Riley's Vision at Nebraska Coming Together

[Sonny]

In short, Riley won more recruiting battles with USC in his first 2 years at NU than he did at Oregon St. in his entire 14 year tenure.

As he should. But it wasn't for a lack of effort at Oregon State. If Riley was the head coach at Oklahoma, I'm confident he would consistently have top 15 classes and win more recruiting battles vs. major schools in his first two years than he won over 14 years at Oregon State.

 

[SamBass]

What I like most about what I am seeing is that although Riley is bringing a new philosophy and new schemes, he's showing great respect for the traditions that we have here. He's embraced everything about the Nebraska program, from the fans to the blackshirts to the high expectations. He doesn't act like recruiting to Lincoln is a yoke around his neck. It's what makes him different from our past two coaching failures and why any comparisons to either of those coaches is misplaced. He's not abandoning his offensive philosophy or his approach to the game, but he's also molding it what was already great about the program.

i agree on 94% of your post, mike. coaching failures are subjective and at times, cornhusker football can be terminally unique.

 

[The Big Red Lebowski]

As he should. But it wasn't for a lack of effort at Oregon State. If Riley was the head coach at Oklahoma, I'm confident he would consistently have top 15 classes and win more recruiting battles vs. major schools in his first two years than he won over 14 years at Oregon State.

That's the point. Some posters make the very shallow argument that Riley's record at OSU was about .500, so it will be about .500 at NU. It's no different than arguing his recruiting classes were average at OSU, so they will be average at NU. Resources matter...combine resources with hard work and you get classes ranked 25 instead of 50.

It's also easier to win at places like Nebraska and Oklahoma than it is Oregon St. or say, Ohio. Frank Solich is evidence of that. It's easier to win at Alabama than it is Michigan St. Nick Saban is evidence of that. It's easier to win at LSU than it is Okie St. Les Miles is evidence of that.

 

[ChitownHusker]

i agree on 94% of your post, mike. coaching failures are subjective and at times, cornhusker football can be terminally unique.

I'll take 94%.

 

[LarstheRed]

As he should. But it wasn't for a lack of effort at Oregon State. If Riley was the head coach at Oklahoma, I'm confident he would consistently have top 15 classes and win more recruiting battles vs. major schools in his first two years than he won over 14 years at Oregon State.

You continue to fail to differentiate recruiting effort, and the quality of player being recruited. Some see 'high level' being measured by elite rated players. You seem to feel it's an effort based description.

 

[huskerator 5000]

While you are it, maybe you can explain to me how Frank Solich won 75% of his games at NU but is winning at only a 57% clip at Ohio?

MR took over an Oregon State team that was winning 16% in conference the four years prior, and he upped that to 48% over his career at OSU. FS took over an Ohio team that was winning 25% in conference the four years prior, and he upped that to 61%. So, actually kind of similar. It's saddening that some fans choose to disparage one or the other of these fine coaches. They're both good coaches.

 

[SoCalRed]

He does, he mistakenly thinks of a power running game as our culture. While it certainly has been a part of it, largely from the late 70's until TO left in 1997, it is just that, merely a part of the culture during a specific period of time. The culture is made up of lots of things and has changed little since Devaney brought the Big Red back to life in the 60's.

No, that's not what I think. Nor are we a free-wheeling pass attack. I know that is what you slather for. I sincerely hope you're correct. I doubt it.

 

[The Big Red Lebowski]

You continue to fail to differentiate recruiting effort, and the quality of player being recruited. Some see 'high level' being measured by elite rated players. You seem to feel it's an effort based description.

Wait, are you saying that the Rivals/Scout/247 team recruiting rankings aren't ordered by effort? :O O:

 

[SoCalRed]

Cheese and Rice. Some of you people simply have a one track mind. News flash....Mike Riley is NEVER going to run the offense that you want. Period. End of story. And no matter the record you will never be happy about it.

It's hopeless, blisker. Certain people refuse to recognize reality.

 

[SoCalRed]

Perspective.

Prior to Riley, Oregon State had five head coaches between 1965 and 1996 -- all with career losing records at Oregon State.

97-245-7. That was the W-L-T total from 1965 to 1996.

Riley went 93-80 at OSU. That's nearly double the winning percentage of the 32 seasons prior to his arrival. In fact, he won nearly as many games in 14 seasons at OSU than the 32 seasons prior to Riley.

FWIW, Dennis Erickson had one very good season at OSU. 2000, when they went 11-1. The other three seasons, he lost either 5 or 6 games, which was right at Riley's average. Riley's 2012 season (you mentioned his last five being horrible), OSU finished ranked 19/20 in the two polls. Only two Nebraska teams in the past 15 years have ranked higher.

Honestly, why are we still having this argument? Ultimately, who cares? Riley is our HC, and will be for the next few years. At the end of which time we will better be able to assess how well he recruited and how well he's coached.

 

[The Big Red Lebowski]

MR took over an Oregon State team that was winning 16% in conference the four years prior, and he upped that to 48% over his career at OSU. FS took over an Ohio team that was winning 25% in conference the four years prior, and he upped that to 61%. So, actually kind of similar. It's saddening that some fans choose to disparage one or the other of these fine coaches. They're both good coaches.

Agree across the board. I'd say Frank's career at Ohio is very similar to Riley's at OSU. Both coaches took their respective teams to 8 bowls in their most recent 12-year tenures, which is very successful relative to the abysmal histories of the programs prior to their arrival. Frank brought Ohio its very first bowl win and Riley's 6 bowl wins are more than all previous OSU coaches combined.

Frank had the unenviable task of following Tom Osborne....and not late '80s/early '90s 9-3 Tom Osborne...but peak, everything came together, 60-3, 3 MNCs in 5 years Tom Osborne. Nobody was going to follow that act.

 

[The Big Red Lebowski]

Honestly, why are we still having this argument? Ultimately, who cares? Riley is our HC, and will be for the next few years. At the end of which time we will better be able to assess how well he recruited and how well he's coached.

Without debates about whether the current NU head coach will succeed or not, this board would be little more than cat memes and Amazon advertisements.

 

[All 'N' 011808]

Without debates about whether the current NU head coach will succeed or not, this board would be little more than cat memes and Amazon advertisements.

Huh??? What???

 

[solesrfr]

Huh??? What???

Winning!



C

 

[Sonny]

You continue to fail to differentiate recruiting effort, and the quality of player being recruited.

You continue to suggest that Riley didn't recruit quality players because he was at Orgie Lite. That's hogwash.

He recruited quality players at OSU. He recruits quality players at Nebraska. He just doesn't get them to commit at the rate Top 25 schools get them to commit. There's no need for you to keep diminishing his effort.