Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said Thursday that receiver Trejan Bridges and running back Seth McGowan are no longer with the program.
The two were reportedly involved in a local robbery April 15. When a request to Norman police was made regarding Bridges and McGowan, the department responded with a heavily redacted incident report saying a person told police he was bleeding from getting hit with a gun. The department’s summary described the event as “robbery or attempted with dangerous weapon.”
An apartment complex filed an affidavit to Cleveland County Court saying Bridges’ apartment was searched the next day in connection with an assault and robbery. The complex terminated his housing agreement, saying he violated it by having firearms on the property, endangering the safety of another person, taking another person’s property without consent and damaging the reputation of the complex. The document said criminal charges against Bridges are forthcoming.
Riley wouldn’t address the situation directly, but offered his views on players who run into problems.
“I think you have mistakes that guys make that you think that they can learn from and overcome,” Riley said. “And then there’s always got to be a line there. It’s certainly not a free pass. There’s certain things – if they happen – that there’s really no explaining left to do.”
Bridges failed a drug test before the Peach Bowl in 2019 and missed that game and most of the 2020 season. The highly touted prospect finishes his Oklahoma career with nine catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
McGowan entered the transfer portal on April 29. He rushed for 370 yards and three touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 201 yards and a score last season as a freshman. In the Cotton Bowl win over Florida last season, he caught three passes for 70 yards and gained 73 yards on his only carry.
Riley said he is in the “business of helping people,” but the big picture must also be considered.
“Every little mistake that happens out there, people want us to toss guys away immediately,” he said. “That’s not our nature. That’s not who we want to be at all. But at the same time, we also have the university and a proud football program and a lot of things here to protect as well. We’re going to help these kids as much as we can. But we’re certainly going to protect the program and the university as well.”
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