For those who don't know, Mike Riley was born in Wallace during the time that his famous father, Bud Riley was the coach at Wallace High School. The Rileys lived just up the street from us at that time. Mike has had a very successful career as a coach at Oregon State and a tenure as a head coach in the NFL with the Chargers. Nebraska is one of the great all-time college meccas.
" a surprise move to perhaps everybody except the man who did the hiring, Oregon State's Mike Riley is set to take over atNebraska.
Athletic director Shawn Eichorst ended his one-man search with the announcement Thursday that the 61-year-old Riley would replace Bo Pelini, who was fired Sunday. Riley will be introduced at a news conference in Lincoln on Friday.
Riley has spent 14 seasons over two tenures at Oregon State, leading theBeavers to 93 wins and a 6-2 record in bowl games.
"It is truly an honor to join the University of Nebraska family," Riley said in a statement. "Though we love Corvallis and Oregon State, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to coach at one of the nation's most storied football programs and I can't wait to get started."
Riley's name never appeared on the radar of college football pundits who speculated about Pelini's successor. Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost, a Nebraska native who quarterbacked the Cornhuskers' 1997 national championship team, was among candidates believed to be under consideration. It turned out the man Eichorst wanted was 45 miles away from Frost, in Corvallis.
Riley has strong recruiting ties in talent-rich California and a reputation for doing more with less at Oregon State. He employs a pro-style offense and is highly regarded for his development of quarterbacks. He has coached NFL QBs Matt Moore and Derek Anderson, and his starter this season, Sean Mannion, is the Pac-12's all-time leading passer.
Riley also is known for having a Mr. Nice Guy persona, a contrast to the hot-tempered Pelini."
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