Is Riley the Next Barney Fife or our TO-like Savior?

[AZHusker33]

After watching the game last night and seeing Riley sit in the stands with his family, eat a hot dog and some popcorn, meld in with the fans, give a nice interview to ESPN and just sort of golly-shucks-his-way through the evening, I was left with a smile as there's just something so endearing about the guy. And he's 61? What???

 

However, how does this translate to coaching our football team and producing wins? I just can't figure him out and really don't know what to expect next year? Will this really down-to-earth, cool and approachable vibe turn this perennial 9-4 team into a contender or will the next 3-5 years be the same as before, but just with a different personality on the sidelines?

 

I am hoping for the second coming of Coach Osborne and not a deputy from Mayberry ... should be interesting!

[Vizsla1]

I get the same read as OP. Which American Icon will he be? Let's hope Hayden Fox, after the second season of course. I am much more optimistic about our hire of him than I was of Coach Bo. Travel back 7 years in cyber space( my HB posts) about our hiring of Bo, but I shared I had friends close to the OU program and they dished some crap about him and said him will be a challenging hire. I don't get that sense with Coach that he will be a challenging hire.

 

The environment for the Assistant Coaches and staff will have a better free flow of info sharing. Best to ask a person to get something done and allow them to use their creative powers than to tell them how to do it... My BOliever friends thought he looked like a chump and a pu77y. Time will tell.

[Voice Of Reason]

Haha...no kidding.

 

He is very likeable, just like TO. Players will play for him because they know his interest is in making them better and giving them a chance to perform well by teaching. Doing so with a staff of coaches he trusts and believes in. Seems MR and his coaches are inheriting a good team to begin working with and install their skill-sets.

 

One major difference I am looking forward to is the teachable/coaching moments on the sidelines during the games. Giving our kids something to use instead of a spit filled tirade will make a difference.

[Branno]

Neither? Both? sh#t, Bo was looked at like a savior until like year 6.

 

Can't we at least let the guy coach a season before we start to try to determine how his tenure will be viewed? Setting expectations now is only going to lead to disappointment later.

[RedRex]

Savior or scumbag... judgment to begin today. Doesn't seem to be a lot of room for any other verdicts around here. I honestly think this place may kill the man from the stress. You start with the bi-polar nature of the fanbase, sprinkle in impatience and unrealistic expectations, and then get to see if Riley enjoys the ride as much as everyone else does. As usual the "patient majority" will stand idly while the bomb-throwers get louder and rowdier, gaining a few converts for every questionable play call or unexpected loss. Oh, and then there's the media...

 

Media now days is set on conflict and unrest. They've made a killing selling this locally since TO retired from coaching, and the idea that they will now give that up cold turkey because Riley is a "nice guy" is just naïve. The seeds are already planted and just need a little tending to get them to bloom, then once again the pressies run wild in the jungle. The fans feed them, they feed the fans. You don't sell papers running "Everything's swell" headlines.

 

Lincoln might as well be light-years from Corvallis. People in Oregon had a choice. Don't like the taste of Beaver football? Slide on over to the Duck Dominion, no problems. Here? There is only one topic and it never sleeps. Riley didn't run back to OSU from San Diego because his fair skin couldn't take the sun. His first love may be working with young men, but will that be enough to shut out all the pressure directed at him and the program from outside? I just don't see it.

[rasputzen]

Neither? Both? sh#t, Bo was looked at like a savior until like year 6.

 

Can't we at least let the guy coach a season before we start to try to determine how his tenure will be viewed? Setting expectations now is only going to lead to disappointment later.

 

Callahan didn't set the bar too high for up and coming saviors. They could have put a dancing monkey on the sideline and people would still be able to say "At least he's better than Bill".

[HuskerDu5844]

Savior or scumbag... judgment to begin today. Doesn't seem to be a lot of room for any other verdicts around here. I honestly think this place may kill the man from the stress. You start with the bi-polar nature of the fanbase, sprinkle in impatience and unrealistic expectations, and then get to see if Riley enjoys the ride as much as everyone else does. As usual the "patient majority" will stand idly while the bomb-throwers get louder and rowdier, gaining a few converts for every questionable play call or unexpected loss. Oh, and then there's the media...

 

Media now days is set on conflict and unrest. They've made a killing selling this locally since TO retired from coaching, and the idea that they will now give that up cold turkey because Riley is a "nice guy" is just naïve. The seeds are already planted and just need a little tending to get them to bloom, then once again the pressies run wild in the jungle. The fans feed them, they feed the fans. You don't sell papers running "Everything's swell" headlines.

 

Lincoln might as well be light-years from Corvallis. People in Oregon had a choice. Don't like the taste of Beaver football? Slide on over to the Duck Dominion, no problems. Here? There is only one topic and it never sleeps. Riley didn't run back to OSU from San Diego because his fair skin couldn't take the sun. His first love may be working with young men, but will that be enough to shut out all the pressure directed at him and the program from outside? I just don't see it.

Clearly another Bo brainwashed automaton.

We should be excited about Coach Riley, he's the first coach we have hired who is a actual college head coach since Bobby D! Get for the kids and getting back to simple fundamentals of player sound football

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Neither? Both? sh#t, Bo was looked at like a savior until like year 6.

 

Can't we at least let the guy coach a season before we start to try to determine how his tenure will be viewed? Setting expectations now is only going to lead to disappointment later.

It's the off-season. We need something to talk about

[NebraskaShellback]

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

Maybe he will be like Andy Griffith

[RunMickeyRun02]

Between those two extreme options the more likely would seem to be the Andy scenario. The more likely is somewhere in the middle.

[CharlieTuna]

Lincoln might as well be light-years from Corvallis. People in Oregon had a choice. Don't like the taste of Beaver football? Slide on over to the Duck Dominion, no problems. Here? There is only one topic and it never sleeps. Riley didn't run back to OSU from San Diego because his fair skin couldn't take the sun. His first love may be working with young men, but will that be enough to shut out all the pressure directed at him and the program from outside? I just don't see it.

 

But if you're Riley, does it matter? He knows he hit the lottery. Riley was probably going to be let go by Oregon State and Eichorst gave him a million dollar a year raise to come to Lincoln.

 

If Riley never wins a game, Eichorst has guaranteed a nice retirement package.

 

Maybe that's why he's smiling so much?

[True2tRA]

Neither? Both? sh#t, Bo was looked at like a savior until like year 6.

 

Can't we at least let the guy coach a season before we start to try to determine how his tenure will be viewed? Setting expectations now is only going to lead to disappointment later.

Whoa man. Whoa.

 

I didn't "hate" Bo his entire tenure here by any means, but I can assure you I was questioning his scheme and his "guru" status long before year 6.

[Hayseed]

As far as Don Knotts roles......I think it's more like 'The Reluctant Astronaut'. I'm pretty sure Scott Frost knew if he came back there'd be a little dog jumping in the cake and an old lady saying she used to change his dinies. It'll take a special kind of guy to please these nutjob Red Clad Loons and Riley might be the perfect man for the job.

[skersfan]

http://www.seniorgames.net/records/track/records/

 

I saw the 90 year old set his record. My guess is that he runs the 100 meters faster than 90% on this board that are in the late 20's to early 30's. Some of us old timers do more in a day than most do in a week. Age is not a liability for Coach Riley at this time. Coach Snyder and our beloved Tom Osborne are still pulling pretty heavy loads.

 

Lets give the guy a chance before we bury him.

 

Oh by the way, I would not call Tom a savior, the team was in pretty good shape when he took the reigns. Old Bob did a pretty good job.