If you care remotely about College football you have, by now, heard that Mike Riley slipped out the back door of Reser stadium and hopped a flight for Lincoln. Waiting for him there? Nothing short of an opportunity to prove that he is as good a tactician and coach as he a builder of men.
I was a fooled as everyone. No ONE saw this coming. Ignorantly we mistook the chapstick and bubble gun smacking, hip-hip hoorayer for someone who cared only about securing his retirement. We all missed the simple truth: underneath the kind exterior still beat the heart of a competitor beginning to see the horizon.
How else can you explain Riley leaving a low pressure job in a town he has called home for most of his life for one of the most pressure packed jobs in all of the FBS?
How else can you explain Riley leaving a low pressure job in a town he has called home for most of his life for one of the most pressure packed jobs in all of the FBS?
Maybe it was our fault. It wouldn't surprise me if, when the phone rang, Riley picked up the phone thinking it was another booster calling to complain. I wonder at what point during his conversation with Shawn Eichorst it hit Riley, "Well, shucks. Though I love it here, these people just don't seem to grasp how difficult it is to recruit here. There are more four and five star recruits on Nebraska's current roster than I've ever seen here in Corvallis, even if I throw in all the guys that came on a recruiting visit. And a pay raise?".
It's easy to forget how difficult the OSU job actually is, especially when playing in one of the nation's toughest conferences. If you've never been to Corvallis, the only PAC12 school that remotely compares in terms of "middle of nowhere" is in Pullman, Washington. There is a reason both schools are highly regarded agriculture schools.
Before Riley, OSU was in the middle of TWENTY-SIX consecutive losing seasons. The most wins they had in any single year during that stretch was five; Riley reached five wins in his second season and was rewarded with an NFL contract. On his heels came a coach (Dennis Erickson) that many Beaver fans revere simply because he had one good season. I guess it is easy to forget that after going 11-1 with a team comprised of mostly Riley recruits and one and done JC guys, Erickson came into the following season ranked as the #1 team in college football and promptly went 5-6.
Before Riley, OSU was in the middle of TWENTY-SIX consecutive losing seasons. The most wins they had in any single year during that stretch was five; Riley reached five wins in his second season and was rewarded with an NFL contract. On his heels came a coach (Dennis Erickson) that many Beaver fans revere simply because he had one good season. I guess it is easy to forget that after going 11-1 with a team comprised of mostly Riley recruits and one and done JC guys, Erickson came into the following season ranked as the #1 team in college football and promptly went 5-6.
For anyone who thinks "if the Ducks can do it, so can the Beavers", spend a day in both towns and try to imagine yourself as a an 18 year old. Not only is Eugene three times the size, but it's vibrant, diverse downtown is a bit more appealing to kids who want to do more than crowd a Buffalo Wild Wings. Throw in Uncle Phil's money and it's like comparing Iron Man to Napoleon Dynamite.
Though our negativity may have contributed to his departure, nothing we may have said can tarnish what Riley has done for OSU. The sheer number of two and three star guys he has helped into the NFL is beyond the scope of his record. Truly though, the heart of Riley's legacy at OSU lies in how great his influence has been throughout the lives of the guys he's coached.
How will Riley fare as the head of a program that he can actually recruit to? Guess we will have to wait and see. My prediction? If Riley can win 9 or 10 games in a season at OSU, he can surely reach 11 or more in Lincoln.
Good Luck to you, Mike, you will be missed!
Hip-Hip Hooray! Hip-Hip Hooray! Hip-Hip Hooray! Hip-Hip Hooray!
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