It seems that an even greater rift is occurring in Huskerland. There was a Bo-leaver vs Bo-liever split but this hire seems to have made the division even wider. There appear to be 3 general groups:
1. Kool-aid/eternal optimist group. They believe that this is a good hire and the future is bright. Their main argument is that he did not have the resources at OSU that he will at NU. Or they just hated Bo and MR is a "nice guy".
2. "Wait and See" (probably the biggest group). They want Dear Old Nebraska U to succeed. Maybe don't know a lot about MR, uncertain but hoping for the best.
3. Downgrade hire. I fall into this group. The reason we are unhappy is because we care about Nebraska and feel this hire sets us back 5 years (1-3 until he's gone, another 1-3 to turn it back around) just to get back to where we are now. I am highly confident that this will be the case. I therefore have very little hope for the next few years. That is depressing. Maybe he will prove me wrong. But I said the same thing the day BC was hired and it was an extremely long and painful 4 years.
Whichever group you fall, this could be considered a bad hire simply b/c of the division created. SE could have united HuskerNation with a different hire:
1. A proven successful coach, Jon Gruden, Jim Harbaugh, even Jerry Kill, Lance Leipold. Everyone would see a history of success and have hopes for the program. Riley obviously does not have a history of success.
2. A Nebraska tie. Turner Gill or Scott Frost. Each would have questions; Gill success at Buffalo and Liberty but not at Kansas, Frost inexperience. But both hires would have the full fan base behind them, some would be unsure but all would be excited to see the future. Riley has no connection to NE.
3. Nebraska "style". Paul Johnson, Troy Calhoun, Jerry Kill would have a lot of Husker fans remembering the dominant option/power running years. Riley's west coast offense will not peak interest a significant group of Huskers.
I think Riley already has a big group with serious doubts and will quickly lose the fan base with a loss to an inferior team. The other hires would have more backing and longer leashes. He must have immediate success to get everyone to believe in him. We have a lot of talent returning so should not take a step back. A new coach/system would be another excuse. Good coaches know how to best use their talent.
Reasons I'm not optimistic:
Mike Riley had 14 years at OSU to change the program. He brought a bad team to a mediocre team but not above that. Making excuses for having a bad team is very disappointing. Good coaches will find a way to win and improve the program, WITHOUT EXCUSES. There are many cases of good coaches lifting bad programs to good programs (KSU, Mizzou, TCU, Miami, FSU, Baylor, Boise State, etc...). MR never improved the program to above mediocre, never increased the interest, the coaching, the recruiting. He has never even won his division. Heck, Dennis Erickson coached Riley's players to more success than MR.
MR coached the San Diego Charger to their WORST RECORD IN FRANCHISE HISTORY! Good coaches simply do not do that. The Chargers do not have less resources than all other NFL teams. He just has a long history of non-success.
Why would anyone have confidence in SE to know football coaching? He has never hired a football coach. He never coached football. He didn't play in the NFL. Where is all of this football knowledge you speak of? He played at UW-Whitewater so he must know everything? All he has done in regards to football coaches is extend the contract of Al Golden, who went 6-6 this year with the Miami Hurricanes. And many Miami fans would like to see gone but it's more difficult b/c of his contract that SI extended. SE is a lawyer with no previous ties or cares for Nebraska. I repeat, he is a lawyer.