Riley Shelf Life
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Guy Chamberlin
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Dennis Erickson was a bit of a nightmare during his run with the San Francisco 49ers, having inherited a decent roster from a better coach, then two seasons later driving them into the ground with an unimaginably bad 2 - 14 season.
Before that he had taken a talented Seattle Seahawks squad and and slowly turned them into under-performers.
Before that he had taken a talented Seattle Seahawks squad and and slowly turned them into under-performers.
Im not so sure the NFL game translates that well to College coaching
If it does, then a really average or below coach (maybe he was) was able to do quite a bit better than Mike Riley at Oregon State
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Red Five
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Guy Chamberlin
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I'm not sure, either.
Which is why I turn to people who have extensive experience in both professional and college football and take note of their consistent and often strong endorsement of Mike Riley's coaching abilities.
Endorsements that were not necessarily extended to Dennis Erickson's long, erratic decline in the coaching ranks.
cg_8
New member
Admittedly, I was not initially happy with the hire. I was getting my haircut and I was just in a crazy frenzy talking about how much I don't know about the guy. My barber then told my boss (who also gets his haircut there) that I was going crazy and actin' a fool!
Anyway, I came back and immediately started mourning our inability to get David Shaw (who was my #1 choice). I was thinking "man, we should've did what Bama. They did whatever it took to get Saban. Same with OSU getting Urban Meyer. Why could we do that?" I then randomly googled "Best coaches in college football".
What I found was this list.
http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap2000000360745
Surprised to see Riley there at #14. After that, I felt like there was something to it, and after learning about the guy I felt better. What I think really makes me like the guy is the staff. Say what you want about Riley, this staff is crazy experienced. I think that might be the most impressive of this. We aren't seeing a golf coach, or a guy who really just wants to be a minister. We are seeing guys who are crazy passionate about the sport, and their prospective positions. That to me says a lot!
I am still skeptical. But if they can coach these kids to make less mistakes. That right there makes us a better team.
Also,
Anyway, I came back and immediately started mourning our inability to get David Shaw (who was my #1 choice). I was thinking "man, we should've did what Bama. They did whatever it took to get Saban. Same with OSU getting Urban Meyer. Why could we do that?" I then randomly googled "Best coaches in college football".
What I found was this list.
http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap2000000360745
Surprised to see Riley there at #14. After that, I felt like there was something to it, and after learning about the guy I felt better. What I think really makes me like the guy is the staff. Say what you want about Riley, this staff is crazy experienced. I think that might be the most impressive of this. We aren't seeing a golf coach, or a guy who really just wants to be a minister. We are seeing guys who are crazy passionate about the sport, and their prospective positions. That to me says a lot!
I am still skeptical. But if they can coach these kids to make less mistakes. That right there makes us a better team.
Also,
Dude what are you taking about!?!? DIAMOND FORMATION = TOUCHDOWN FORMATION!!!
zoogs
New member
I was very similar, cg_8! I also recall really hoping we'd somehow get David Shaw. When I first heard the name, it was out of left field. I had no idea who the guy was and felt a tinge of disappointment.
Then I thought I had better go read a little about the guy. And the disappointment quickly turned to elation.
He wasn't the only coach I would have been happy with. But he's exactly the right kind of guy.
Then I thought I had better go read a little about the guy. And the disappointment quickly turned to elation.
He wasn't the only coach I would have been happy with. But he's exactly the right kind of guy.
BigRedBuster
Active member
You missed the entire point which was slowly and carefully explained
No one said DE was right for NU or should be hired here
I dont think we should be hiring anyone in their 60s or a guy like DE right now
The point was MANY people point to MIke Rileys "success" at OSU as something to hang his hat on
Once more- their mantra is "OSU is a terrible place to coach at, only a great coach could have any success at all there" Not sure I agree with it- the 6 losing seasons and conference losing record- but some believe that
My counter point was Dennis Erickson did much better than Mike Riley there and no one is proclaiming DE to be a great coach- yet he did much better than MR in same location in same era
Im not sure the claim that Mike Rileys tenure at OSU was great- because another "average" coach did much better in same era
The worse Erickson looks- the worse Riley looks- being outperformed by a schlep at the same school- same era
Friends and acquaintances are always going to endorse and well wish the nice guy. Im not sure it means a lot other than hes a friendly great PR nice guy, which is a good thing
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NebraskaShellback
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BigRedBuster
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So, Erickson did good at some places and not good at others. What that tells me is that success at one place doesn't guarantee success at another. Not winning championships at one place doesn't mean he can't do it at another.
This is because every situation is different. Gene Chizik was 5-19 at ISU over two years with his second season being 2-10 with an 0-8 record in the conference. He actually got worse his second year there than his first. He jumps ship to Auburn and two years later he wins an NC.
In 4 years at OSU, Les Miles was 28-21 and the best he had done was 3rd in his division. His bowl record was 1-2. He had a .500 record in conference. He jumps ship to LSU and he wins an NC three years later.
The fact remains that there is a difference in programs and what can be done at those programs. There is a difference between situations coaches are in at various programs.
I will trust the decision making of people who know one hell of a lot more than anyone on an internet message board over if he is the right guy for the job since we have nothing to base anything else on other than speculation.
This is because every situation is different. Gene Chizik was 5-19 at ISU over two years with his second season being 2-10 with an 0-8 record in the conference. He actually got worse his second year there than his first. He jumps ship to Auburn and two years later he wins an NC.
In 4 years at OSU, Les Miles was 28-21 and the best he had done was 3rd in his division. His bowl record was 1-2. He had a .500 record in conference. He jumps ship to LSU and he wins an NC three years later.
The fact remains that there is a difference in programs and what can be done at those programs. There is a difference between situations coaches are in at various programs.
I will trust the decision making of people who know one hell of a lot more than anyone on an internet message board over if he is the right guy for the job since we have nothing to base anything else on other than speculation.
Im not confident a 62 year old coach who hasnt won anything before in College football- will all of a sudden win something or that someone that hasnt consistently won - will consistently win. Especially when an average by most standards coach came right behind him and was able to do so.
You arent looking at the complete resume when it comes to guys like Miles
Great run at Colorado during the MCCarney era
Nice 8 year run at Michigan
OSU was 5–6, 5–6, and 3–8. the 3 seasons before he got there. He upset top 4 OU in year 1, beat a top 3 OU in one of the subsequent years. his only losing season in 4 was year 1
Im guessing if he stayed he would have been consistently successful there- just like he was at the previous stops and LSU- very consistent
Cant blame someone for doubling their income by leaving
Look at Sean Es resume when it comes to hiring head football coaches, He is the one making the decsion- what is his track record there? He doesnt really have one
If MR has consistent success, SE is officially the smartest guy in the room- but he doesnt have a track record to go on either
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BigRedBuster
Active member
I didn't realize Miles was the HC at Colorado and Michigan.
If you want past success. Riley won two grey cups actually as a HC. Bo won an NC as a coordinator. Where did that put him as an HC?
Nick Saben was 34-24-1 with his best year being 2nd in the conference and he never won a bowl game at MSU before he went to LSU and won an NC 4 years later.
Dantonio is 75 -31 at MSU with a lot more hardware to show for it. Saben never got them there but a different coach could. I'm guessing Saben is a pretty good coach.
It is your opinion that a 62 year old coach can't get it done here and you are basing that off of what he did at a school with much less to offer recruits than Nebraska.
You're entitled to that opinion but that doesn't make it fact.
If you want past success. Riley won two grey cups actually as a HC. Bo won an NC as a coordinator. Where did that put him as an HC?
Nick Saben was 34-24-1 with his best year being 2nd in the conference and he never won a bowl game at MSU before he went to LSU and won an NC 4 years later.
Dantonio is 75 -31 at MSU with a lot more hardware to show for it. Saben never got them there but a different coach could. I'm guessing Saben is a pretty good coach.
It is your opinion that a 62 year old coach can't get it done here and you are basing that off of what he did at a school with much less to offer recruits than Nebraska.
You're entitled to that opinion but that doesn't make it fact.
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Had SabAn- not Saben stayed, he would have built a dynasty at MSU, just like he did at LSU and Bama- this again?
Ok- Saban never had a losing season at MSU, brought them up to a winner and had a 10 win season in his last year of the 5 year resurrection plan- he did it
MSU was very happy with the turnaround Saban engineered at MSU- he was right where he said he would be in year 5
Im very certain he would have had as good or better success at MSU had he stayed- hes shown he will go down in history as one of the all time great college coaches
Lots of NFL and College guys haven't been able to make what they did in college work in the NFL and Vis Versa- I don't think it matters MUCH different equation
If that does matter then I guess Rileys failure at San Diego counts too.