Oklahoma Football: Baker Mayfield’s Senior Day “benching” is ridiculous

Oklahoma quarterback and Heisman-favorite Baker Mayfield will not start for the Sooners when they host West Virginia on Saturday.

During Monday’s press conference, first-year Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley decided to make an example out of the best player in the country – at the absolute worst possible time.

Senior Baker Mayfield is being disciplined for his actions from Saturday’s 41-3 rout of the Kansas Jayhawks, and will not start when the Sooners play West Virginia. This will be Mayfield’s final game in Norman, and he’ll be watching from the sideline and won’t be a captain.

Of course, not starting and not playing at all are two completely different things. Mayfield will certainly see playing time, whether it happens on the first or second drive is anyone’s guess (in no scenario do I see Mayfield missing more than one series for the Sooners; they’re fighting for a College Football Playoff spot).

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Mayfield’s 2017 season is shaping up to be better statistically than last year when he finished third in the Heisman voting. He’s already thrown for 3,816 yards and 34 touchdowns, compared to a total of 3,965 yards and 40 touchdowns all of last year.

Former teammate Dede Westbrook joined Mayfield as a Heisman candidate a year ago, getting enough votes to fall just behind Mayfield and finish fourth.

Mayfield is the clear favorite heading into the weekend and it’s seemingly like the Heisman is his to lose but actions like Saturday’s against the Jayhawks could cost him some votes.

What Mayfield did was inappropriate, but Riley is setting a high bar for a program that once let things slip through the cracks. Does this punishment fit the crime? If he did this while still on the playing field with his helmet on (not the sideline), would this be a punishable offense? Is this even a punishment?

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round after Week 12

Maybe all schools need a Lincoln Riley-minded coach that’ll bench the star player in his final home game to make a statement. I guess only time will tell if the move mattered, or if Riley just caused many an unnecessary headache.