Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Family finds glimpses of the past in Medford mausoleum glass ... Our View: Cheers and Jeers ... Guest Opinion: Student loan debt burdens today's graduates ... Family finds glimpses of the past in Medford mausoleum glass ... Our View: Cheers and Jeers ... Guest Opinion: Student loan debt burdens today's graduates ... COMMENTARY Riley to Huskers raises several questions Comment By James Day Corvallis Gazette-Times MailTribune.com By James Day Corvallis Gazette-Times Posted Dec. 4, 2014 at 8:45 PM By James Day Corvallis Gazette-Times Posted Dec. 4, 2014 at 8:45 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Riley Bolts » Social News There are two key questions to ask in the wake of Oregon State University football coach Mike Riley’s move to Nebraska. First, why would Riley leave OSU? Second, why would Nebraska want him? Here are some thoughts. Resources-wise it’s a no-brainer for Riley. Nebraska has tradition, a huge stadium and a much larger fan base. Yes, that fan base can get cranky at times, and many have argued that the success Tom Osborne had at the school (three national titles) would be unlikely now because recruits have flocked to Sun Belt programs. But Nebraska is a much better job than OSU. And I think Riley’s departure now is similar to his move to the NFL after his second year with the Beavers in 1998. It’s too good of an opportunity to pass up. NFL teams and Nebraska don’t come calling that often. And for those who thought that Riley never would leave Corvallis (and I tend to be one of those people) this is a wake-up call. Ambition sometimes runs deeper than you think. Nebraska’s decision is a bit less obvious. On the surface, it’s a bit of a headscratcher to throw out Bo Pelini, who won at least nine games in each of his seven seasons for a guy who is 29-34 since losing the 2009 Civil War. Pelini never lost more than four games in a season. Riley has lost more than four games 10 times, including five of the past six. Pelini was 66-27 in his seven years. Riley is 46-42 over the same span. Is it harder to win at OSU than it is at Nebraska? Undoubtedly. But that doesn’t mean that success at one level always translates to success at the next. Just ask Dan Hawkins or Paul Wulff or Brady Hoke or Will Muschamp. Riley is known more for developing players than recruiting them. And I’ve heard commentators say that because it is harder now for Nebraska to recruit that makes Riley a good choice for the Huskers. Maybe. Also, athletic directors tend to hire in zigs and zags. Bo Pelini was a fiery, spittle-spraying sideline dynamo. Riley is an “Aw, shucks” nice guy right out of Ozzie and Harriet. Pelini also angered the powerful Nebraska fan base with his antics and hostility. That will never happen with Riley. I remember once I was covering the OSU spring game in Portland the year Reser was being remodeled. I was in the pressbox waiting for the stats to be put together. Down on the field Riley was meeting and greeting with players, recruits, families and anyone who wanted to shake his hand or get their pictures taken with him. He pressed the flesh for 40-45 minutes, and he didn’t leave the field until the last family had walked away. Riley will put his excellent schmoozing skills to work in Lincoln and throughout the state. The fans will like him … until he goes 5-7. Then, it could get tricky. Meanwhile, OSU AD Bob De Carolis has the biggest hire of his career to add to his to-do list. And the stakes never have been higher. With the flood of Pac-12 TV money pouring in, other schools have spent millions hiring high-wattage coaches such as Mike Leach at WSU and Rich Rodriguez and Arizona. It was much easier for Riley to succeed in a Pac-12 in which he was matched with Wulff at WSU or Mike Stoops in Tucson. And given OSU’s recent record hiring men’s basketball coaches … well, let’s just repeat that this is the most important fish that De Carolis has ever had to land. Nick Saban? Les Miles? Probably not. Jim Harbaugh likely will be available once the 49ers fire him, but he will have better offers than OSU. Jonathan Smith, the former OSU QB and current Huskies’ OC has appeal for big chunks of Beaver Nation, but he lacks head coaching experience. Ditto for Ducks OC Scott Frost, who reportedly was in the mix for the Nebraska job. Should the Beavers bring back Dennis Erickson? It’s fun to think about (Riley to Erickson to Riley to Erickson sounds like a baseball rundown play), but he will be 68 in March. I’m sure there will be other names bandied about. In the meantime, here's wishing Riley good luck in Lincoln. He IS one of the real good guys in sports. By James Day Corvallis Gazette-Times MailTribune.com By James Day Corvallis Gazette-Times Posted Dec. 4, 2014 at 8:45 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501