Riley Shelf Life

[skullNbones]

It seems a lot of people on here are quick to choose a side. I think most people are optimistic and already have jumped on his bandwagon, but there are a few who seem to think it was a bad hire and don't think MR will succeed.

 

Where do you stand? How many seasons does he get?

 

I am cautious. I am still in a wait and see approach.

 

I definitely like the culture he is building as well as his staff.

 

Ultimately though, he better compete for a conference title within 2 years. Just my humble opinion.

 

What say you?

[Vizsla1]

I rely on Riley. Coach will get at least 5 seasons. When he was first hired, I was like Coach Mike "who". Nebraska needed a change for the better. When Forbes lists our brand dropped 5-6 slots, that is a lot of cotton shirts. Coach has a lot of respect around the nation and has been a great ambassador of the program. ESPN loves this guy, heck he was broadcasting on ESPN2 during the national title game. That was pretty cool.

 

No doubt we are competing for a conference title within two seasons.

 

I think the 3-4 losses we may have this year, our point total in those losses will be less than the Wisconsin game. Is that progress? We will see.

[NUance]

I like what I see so far. Riley seems comfortable with the fans and media. His staff is hittin' it outta the park with crootin'.

 

As far as this fall, it's not like we're gonna run the table. It will be an improvement over the last regime if we win the games we're supposed to, pull the occasional upset, and don't get blown out in our toughest couple of games each year.

 

We're just gonna have to wait and see how the season pans out. But I'm cautiously optimistic. :

[zoogs]

Bo Pelini was competing for a conference title in his 2nd year; then what happened?

 

I think Riley should get the standard 4. Check back and see where the program is then, on and off the field. If a change needs to be made, make the change and give another guy 4 years.

[lo country]

I agree with Zoogs. He gets 4 seasons before ant rumblings at all. This enables him to get his recruits in, all with the same vision and mission. It will enable him to completely install his system with depth and experience.

 

I also think that he is allegedly installing a new offensive scheme, a new defensive scheme and its his first year in the B1G. I look at how Bo had to adjust.

 

On the plus side, our O should be potent and allowed us to win 9 last season. If Banker can get our D to only slow down the run, that's good for at least one more win. We have two tougher OOC games in BYU and Miami that could cause some issues, making this years first few games harder than last years schedule IMO. The same cast of characters again in Wisky, Iowa and Minnie. I also think that just the experience of this staff is good enough for an additional win. Riley was also able to coach his guys up for the big games looking at his record at OSU he seemed to

 

I truly don't see us falling below the 9 win season set by Bo. If we do, it will be year 1 as the staff tries to figure out the B1G. It might be advantageous to us as well as teams try to figure out a competent (experienced) staff from top to bottom.

 

With Riley's positive attitude and likable personality, the wheels would have to completely fall off the cart for him to be in jeopardy of getting let go. Even if he turns in some 8 win seasons. I am impressed with the recruiting thus far as he appears to a) do a great job holding the class together and b) seems to be getting some highly rated recruits in next years class. Recruiting, paired with experience is a winning combination. So far, Riley is doing well in the tangibles that build success.

 

Looking back on Bo's tenure. He won in spite of his short comings. Poor recruiting (misses and lack of production), a staff that had little to no experience and no real bond with the fans, administration, former players or media. All of this hurt him. You can only motivate with the us against them mentality before it wears you down.

[teachercd]

He should at least get the chance to play Indiana once. Sense I don't think Nebraska has ever played them since joining the Big Ten

[Redux]

Riley has already seemingly done more on the recruiting trail in 6 months than Bo could ever hoped to have done in the same time frame in 7 tries at it.

 

This day and age you don't get 4 years, you get three. Luckily for Bo he competed and almost won 2 conference titles in those 4 years and also got to at tile game the 5th year and did everything but compete in that one. 3 years is enough to get your guys in the program, teach the guys you have what you want them to do, and to establish your identity. After 3 years if you are still treading water and not improving, you may be replaced. That's the culture now. Some guys are lucky to get three, looking at you Charlie Weiss.

[bleedNUred]

I think coach Riley will end up retiring here, I see him getting the program to that next level and being conference contenders regularly and playoff contenders occasionally. That's my wishful thinking, and I'm sticking to it

[huskered17]

I think coach Riley will end up retiring here, I see him getting the program to that next level and being conference contenders regularly and playoff contenders occasionally. That's my wishful thinking, and I'm sticking to it

I was hoping for the same thing with Bo. So much for that idea.

Riley will probably get the five years, as long as he can win enough big games. His home openers his last five years at O.St was not all that great, 2-3with losses to Sac St and Eastern Wash. 1-1 against BYU and 1-1 against B1G.{Wis}

He has better players here, but he should have had better players against the likes of Sac St and E Wash.

He and his staff have done and said all the right things so far, now lets give him time to see what his teams can do on the field. Fingers crossed.

 

GBR!!!

[The Dude]

He's has a good 8-10 years left in the tank.

 

Also glad we'll have an 'in' with Langsdorf and Bray in the future. Two future D1 or NFL head coaches right there.

[cornographic]

I Riley don't know. Cautious optimism, I 's'pose. Has shown a tendency @ OSU to lose games he shouldn't(e.g., Sac St), which concerns me. He'll be here as long as he wins big, that's why Silent E hired him.

[TheSker]

He'll need to do better than his resume' indicates to be here very long.

[Redux]

He'll need to do better than his resume' indicates to be here very long.

 

So shouldn't we let him coach a season before we throw him under the bus?

[jsneb83]

He'll need to do better than his resume' indicates to be here very long.

You mean have a winning percentage .2-.3 higher than the school's winning percentage the previous 30 years before him?

[zoogs]

This day and age you don't get 4 years, you get three. Luckily for Bo he competed and almost won 2 conference titles in those 4 years and also got to at tile game the 5th year and did everything but compete in that one. 3 years is enough to get your guys in the program, teach the guys you have what you want them to do, and to establish your identity. After 3 years if you are still treading water and not improving, you may be replaced. That's the culture now. Some guys are lucky to get three, looking at you Charlie Weiss.

What is this based on?

 

The two most recent high profile examples I can think of -- Brady Hoke and Will Muschamp -- both had four years. Muschamp had a bad, bad season before his 4th, and hung around. Hoke won a BCS bowl in his first year and it didn't spare him because the outlook had changed by the end of the 4th.

 

Bo's situation was unique, but not only did he get 6, he got 7 -- despite a list of disheartening incidents off the field. Nebraska was quite patient and generous with him, at least to give him that last last chance. If Riley turns out to have a much better impact on program culture, while still recruiting at a high level, I would really hope Nebraska is at least as patient and generous with him.