LandOf10: Is Year 3 the season Nebraska coach Mike Riley turns the corner from ‘sleeper’ to ‘contender’?

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
Bob Devaney won nine games in Year 3. Tom Osborne won 10. So did Frank Solich. Bill Callahan, the heretic, won nine; Bo Pelini, the hysteric, won 10.

The last Nebraska Cornhuskers coach who didn’t produce at least a .643 winning percentage in his third season at the controls was William Jennings in 1959, with a mark of 4-6. The next five men after him, over a span of 50 years and change, averaged 9.6 victories. Mike Riley, the floor is yours. The ceiling, too.

It’s a high bar. A mesospheric bar. And the telling year starts now, for better or worse. Arkansas State looms on Saturday night, the launch point for Year 3. The season when the picture of what this era is — or what it’s supposed to be — starts to come, like an old Polaroid, into focus.

https://www.landof10.com/nebraska/year-3-season-nebraska-coach-mike-riley-turns-corner-sleeper-contender
Click to expand...



 
Last edited by a moderator:
Another point worth mentioning: all five of those predecessors had either won or at least played for a conference championship by year three. Will Riley?

 
Toe said:
Another point worth mentioning: all five of those predecessors had either won or at least played for a conference championship by year three. Will Riley?
Click to expand...
Good point, but the West division is only 1 team shy of the entire Big 8, so not quite the same as BD and TO.

 
everybody knows my name said:
Riley is a decent guy and a fine X/O coach, but he runs the totally wrong offense for Nebraska and the B1G.  He strikes me as a proponent of finesse football.  How do you guys stomach it?
Click to expand...
Has he had a big, burly back he could give the ball to 30 times a game?  You cook with the ingredients you have.  He prefers a "pro" style offense, but pro style offenses run the ball too.  It's not all about passing.  If Riley had Lawrence Phillips, I promise Lawrence would get the ball a lot.    

 
RedDenver said:
Isn't Chryst a Riley protege?
Click to expand...


tenor.gif


 
everybody knows my name said:
Riley is a decent guy and a fine X/O coach, but he runs the totally wrong offense for Nebraska and the B1G.  He strikes me as a proponent of finesse football.  How do you guys stomach it?
Click to expand...


Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin, three of the top 5 teams in the league over the last few years, all run pro-style offenses. 

 
Not to be repetitive, but Dinardo said as much about our practice. We will basically mirror Wisconsin on offense as far as formations and concepts. Makes sense given Riley and Chrysts  history. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top