Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Local writers were able to speak with Banker in the past two days about his release. Billy Devaney's name has come up in a few articles as someone he and others believe played a role in staff changes.
OWH McKewon writes » I asked Banker whether he felt Nebraska executive director of player personnel Billy Devaney had some kind of heavy hand in Riley’s decision-making.
Banker didn’t feel that way.
“I didn’t hang out with Billy, but we talked,” Banker said. “I’ve known him for a while.”
Devaney surely has some role in advising — and maybe even exhorting — Riley to make decisions. That’s what he’s paid to do. A decision that was called innovative last year is now somehow ominous?
LJS Sipple writes: ...one of my main takeaways from Banker was that NU executive director of player personnel Billy Devaney's influence should never be underestimated. Devaney took over his role last February after three decades as an NFL executive.
"In the beginning of the (2016) season, it was awesome, we would watch stuff like our two-minute drill together as a staff along with Mike," Banker said. "It was kind of fun. And then Mike would always have Billy in there. I'm not sure what purpose that served. He's not a football coach.
"At the same time, Mike always would have meetings with Billy and D.V.D. (associate athletic director Dan Van De Riet)."
As one would reasonably expect, Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst and executive associate A.D. Steve Waterfield often were involved, Banker said.
"That was just the chain of command," Banker said. "As for the coaches, we'd get our information in the staff meeting that we had every day, and we'd go do our jobs."
Banker said he didn't feel part of the program's "decision-making process," saying that was a change from his years with Riley both at Oregon State and with the San Diego Chargers.
Why the change in style for Riley? It might be as simple as saying different athletic programs have different styles (and layers) of leadership.
-----------
Anyone who has been in a leadership, a supervisor, manager, especially in a more professional office setting knows a big push now is to "get to know your people." Let them know they are more important than just an employee or subordinate. This, in turn, builds trust, and respect. It allows that person being managed to feel that what they are being told is in their best interest and are more likely to work harder.
I think Riley is great at that. Everyone says it. With that being said, it appears Devaney kept his distance from the football staff. Of course, being cordial and non confrontational, but there was a chain of command as written by Sipple.
Was this done on purpose to allow Devaney not to get too attached, making a possible change in staff, easier for him without being so attached to staff? Giving him a different look or stance at the numbers and performance on the field and in the living rooms of recruits?
OWH McKewon writes » I asked Banker whether he felt Nebraska executive director of player personnel Billy Devaney had some kind of heavy hand in Riley’s decision-making.
Banker didn’t feel that way.
“I didn’t hang out with Billy, but we talked,” Banker said. “I’ve known him for a while.”
Devaney surely has some role in advising — and maybe even exhorting — Riley to make decisions. That’s what he’s paid to do. A decision that was called innovative last year is now somehow ominous?
LJS Sipple writes: ...one of my main takeaways from Banker was that NU executive director of player personnel Billy Devaney's influence should never be underestimated. Devaney took over his role last February after three decades as an NFL executive.
"In the beginning of the (2016) season, it was awesome, we would watch stuff like our two-minute drill together as a staff along with Mike," Banker said. "It was kind of fun. And then Mike would always have Billy in there. I'm not sure what purpose that served. He's not a football coach.
"At the same time, Mike always would have meetings with Billy and D.V.D. (associate athletic director Dan Van De Riet)."
As one would reasonably expect, Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst and executive associate A.D. Steve Waterfield often were involved, Banker said.
"That was just the chain of command," Banker said. "As for the coaches, we'd get our information in the staff meeting that we had every day, and we'd go do our jobs."
Banker said he didn't feel part of the program's "decision-making process," saying that was a change from his years with Riley both at Oregon State and with the San Diego Chargers.
Why the change in style for Riley? It might be as simple as saying different athletic programs have different styles (and layers) of leadership.
-----------
Anyone who has been in a leadership, a supervisor, manager, especially in a more professional office setting knows a big push now is to "get to know your people." Let them know they are more important than just an employee or subordinate. This, in turn, builds trust, and respect. It allows that person being managed to feel that what they are being told is in their best interest and are more likely to work harder.
I think Riley is great at that. Everyone says it. With that being said, it appears Devaney kept his distance from the football staff. Of course, being cordial and non confrontational, but there was a chain of command as written by Sipple.
Was this done on purpose to allow Devaney not to get too attached, making a possible change in staff, easier for him without being so attached to staff? Giving him a different look or stance at the numbers and performance on the field and in the living rooms of recruits?
Last edited by a moderator:
