OWH: Personality Won't Win Games but Helps Huskers' Image

[Mavric]

Riley is easily the most popular Husker coach with the media I’ve ever been around.

The college football press didn’t dislike Osborne (how could you?), but there was not exactly a comfort zone there. Osborne would politely give his time and thoughts but always made it known that he didn’t want to be there.

Lincoln was basically the dentist’s office on the football writers tour.

And when the trouble came to town, say in 1995, very few came to Osborne’s defense in the sports section.

Frank Solich was seen as a good man and nice guy, but dry quote. Few media types took the Bill Callahan era seriously.

As for Bo Pelini, he had some friends in the press box, but most found a handy excuse to stay away from his unpredictable volcano.

Now here comes Riley, getting the media to swoon by just being his relentlessly natural, pleasant self.

During Riley’s 15-minute session before a few hundred writers Friday morning, Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times tweeted, “I want Mike Riley to be my life coach.”

Later, Greenberg added this tweet: “If he hadn’t done so already, new Nebraska coach Mike Riley has just won over the B1G media. How? Just by being himself. Terrific guy. Nice fit.”

 

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