Look at Riley’s full quote about UGA before calling it a diss
He was talking about different conferences having different styles.
Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley said a few words about Georgia that turned some heads:
From OU head coach Lincoln Riley just now on @ESPNUonSiriusXM talking with me and @TaylorZarzour about how difficult it is to play defense in the Big 12:
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) July 3, 2018
"If you throw Georgia in the Big 12 every year there is no way they are a Top 5 defense in the country"
Sure, at first glance, this quote could be seen as a jab at Georgia, who finished sixth in total defense last year (11th in the opponent-adjusted S&P+). But what Riley is actually talking about here is how good the Big 12 offenses are.
Here’s the full exchange between Riley and kanell from the interview. pic.twitter.com/lzXA9Pw2vS
— Allen Kenney (@BlatantHomerism) July 3, 2018
He even directly refuted the notion that he was taking a shot at Georgia.
That’s not a shot at Georgia....they were absolutely one of the best defenses last year...it’s a compliment to our league-
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) July 3, 2018
Kanell, one of the show’s hosts, gave the quote some more context later, too:
I want to make something clear...Lincoln Riley was in no way being a sore loser or bashing the SEC. He was making a point about how difficult it is to play "good defense" in the Big 12 where every offense you face is explosive. And he's 100% right.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) July 3, 2018
Also, let’s not forget what Oklahoma did against Georgia in last year’s Rose Bowl, putting up 48 points against the Dawgs defense in a 54-48 UGA win. Big 12 teams are amongst the highest scoring teams in the nation year after year — last season there were five Big 12 teams, including OU, that finished in the Top-30 in points per game nationally.
It’s no secret that the SEC often lacks consistent offensive juggernauts, too. Missouri led the conference in total offense last season, but got held to 16 points by the Big 12’s Texas in a bowl game. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State averaged 580 yards and 569 years, respectively, in the Big 12.
Sure, Riley’s quote catches the eye at first, but let’s not get too carried away here.