How Brock Purdy's influence altered the course of Oklahoma Sooners football

That same season, USC offered Lincoln Riley the head coaching job, and he ran to California in the middle of the night to take it. 

However, according to Purdy, a decision he made completely shifted the future of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Appearing on the Bussin with the Boys podcast, Purdy revealed that the Trojans had offered Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell the job before offering it to Lincoln Riley. Purdy and his father talked him out of it. 

"He was crying pretty hard our senior night and everyone was like, ‘Alright, what’s going on?’ You could tell there was something going on like he was going to leave kind of thing. I actually brought my dad with me the next day when I met with (Campbell) and we talked. I was like, dude, my dad was in my life, he coached me up, ground balls, all the meetings, my dad was with me and I was so grateful for that. And he was talking about out in LA it’s a different world compared to the Midwest and what he’s used to and being in his kids' life and stuff. It would just be a different kind of environment, and (I’m) not knocking USC, California or anything. It’s just different. After that, (Campbell) decided, 'I’m going to stay at Iowa State."

While I believe that everything else around Oklahoma is healthier now than it was for a long time under Lincoln Riley, it's fascinating to consider the ramifications of Purdy's actions. 

What if he doesn't, and Campbell takes the USC job? Maybe Riley takes the LSU job instead, but given his reluctance to play the SEC, I'm not totally convinced he does that. 

It's likely that he stays with OU for another season. That means Caleb Williams is still under center for the Sooners in what would almost certainly also be another Heisman-caliber season. Oklahoma gets another Heisman winner and number-one pick to their tally, and likely makes the CFP that season, given the talent on the roster with a quarterback of Williams's caliber. 

Riley probably wouldn't find another job of the same caliber as USC for several years too. Alabama and Texas A&M didn't open up until 2023. Maybe Riley still is the head coach of the Sooners. Where does that leave Venables? 

Even some of the other choices downriver of this, such as Jordan Addison's transfer, or some other what ifs of potential quarterback transfers, become interesting thought experiments.

Maybe OU is able to pull in Cam Ward, Aidan Chiles, Julian Sayin, or Dante Moore from the portal to replace Caleb Williams this season. 

Regardless, Purdy's choice that day helping sway Matt Campbell to declining the job completely shifted the course of Oklahoma football. 

This season could decide whether that was a positive or negative shift.