Tramel's ScissorTales: Lincoln Riley's brother, Garrett Riley, is making name for himself at TCU

Garrett Riley always has been known as Lincoln Riley’s little brother. But that status is under siege.

Garrett Riley’s team still is playing. Lincoln’s little brother is the offensive coordinator at TCU, which plays Georgia for the national championship Monday night in Inglewood, California.

Riley, 33, is in his first season at TCU. He came over with head coach Sonny Dykes from Southern Methodist.

Riley was like his brother, a non-scholarship quarterback at Texas Tech, from Muleshoe on the South Plains, 67 miles from Lubbock. But unlike his brother, Garrett Riley didn’t stay at Tech. Lincoln went into coaching as a Tech student. But Garrett transferred to Stephen F. Austin.

Garrett Riley’s coaching stops included Roosevelt High School in Texas, Augustana College in Illinois, East Carolina (with his brother, 2013-14), Kansas (2016-18), Appalachian State (2019) and SMU (2020-21).

Riley was in demand Saturday during media day for the TCU-Georgia championship game. And he talked extensively about his brother, the five-year OU head coach who left a year ago for Southern Cal.

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On the pressure of being Lincoln Riley’s little brother in Muleshoe:

“No, not really. When you're in a small town like that, you're just waiting on your turn. So anyway, had a great experience there at Muleshoe and great coaches. But no, never really felt the pressure of following big brother or anything.”

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On getting the upper hand on his brother, who was 0-4 in national semifinals as OU’s offensive coordinator or head coach:

“You know, we have our certain bragging rights, I guess. But no, that doesn't really get brought up too much. He's a better golfer than I am. Maybe I have that (title-game appearance) on Lincoln. That's up for debate, I guess.”

More:Tramel's ScissorTales: Will TCU's loss to Georgia wipe out any of Big 12 football's gains?

On working with Lincoln at East Carolina:

"Yeah. Had a great experience there under Ruffin McNeill, a huge influence on my life, certainly on Lincoln's. But yeah, was able to have a great time there. Really wasn't a hard working environment, I guess, with your brother or anything. So, I mean, we both just kind of went to work and did our jobs and was able to work under a great head coach.”

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On Garrett Riley paving his own path, despite a successful big brother:

“I mean, it's been very lucky, you know? Started off in a Division III school. Augustana College was my first job about a month after I graduated college and got thrown into the fire, like most coaches. So I was lucky to get a foot in the door and carve my way throughout the years. So like I said, I've been very fortunate and very appreciative of all the experiences I've had so far.”

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On any jealousy from Lincoln this post-season:

“No, not at all. No. He's, you know, he's been great, just fired up and excited for what we can do. The only conversations I've kind of had with him are just kind of being in this experience, right? Being in big-time bowl games, being in the playoff and all that stuff. So that's really been it. Everybody's so busy right now with recruiting and all that, it's kind of hard to find time to dive into all of that.”

More:Tramel: When did Sonny Dykes, one-time OU coaching candidate, see what TCU was capable of?

On sharing ideas and talking football with Lincoln:

"It's just hard. I mean, you're able to bounce ideas off a little bit, but just with our schedules and being just so busy, it's tough. I mean, you may be able to sit back and reflect or bounce ideas off in the summer, but that's honestly about it.”

On their relationship, being six years apart:

“I mean, just really when we were back at Muleshoe together and just growing up, playing video games or fighting or playing football out in the yard or whatever it was, just doing brother stuff. No. That stuff's kind of stopped a little bit.”

More:Tramel: Sonny Dykes was on OU football coaching list when Lincoln Riley bolted for USC

On supplying Lincoln with tickets for the TCU-Georgia game:

“I think he can probably find his own. I think he can find a couple tickets. Yeah, he and his wife are going to come, so, yeah.”

On sharing the Heisman trip to New York with Lincoln, considering USC quarterback Caleb Williams won the trophy and TCU quarterback Max Duggan was a finalist:

“So we got there that day and was able to grab lunch together and just kind of catch a breath and process, holy cow, we're in New York together with a couple Heisman guys. How unbelievable is this? It was really special. Our wives were able to go. It was cool to have everybody there together.”

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On the Riley brothers’ shared success:

“Listen, we've both been very lucky, kind of being at the right place at the right time early in our careers. And I just think we've been around good people and good situations, too. You know, his experience coming up was probably a little different than mine. But it's been cool to see the ride so far.”

On his brother as a mentor:

“I think it's probably nice to just have somebody you really, really trust, obviously as a brother, but in the business where you can bounce ideas off from one another if you need to or just have guidance with somebody that you absolutely trust. So that's obviously nice for us professionally.”

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Title-game prediction: Can Max Duggan carry TCU?

The starting quarterback went down with an injury in the season opener, so coaches were forced to go with the backup. You know, the quarterback they had passed over for the starting job. And that backup led the team to the national championship.

That’s the story TCU hopes to create for the 2022 season.

That’s the story Georgia did create for the 2021 season.

In August, new TCU coach Sonny Dykes and staff picked Chandler Morris as the starting quarterback. But Morris was injured in the season opener against Colorado, and three-year starter Max Duggan took over and has led the Horned Frogs into the championship against Georgia.

And in August 2021, Georgia coach Kirby Smart and staff picked J.T. Daniels as the Bulldog starter, over veteran Stetson Bennett. But Daniels was injured in the season opener against Clemson, Bennett took over and Georgia went on to quarterback a national championship team.

Bennett is back at the Bulldog helm – he joined Duggan as a Heisman Trophy finalist this year – and it’s a remarkable matchup. Two veteran QBs who were benched will duel for all the campus marbles.

TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley on Saturday tried to explain the process that led the Frogs to initially go with Morris.

More:TCU may wear college football's crown, but should OU and OSU be cheering the Horned Frogs?

Morris is a mobile quarterback, like Duggan, but Duggan’s legs are a major part of his playmaking. And with limited hitting in practice, TCU coaches didn’t know for sure what they had, though Dykes had three years worth of film to study.

“You knew that in spring football and fall camp, when the quarterback's not live, that puts Max almost in a disadvantage. Right?” Riley said. “That's where he can really show his greatness is, you know, being in game-like situations. So we knew that.

“I mean, just through the course of the season, he has done some things where I didn't know necessarily in spring football that he was kind of capable of. And I think he's just really gotten in a comfort with what we're doing.

"It's all about repetitions with us. So he's just truly gotten better and better and more confident with kind of what we're doing and with himself.”

Truth is, Duggan is more of a playmaker than is Bennett. Bennett showed in a 42-41 Peach Bowl victory over Georgia that he’s capable of making high-level plays in a high-level game. But the Bulldogs have a big-time defense, which is their identity.

TCU’s identity is Duggan. A hair-on-fire, clutch quarterback who produces huge plays in or out of the pocket.

Georgia can win the title with a pedestrian game from Bennett. TCU can’t win without a blowout game from Duggan.

“Listen, we were very lucky to have the quarterback situation we had,” Riley said. “Very rare when you look across college football to feel like you've got a couple guys that you really feel like can do it and can do it at a high level.

“We knew he brings a lot of things to the table. And then when he came in the first game in Colorado and took the reins and never looked back. It's been impressive to watch.”

The TCU story and the Duggan story are Cinderella tales. Heck, so is Bennett’s.

But there’s nothing Cinderella about the rest of the Bulldogs. In the title game, let’s go with Georgia 37-27.

More:What are Oklahoma State football's looming recruiting needs after transfer portal losses?

Mailbag: TCU in title game

TCU’s appearance in the national championship game has many Oklahomans excited.

John: “Thank you for today’s piece about the present and future state of the Big 12. The Big 12 might be becoming the most competitive conference in college football. Yes, I am a born and bred Sooner, but I’m not really a ‘homer.’ I just love watching college football games that entertain me, even if my team doesn’t always win. The same two teams dominating a conference is boring football, to me. And, thank you, Sonny D., for your flavor of the month!”

Tramel: Big 12 football indeed has become fun, these last two years, with incredibly interesting games. Sports are at their best when you don’t know what’s going to happen before the game, and you don’t know who’s going to win with five minutes left in the game.

More:Josh Giddey, no longer pressing to prove himself, is amid 3-point tear for OKC Thunder

The List: NBA overachievers

The Thunder is 18-22 after beating the Dallas Mavericks 120-109 Sunday night. The Thunder is one of the NBA’s most overachieving teams, based on Las Vegas’ preseason over/number odds on projected victories.

Here are the 10 most overachieving teams, based on preseason odds:

1. Pacers 23-18: Indiana’s over/number was 24½. The Pacers are on pace for 46 wins.

2. Jazz 20-23: Utah’s over/under number was 23½. The Jazz is on pace for 38 wins.

3. Thunder 18-22: OKC’s over/under was 23½. The Thunder is on pace for 37 wins.

4. Kings 20-18: Sacramento’s over/number was 34½. The Kings are on pace for 43 wins.

5. Knickerbockers 22-18: New York’s over/number was 38½. The Knicks are on pace for 45 wins.

6. Grizzlies 26-13: Memphis’ over/number was 49½. The Grizzlies are on pace for 55 wins.

7. Cavaliers 26-15: Cleveland’s over/number was 46½. The Cavs are on pace for 52 wins.

8. Netropolitans 27-13: Brooklyn’s over/number was 50½. The Nets are on pace for 55 wins.

9. Spurs 13-27: San Antonio’s over/number was 22½. The Spurs are on pace for 27 wins.

10. Nuggets 26-13: Denver’s over/number was 51½. The Nuggets are on pace for 55 wins.

Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at 405-760-8080 or at btramel@oklahoman.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today. 

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Lincoln Riley's brother, Garrett, is making name for himself at TCU