Coach Riley's Contract

[tailspin]

I believe while at OSU Riley turned down more money and pushed to get an additional $300,000 for his assistants instead. He was already the longest tenured and lowest paid coach in the league and his focus was on more money for other people. I think Nebraska fans should step back and realize what they are getting. A guy who does things the right way. A guy who is deeply respected by the best football minds in the country (coaches/AD's). A guy who runs a clean program. Yes, its difficult to diagnose his success or lack thereof at Oregon State but its logical to defer to other coaches and AD's - no doubt Eichorst had Alvarez's ear on this hire and Alvarez has some Nebraska blood in him. I think this helps to validate the hire - when other AD's and coaches are on board then its a pretty good sign its a great hire. I can sympathize with posters here though, I had the same "WTF" reaction with the Gary Anderson hire at UW. It proves we don't know jack about who will, or won't, make a great hire. In my book its character first (run a clean program), teaching second (get the right kids and then get them on the same page) and third its about winning. The first two generally solve the third. Winning first with guys like Tressel rots a program and an institution from inside out and in 5 years you're on probation and having your 10 wins seasons nullified. No thanks.

[junior4949]

I understand what it would have taken to get another higher profile coach. I guess I am asking, did it take $2.7M, an 80% raise, to get Riley out of Corvallis?

Considering the sheer amount of interest there's been from other teams trying to pry Riley out of Corvalis for years, I'm amazed 2.7 did the trick. 5-6 years ago, he was one of if not the hottest commodities out there. When Snyder built KState into a respectable program, the school did the right thing and started pumping a bunch of money into it. When Riley built Oregon State into a respectable program, Oregon State was unwilling to pump money into the program. I'm guessing this is what ultimately gave Riley the incentive to leave.