It's time for Baker Mayfield to grow

Baker Mayfield apologized to Daniel Jones. It's good. Let's hope that Mayfield also apologizes to Lincoln Riley and Joe Castiglione.

Mayfield was in the news this week when GQ magazine published an interview with Mayfield in which the Cleveland Browns quarter broke up the New York Giants for quarterback Daniel Jones.

There comes a time when young men need to grow up and for Mayfield, it is now. Or last year, when the Browns made him the face of their besieged franchise. To be interesting, that's good. Being provocative is good. Being a rogue who is an enemy is stupid in the hardened world of professional football.

After the OU won 31-16 in the United States on September 9, 2017, in the state of Ohio, Mayfield planted his Sooner flag on the Ohio field. Stadium. He apologized a few days later – which, frankly, was not necessary for Mayfield's defense. We do not care as long as Mayfield has not damaged the Buckeye facilities and has not caused any conflict with the fans or the players. I've always thought that the tradition of claiming an auction in Oklahoma was far too common. It goes back to the Land Run and is reproduced in the Cotton Bowl when OU succeeds in beating Texas.

But all the same, this became a big problem, the officials of the OU – I presume that sports director Castiglione and perhaps President David Boren – thought that an apology was acceptable, perhaps only for reasons public relations, then Mayfield published one.

A few days later, Riley said the excuses were Mayfield's idea.

Maybe not. Maybe yes. Probably not, knowing Mayfield. So, Riley could very well have been lying, which is a good lesson for Riley but somehow beside the point in this discussion. Riley defended Mayfield. Still, in fact, even after this notorious incident tied to a crotch in Kansas later in the season.