The Mike Riley Presser

[Stumpy1]

For a guy who is so well respected around coaching and media circles, he knows NOBODY on the staff?

That struck me as odd, too. You'd think he'd have a pretty full Rolodex by now.

Yeah...I think he has been pretty isolated...but it still something that kind of bugs me a bit...1. Really well respected but might not know a lot of guys

2. Might be bringing most/all of his old staff

3. Offense is a hodgepodge/multiple

Not the end of the world but just things that kind of made me go "hmmmm"

He's been here a single day folks. Give him some time....he's got plenty of it.

Thats just it...he doesn't have plenty of time. He is starting recruiting today, he said...time is up.

Exactly. He doesn't have plenty of time, he needs to get to work yesterday.

I,agree with you about all of your concerns.

I was expecting him to win the press conference, but I wasn't impressed.

I said last night that this hire seemed very callahanesque, after hearing this press conference and everything about this guy, he seems more Doc Sadler to me.

Given the negativity you have had over this hire in general, your comments are not surprising.

It's funny that our previous staff got killed for having a Hodge podge offense with no identity, yet this guy gets a pass.

If he brings the majority of his staff from OSU, if his record is any indication of their ability, then we shouldn't expect much better than what we've had the past 15 years.

I think that those are real concerns.

Your so full of sh#t. Riley has an offensive identity but will adjust it to fit the players he has. That is called coaching, something we haven't seen in years.

 

[noname87]

Let's not forget anout Jamal turner IF he can stay healthy...kid has always been under utilized

senior - haven't seen any indication he'll try for a medical RS but we'll see

he was interviewed last night and said he was able to finally jump, needed to get ready for spring so he can impress the coaches

 

[Paul in WI]

Until he starts laying eggs on the field, I think that he should get the benefit of the doubt from fans. Fair enough?

 

[carlfense]

Let's not forget anout Jamal turner IF he can stay healthy...kid has always been under utilized

senior - haven't seen any indication he'll try for a medical RS but we'll see

1620 (I think) this morning said that he will be back next season.

 

[Jeremy]

Cautiously Optimistic. Press loves this guy.

 

[Undone]

Inb4 "you're firing the guy before he's coached a single game."

 

[The King]

For a guy who is so well respected around coaching and media circles, he knows NOBODY on the staff?

That struck me as odd, too. You'd think he'd have a pretty full Rolodex by now.

Yeah...I think he has been pretty isolated...but it still something that kind of bugs me a bit...1. Really well respected but might not know a lot of guys

2. Might be bringing most/all of his old staff

3. Offense is a hodgepodge/multiple

Not the end of the world but just things that kind of made me go "hmmmm"

He's been here a single day folks. Give him some time....he's got plenty of it.

Thats just it...he doesn't have plenty of time. He is starting recruiting today, he said...time is up.

Exactly. He doesn't have plenty of time, he needs to get to work yesterday.

I,agree with you about all of your concerns.

I was expecting him to win the press conference, but I wasn't impressed.

I said last night that this hire seemed very callahanesque, after hearing this press conference and everything about this guy, he seems more Doc Sadler to me.

Given the negativity you have had over this hire in general, your comments are not surprising.

It's funny that our previous staff got killed for having a Hodge podge offense with no identity, yet this guy gets a pass.

If he brings the majority of his staff from OSU, if his record is any indication of their ability, then we shouldn't expect much better than what we've had the past 15 years.

I think that those are real concerns.

Their record is an indication of their ability to coach, recruit and develop talent at a program that is in oregon's backyard, with two star players all over the field, limited resources and opportunity and they still put out a decent on the field product despite being outathleted in almost every game. If anything, his experience doing more with less (has OSU has 19 players in the NFL, Neb 26, and I guarantee our recruiting classes have blown theirs out of the water) shows what kind of evaluator and developer his staff is.

Let's see how he recruits, coaches and develops talent with high 3/4 star players, 1000000x better facilities, and many more resources and other funding benefits. Nebraska alone will allow him to get into recruits doors he wasn't able too before.

Sheesh

A good analogy someone made the other day - if he spent his time at Boise State like Chis Petersen, he has a better record or the same record at minimum.

 

[kchusker_chris]

If I remember correctly, Pelini said they were pursuing the Medical RS and Turner didn't participate in Senior Day.

great news. JT still has something to prove.

 

[QMany]

 

[carlfense]

For a guy who is so well respected around coaching and media circles, he knows NOBODY on the staff?

Does that speak to the obscurity of the coaching hires Pelini has made?

That's not what i take from it

'course not.

 

[Mierin]

Let's not forget anout Jamal turner IF he can stay healthy...kid has always been under utilized

senior - haven't seen any indication he'll try for a medical RS but we'll see

He said yesterday he has to be ready before spring ball to impress the new coaches.

 

[billdozer15]

These are just my raw emotions. Please, don't flame.

I feel like Eichorst just hired a guy that is un-fireable due to his niceness. Like, he's fire-proof.

This feels like an admission that domination on the field is a thing of the past, and the only thing left to cling to is some kind of ethereal spirit of Tom Osborne's "niceness." It was like Riley forced himself to say "...and win championships, too" in the presser.

For the record, Mike - The booster illuminati will eat you alive, one way or the other. <---Those are not MY feelings towards Mike, but is the reality of the situation if he doesn't win conference titles.

I think he is stepping into a pretty difficult situation. We fired a guy who won 9+ games each year and had people on both sides of the issue. The Callahan/Pelini transition went much easier because almost everyone was done with BC. This transition will be a little tougher because there were still strong supporters of Bo....perception.

The hire was nothing anyone thought so of course people are going to be nervous about this hire.

The more I keep reading and hearing about this cat, I am pretty excited. I have to disagree with you that he will be eaten alive by the illuminati. The players will back this dude and he will bring in some solid coaches....I really hope!

Stay the course my man!!!

I dont think there were that many Bo supporters left. Whats going to make this transition difficult is the hire itself. We would all be singing a different tune had we landed a proven winner. We got the exact opposite and now everyone is "hoping" what we did is right. "Hope" is not a strategy (unless you are running for president). By making this hire the pressure cooker just got hotter for the simple fact that this guy is coming into an environment now were people are already skeptical. At the first sign of trouble this thing is going to turn on its head. Had we hired a proven winner that would not be the case.

Again, I hope I am wrong.

 

[QMany]

Jake Wasikowski ‏@jakewasikowski 5m5 minutes ago
Here's your new @Huskers football coach Mike Riley who says he's going to get at it starting today. #action3news

 

[74Hunter]

74Hunter, i would never try to tell anyone how to feel or handle a situation. But im encouraging you to try and have alittle perspective. Im not saying this is the guy to bring us to where we are. But he is a experienced guy, hes a good coach in terms of leading players. He may pull a callahan but thats going to be hard to sell to everyone else. He isnt smug like callahan and that right there should tell you something.

Fair, and i think I've been looking at this with perspective.

 

[alexhortdog95]

For a guy who is so well respected around coaching and media circles, he knows NOBODY on the staff?

That struck me as odd, too. You'd think he'd have a pretty full Rolodex by now.

Yeah...I think he has been pretty isolated...but it still something that kind of bugs me a bit...1. Really well respected but might not know a lot of guys

2. Might be bringing most/all of his old staff

3. Offense is a hodgepodge/multiple

Not the end of the world but just things that kind of made me go "hmmmm"

He's been here a single day folks. Give him some time....he's got plenty of it.

Thats just it...he doesn't have plenty of time. He is starting recruiting today, he said...time is up.

Exactly. He doesn't have plenty of time, he needs to get to work yesterday.

I,agree with you about all of your concerns.

I was expecting him to win the press conference, but I wasn't impressed.

I said last night that this hire seemed very callahanesque, after hearing this press conference and everything about this guy, he seems more Doc Sadler to me.

Wow. Just Wow.

You guys need to let him take care of business. He's got 40 more years experience than you and he knows what he's doing.

He'll get his shot, but there is work to be done, little time to do it.

The guy gets props for me for being the guy that drafted Drew Brees into the NFL.

He also gets props from me for signing a beast like Steven Jackson.

Also - for those of you that are wondering why Eichorst hired this guy:

Randy York’s N-Sider


Two years ago, when Wisconsin Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez was in search of a new Badger head football coach, the former Nebraska All-Big Eight Conference linebacker had Mike Riley on his short list. “I wanted Mike to talk with me about our job, but he wasn’t interested in leaving Oregon State,” Alvarez told me in a telephone conversation Thursday afternoon. Alvarez didn’t take the rejection personally “because I knew how many great jobs Mike’s turned down in the past,” he said. "Mike is really well thought of in our business. He’s one of the good guys in college athletics. He comes from a great background, has a really good offensive mind, and runs a very good program. I think he’ll be a great fit at Nebraska.”