.

    I’ve sat through dozens of job interviews. If I ask a question about leadership, I want the person to give me at least two past experiences that show it. I DO NOT WANT the prospect to just say: “I’m a good leader. Take my word for it.”

  13. Both have valid reasons to lie, both have valid reasons to tell the truth. I’m sure they are both good men, but neither has any credibility on this issue because it helps Riley’s reputation if Murray is drafted high and it helps Casserly with his standing with the GMs he relies on for inside info if he helps one or more of them spread a false story.

    We’ll all know what teams think of Kyler Murray come draft day. Every thing before that is nonsense.

  14. Trade Cousins…Pleeease!
    I honestly don’t think any team wants a middle of the average QB with top 3 salary though

  15. Gee, what do you think his coach is going to say? He’s a rotten kid that did nothing for our team? Find someone that doesn’t have any skin in the game and you’ll have a honest assessment…..

  16. Yes, I’m sure the teams that interviewed Murray were jumping at the chance to bad-mouth him to his former coach. Whether they liked Murray or not, they would tell Riley they did

  17. I feel like everyone is trying to gaslight the Cardinals into taking this kid. Is this some elaborate ploy by the 49ers to make sure they get Bosa?

  18. Seriously? What do you expect his coach to say? Charley Casserly is a super bowl winning NFL executive. Lincoln Riley is on a 365 day a year recruiting mission. The best thing for recruiting is to have one of your players go #1 in the draft. Casserly has nothing to gain. Follow the money.

  19. “What does Casserly have to gain by ripping this young man Murray?”
    ____________________

    This is a good question. But you can just as easily ask what teams have to gain by sharing detailed info on player interviews with Casserly. Everybody involved as some agenda. Reporters need to get their clicks, teams want to spread disinformation to hide what they’re really thinking, etc.

    The reason this has gotten so much attention is the report wasn’t just a general “not a good interview” but very specific–he said these were the worst reports on work ethic he’d EVER heard coming out of interviews. And multiple teams told him the same thing, but only him because he seems to be the only source that got that level of detail. Maybe it was just a historically bad interview. Or maybe Casserly oversold it. No way of knowing but it’s an unusual story.

  20. tinye67 says:
    March 6, 2019 at 10:04 am

    Hey…it’s an opinion by one analyst. It might be proven correct or incorrect.
    Let is go. Why is there such a frantic effort to discredit Casserly’s opinions?
    _________

    It’s not an opinion, it’s a report. Casserly is saying what he heard from various sources. Every team has an incentive to either lie or tell the truth, depending on where they would like to see the guy land in the draft. If you don’t want him, you talk him up so someone else will take him before you and maybe the guy you like drops to you. If you do want him, you rip him in hopes that he’ll fall to you. I don’t believe a word anyone says.

  21. Lead his high school team to 3 straight state championship, at the highest classification in Texas. Father is a QB trainer and Guru. Drafted by a MLB team. Lead O.U. to conference championship. Very accurate. Low interception
    rate. Something is not right…but in the end, the tape doesn’t lie.

  22. Casserly is not normally a smoke blower….he would not have made these comments without some details from the teams and his contacts. I believe him.

  23. It would be boring if every “expert” says the same thing. Do you want everyone to just say “on to Cincinnati”? I mean, it’s funny when Belichick says it, but we want information.

  24. Casserly also said that Todd Bowles would be a great Head Coach, i wouldnt listen to anything he says anymore…

  25. Glad most people in this thread have seen right through Riley’s fraud statement. Riley is the most biased person in this feud and Casserly has no dog in this evaluation of Murray. Riley sounds uber sensitive who can’t handle some criticism of his guy.

  26. bagbolt says:

    The Kyler Murray hype is unreal. It isn’t helping him in the long run.
    ==================================================

    The hype is 100% media/college coach driven. I don’t think teams are going to be fighting over him, he’s too small.

  27. So the media benefits every way possible.
    They ask Casserly for his comments, then ask Riley, then ask Murray’s agent, then Murray himself…all in an effort to suppress an opinion that is counter to the view of Murray that the media supports.
    I am hoping all of this attention blows up in the faces of the media talking heads…AND Murray himself since he is doing absolutely nothing to stop it.

  28. Keep in mind, Murray managed to behave himself out of Texas A&M, where he was a legacy (Kevin Murray). This was at a time when A&M was putting up with Manziel.

    There are several versions of that transfer, but smoke and fire etc.

  29. What do you expect his college coach to say? A well known super scout said in his book don’t go by what a player’s coaches say, they are too invested. Just shows how nowadays difference of opinion isn’t tolerated.

  30. @mogogo1 says:
    March 6, 2019 at 10:56 am
    “What does Casserly have to gain by ripping this young man Murray?”
    ====================================================
    He stands to gain by putting his voice to the story of what people supposedly said. As far he goes, any publicity is good publicity. So why not immerse himself in the discussion.

  31. as with most news these days, the truth is somewhere in the middle. I doubt the all spoke glowingly and I doubt they all told Casserly that Murry is flat out stoopid with no leadership abilities.
    #FakeNews

  32. Agree with sentiment that his performance will define him, not his ability to Wow interviewers. The kid does nothing but win, that is contagious, a lot of greats lead by example.

  33. Here say from Unnamed sources. Where have I seen this before?

    Watch the tape, check the record and production. That doesn’t lie.

  34. Hey Coach Riley, check out your QB’s waffling on baseball. I did not see him give the 210K back. Check out the Dan Patrick interview. Maybe you sheltered the immature one? Look at the Combine – not working out, ten interviews & the rest of the teams? Watch him pull an Eric Cartman if he falls flat on his face in the NFL – screw you guys, I’m going home. If it was anyone not named Charlie Casserly, you might give the kid the benefit of the doubt, but ole Charlie is not one to sensationalize it. Arizona is going to take the dude & I guess we have yet another rebuild & then coaching change in the desert.

  35. Now I think it is true. You hate to have a guy not in the room, saying it didn’t happen. PLUS, coaches aren’t going to make a college coach feel bad by telling the Coach the player didn’t learn how to play the game in the 4 years there under your direction.

  36. Let is go. Why is there such a frantic effort to discredit Casserly’s opinions?
    ————-
    Because he is clearly regurgitating talking points fed to him by GMs who want to trade for him, and therefore want to devalue him. Kind of disingenuous of a NFL Network analyst to represent the interests of a few teams in an effort to help their negotiations.

  37. El Guapo says: “Because he is clearly regurgitating talking points fed to him by GMs who want to trade for him, and therefore want to devalue him. Kind of disingenuous of a NFL Network analyst to represent the interests of a few teams in an effort to help their negotiations.”
    ==========================

    Pretty sure NFL teams don’t listen to the media to decide the value of a player. That’s why most of them have an entire scouting department on payroll…

  38. I’m betting that if Murray doesn’t go #1, there will be articles written here and elsewhere that openly question the motives and thought process of the teams who passed. Teams will not be allowed to get a free pass by passing on this favored prospect.

  39. firstdownbrowns says:
    March 6, 2019 at 10:01 am
    I agree more with Casserly .
    ———-
    Based on what exactly? Have you ever even met him?

  40. Remember there is no good reason for a team to leak info about a prospect other than to affect his draft stock in one way or the other. If you leak bad info, you want to hurt his draft stock. If you leak good info, you want to improve his stock. Otherwise you wouldn’t leak it. So if you want to hurt his draft stock, why do you geniuses think that is? Because they hope he falls to them. I think the concerns about his size are real, but outside of that I think it’s all BS. Dude doesn’t become the player he was at OU with all the negatives Casserly laid out. It’s fair to question those motives.

  41. Did he have any issues with teammates? Coaches? Off the field? Did he perform at the highest level on the field? Who cares what Casserly has to say because one of those teams are going to spend a high 1st round draft choice on him.

  42. By contrast, remember and consider the lukewarm endorsements Rosen, Hackenberg, Paxton Lynch, JaMarcus Russell, Blaine Gabbert, Brady Quinn, Kyle Boller, Matt Barkley, etc., all got by their college coaches before their respective drafts.

  43. I would think Casserly would be focused on the Redskins(His Team) as the possibility of having Josh Rosen and Antonio Brown in Washington burgundy and gold. The majority of Oklahoma QBs do quite well in the NFL.

  44. Was Riley in the interviews that allegedly were bad? No. So, he looks more like a shill for his boi.

  45. Riley wants to recruit the best QBs to OU. He has a bigger reason to lie than Casserly.

  46. tinye67 says:
    March 6, 2019 at 10:04 am

    What is so special about this Kid that he has so many people desperately maneuvering to ensure he goes #1??

    What about Haskins? Doesn’t he deserve this treatment?
    What about Bosa? Why is it ok to virtually ignore his draft prospects?

    Great post. Sums up how I feel too.

  47. I’m not inclined to believe a word that comes out of Lincoln Riley’s mouth.

  48. Casserly’s draft record as an NFL GM speaks for itself. With such brilliant 1st round selections as Desmond Howard and David Carr why is anyone even listening to this guy? He’s often bragged about selecting Mario Williams however the truth is he was salivating over Reggie Bush. The Texans overruled him because he was a lame duck GM and team went with Williams instead.

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