Home Football Nice Guy Riley Strikes Again: Riley’s Goodbye to Players

Nice Guy Riley Strikes Again: Riley’s Goodbye to Players

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I’ve heard from several sources that Riley’s goodbye to current athletes was short. Basically said ‘goodbye’ and then left. Very strange and it has left some of the current athletes hurt and confused.  –Mamma Machado

What a nice, loyal, family guy!

PS. Boycott the Oregonian. #angrybeavnation

231 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t know what to think anymore. It seem like this move to Nebraska was on impulse, not thought through and poorly handled. It makes no sense, especially to go to Nebraska. Nebraska? Don’t pretend it was about money, the guy has plenty and a guarantee for millions more. It comes across to me more like dementia.

    • I think MR was feeling under appreciated.

      He didn’t write the ridiculously lopsided contract, OSU did.
      He didn’t vote himself the most meager recruiting budget.
      He wasnt responsible for the rainmaking to finish the stadium.

      Riley’s been getting the same type of guys he always has been. The rest of the conference has been raising their games while BDC and Ray sit on their empty wallets.

      Really is as simple as that. A few recruitng misses among the starters and the shallow depth shows itself really badly. It’s not like the guys who were within one game of the RB twice had forgotten the recipe.

      Developments elsewhere have made that recipe far less potent.

      I recently wrote that the MR era was over and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, provided BDC retired or was fired too.

      So sorry the next hire will have his input. Nothing good will come of remaining too cheap to compete.

      • He probably did feel underappreciated.

        But if you can’t handle criticism, especially when you’re 5-7, 3-9, 7-6, and 5-7 in four of the last five years including numerous flat-out atrocious losses… Let’s just say he better win in Nebraska, and fast.

        BDC and Ray are a whole other piece to the puzzle and not without blame for our current state.

      • That’s another thing. Depth? The guy had been back 12 fucking years. If there was a lack of depth that squarely falls on Riley and the coaching staffs shitty recruiting. If you can’t recruit depth in 12 years you suck at it

      • “It’s not like the guys who were within one game of the RB twice had forgotten the recipe.”

        Ummm… yeah… it really is. What team have you been watching?

    • I tend to believe that BDC tried to hold him accountable for on field results for probably the first time ever and St.Riley went bat shit crazy.

      How he managed to get the Nebraska the job may remain an eternal mystery.

  2. Riley was so adament after the Civil War that the defense is fine and that we just need to score points. I got to think that BDC was trying ro force Riley into replacing Banker.

    • I think you are right. I heard him tell Phil Savage on SXM, when asked who of his assistants was deserving of a look, that Banker was deserving. Truly the most positive news, if it has been or can be confirmed, is that no current coaching staff will be considered for an interview

    • Recommending Banker as his successor shows how much of nimrod Opie is. Bamker won’t get a sniff for a HC gig unless it’s at a high school… Opie’s flagrant push of his guys is truly embarrassing.

  3. Guys get a grip. Quit nitpicking fly poop. There was a big wave of momentum against coach Riley for both good and bad reasons. He had an opportunity to escape the incessant whining, an opportunity to leave Beaver Nation with great alternatives and he had the opportunity for a new challenge with a safety net. The best of all results for everyone at this point in time. Anyone that piles on now is lower than pond scum.

    • Talk about lower than pond scum? Barely saying goodbye to your team and leaving your friends/staff hanging. Oh, and ignoring rape.
      But nice try, Goe/Dee.

      • In fairness, I don’t think he left his staff hanging. They may have been broadsided, but it sounds like the catalyst for this whole thing was his commitment to his staff (probably Banker in particular).

        I think the vast majority of his staff will be invited to Lincoln for more $$$.

        • Exception being Garrett as Eggers and others have reported. I’m curious whether Riley was disappointed in Garrett from a performance standpoint, or if there were some personal tension there. Or maybe there’s just so little history there, Riley is OK with moving on to a more accomplished OC.

    • Hey, fuck you. Analysis and criticism of Riley even now is spot on. Incessant whining?!? Oh, you mean the criticism, due to his moronic performances and behavior!

      Riley and the pollyanna fanbase has already shown that him leaving doesnt mean he is gone for good. So stick it.

    • You’re talking about “piling on”?

      “Piling on” a guy who decided to let the program decay then quit, rather than make tough meaningful changes here?

      “Piling on” a guy making nearly $3,000,000 per year?

      Yeah, poor Mike Riley, voicing frustrations is just kicking the man while he’s down! How dare anyone!

  4. Angry:

    Kudos on the continued great work on the site. I’m following your advice and will only read Gina’s stuff. Of course, it will be incumbent on the most tech savvy of the AB nation to provide alternative links. That coacheshotseat.com analysis was priceless, for example.

  5. Noticed on Craig’s List:

    Leaving town must sell. Schwinn 36″ bike with basket, dingy little bell, training wheels and basket for your lunch. Ridden only to work a few miles per day between August and the last Saturday in November. Asking $100 firm.

    Also…free to a good home. Four old, loyal semi-retired broken down assistant football coaches. Hate to leave them behind but the new job doesn’t allow pets.

    Call Mikey @ 541-555-2028

        • Agree that it can get wierd in here, bit I don’t know if anyone wants them to suffer. I actually want to see Riley do well there and the new coach do better here.

          • The sad truth:

            Riley doing great in Nebraska is good for him but bad for OSU. It would reinforce the “can’t recruit”, 28 losing season trauma, and all that. A lot of people would infer that OSU is the big problem and overlook Riley’s complacency and unwillingness/inability to fix things that went awry under his watch in recent years.

            Kind of a crappy situation because he did a lot for the program and I don’t want to root for his failure.

          • I was thinking Nebraska is the weird fan base….can’t they just give Tom Osborne 10 mil a season and prop him up on the sideline until he keels over for good?

          • Wait, I want Nebraska to suffer….I’ve always wanted Nebraska to suffer…..I hate elite programs WITH pompous, entitled fan bases….that fits Cornhusker U. Watching NU blow key game and key game has been a blast over the past ten years or so (although I even felt a tinge of sympathy during the Callahan era). Riley can suffer right along with his team. He’s never going to get past an Urban Meyer coached team anyway.

        • Good work! You cant tell what a coach will do after jumping jobs. Look at Richrod a WV, then Michigan and then AZ. Riley is now in a situation where he can crack the national scene and might be inspired. But even that wont make me sad he left here. He had become deadwood here, and thank god he is gone.

      • Very nice…..it’s amazing how nobody outside of us in here seem to care about Riley’s in game coaching abilities. It’s a bizarro world…..although that Hot Seat Coaching website seems to understand.

      • Yes. It was a good thread. Sorry to hear about Bray and Brennan over there though. But I laughed out loud when they realized Banker was coming too!

      • I think you dis pretty well Angry. Figured you wanted to keep an even keel on the coaching assessment but I would’ve been a bit harsher. Bray and Brennan will be missed. Never was a Cav fan and Banker, Read and Riley are the worst a their positions in FBS.

  6. The ultimate con men are the ones you don’t even suspect. I’m not calling Riley a con man, but after the rape scandal- along with his sanctimonious comments to Canzano to get on top of the situation, this abrupt Nebraska departure, and just his generally evasive attitude to anything with a smile and an “aw shucks”, my view of him is changing somewhat. I think there is more conniving and shrewdness than meets the eye, with the Mr. Rogers persona being part genuineness and a little bit of a well-crafted front. I think he realizes how well he can manipulate people with his affable personality, in addition to just genuinely being affable.

    • I think you can count on the aw-shucks good guy facade he always presents to the public as a deliberate creation. And its a good idea — gets the media on your side, and you make no enemies of other coaches. If it is really Mike Riley, then he isnt much of an intellect, and is in fact a little stupid, because many situations call for more than aw shucks. The Brenda Taylor statements, for instance, needed some careful thought.

  7. It will be revealing to see whether MR offers Banker the DC job at Nebraska. MR has defended Banker for years — praising Banker as a top-notch DC. If that’s what MR really believes, he will offer Banker the job. If MR leaves Banker behind, we can assume the opposite (and Mike Riley’s credibility will take yet another well-deserved hit….)

  8. Tweet to David Pollack…

    @davidpollack47 You’re dirty. Uninformed. Heard you called OSU job “horrible” or some such mess. Wise up man. #GoBeavs #NegativeRecruiter

  9. I emailed Massari and encouraged them to consider candidates like Wells and Harsin, discouraging Hoke, Erickson, etc.

    I think Massari is likely the future, and I hope he has influence on BDC.

  10. I was a Riley die hard believer until this year. I began to realize that the coaches were not finding and developing the talent that was needed, along with remaining static with their play calling. I do fear that they will be too cheap with the new coach hire and we will not improve. I am glad that Riley is gone and I want him to fail in Nebraska as He did in San Diego. Although He did us a favor by leaving, I feel that it was done in a poor manner and I still harbor resentment for first time that He left Corvallis.

  11. Was hoping Bray would stay too. Would it be advantageous to keep at least 1 of the old coaches? It is not like our recruiting class is that amazing though. Maybe Brennan and/or Brasfield are worth keeping?

  12. Derek Anderson just put an interesting random tweet out there

    Derek Anderson ?@DAnderson314 39m39 minutes ago
    Hmmm… Beaver nation we may have something brewing.. We will see tho..

    Considering I know he is a huge Riley supporter I really have no clue what to make of it but I am reaching for any news right now.

  13. LOL @ Pinkel and Tinkle !! Youszer!

    I think it is hugely telling that Riley didnt take Banker with him. The old saw about him not getting rid of Banker because their wives were best friends was apparently bullshit. So Banker needs to be down the road asap.

  14. There will be pressure to have some guys with ties to Neb. on the coaching staff, so Riley can’t bring all his dead wood to Lincoln. Barney Cotton OL played for Saint Tom and Ron Brown RB’s is a first team All Bible Thumper and a big favorite of TO.

  15. Derek Anderson seems to have some inside info.

    Derek Anderson (@DAnderson314) tweeted at 0:14 PM on Sat, Dec 06, 2014:
    Hmmm… Beaver nation we may have something brewing.. We will see tho..
    (https://twitter.com/DAnderson314/status/541324943661989889?s=03)

    Derek Anderson (@DAnderson314) tweeted at 1:01 PM on Sat, Dec 06, 2014:
    Just hearing things nothing confirmed.. Couple good folks that are interested.. Just trying to be positive
    (https://twitter.com/DAnderson314/status/541336618993328129?s=03)

    Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

  16. Bray leaving is not too surprising, and may be a positive in the long run.

    I’d like him to stick around too, but maybe Nebraska forces another D Coordinator hire on Riley, and Bray learns from another coordinator. Bray will be available in a few to several years as either a D coordinator or more, and he’ll have no real reason to be down on OSU for Riley’s volitional departure.

    Go learn more Bray, and come back some day.

  17. What are the thoughts here on DeRuyter; his ability and qualities, probability of hiring him? Any contractual barriers to hiring him?

    • I would love to have DeRuyter at OSU. Comes from a defensive background (which we need more of), and has plenty of experience defending spread option offenses. Don’t know about any contract restrictions, but I would take him in a heartbeat.

  18. Angry, want to lend out that blitz login to some fellow angrybeavs? :)
    Angie just tweeted that she has some new updates. Care to share?

  19. I am not rooting for any staff holdovers. Are there some that might be worth keeping? Sure, but I just want the new guy to bring in his guys. Plus, it would give us more judgement on Nebraska if most of them went there.

    Coaching search says Riley is considering bringing in Frost and the Alabama Linebackers Ast to HC.

    The only thing I find interesting is that he never wanted to bring anybody like that here, maybe it has more to do with salary, I don’t know. But whatever.

  20. These babies need to be slapped around. They play soft and apologize too much, just like riley. That’s why they get punked by UW every year. This is football not ballet… Grow up and hit someone in the mouth.

  21. I could give two shits who Riley takes with him…aren’t they all accountable for the crap results over the past two years? New HC, new assistants, let the chips fall where they may.

  22. Let’s add this up…Brenda Tracey story, Riley talks about “loyalty” one day, leaves a few days later…says he “got more out of OSU than they got out of him,” says little in his goodbye to his players…says it was “more emotional for them than it was him”…and now maybe doesn’t take Banker with him. Hmm.

    Think Schnell, Goe, and the likes of Stewart Mandel, et al can put this all together – along with the coaching gaffes – and realize he had significant shortcomings as a coach and also maybe wasn’t the “nice guy” that all thought he was?

    Riley’s “niceness” is a distraction from his ineptness. Riley wasn’t as good as he was lucky.

  23. Tyrin furgasin 3* LB decommitted from the BEAVS to the huskers per mamma machado. Ya…I’m sure you could get a 4* linebacker if you wanted to, but hey, by all means, take a 3*…

    • He seemed tight with several of the current recruits too, so I’m sure several will follow. Riley’s staff is going to take all of the low hanging fruit they can since the dead period is coming soon.

  24. In respect to the anti oregonain thread, i wont post it here, but they have a new story saying Jeff Tedford is interested in coachong OSU. Wasnt his last game at Cal the drubbing Riley put on him at Reser?

  25. The comment from DA makes me think he’s hearing about interest from guys who are in the nfl.

    One guy in particular has a really good relationship with DA.

    Rob Chudzinski. Fired by the Browns last year but currently a special assistant in Indy.

    Chudzinski would be an incredible get for osu.

  26. This is coaching search is an odd place to be as an old timer. Suddenly relegated to wondering who we want out of mostly existing rival coaches, and has beens.

    Do we want Cals old coach? What about USCs or Fresno States? Would they want to coach us? Does anybody like us?

    I hope we get it right! Because I dislike the uncertainty and how it projects for recruiting, etc.

    A lost recruiting cycle in addition to some 20 seniors graduating will leave the cupboards awfully bare come fall camp.

    • I prefer to think of losing a bunch of guys (seniors and another coaches recruits) as an opportunity.

      At the end of the day whoever we get will still put together a class (and one that fits what he wants) but will have holes for the next cycle so he can offer immediate playing time to both JCs and better frosh. This might let you get some recruits that wouldn’t normally even look your way. Assuming you have a quality recruiter that is.

    • Right… a guy with a desire to WIN, rather than just his team finding an identity. A guy who will have the goal of competing for a title, rather than just playing the game. The players will adopt the coach’s goal… Screw the nice guy family bullshit…

  27. Top 3 names angle machado keeps hearing about on blitz, but no one is updating us!!!! C’mon people!! Those who have a blitz account…please inform the rest of us!!!!

  28. Why do people dislike the possibility of Brady Hoke?

    Looks like he improved at Ball State and took SDSU to its first Bowl in 2010 since 1998…

    I honestly don’t know much about him.

    • Retread mainly. I personally think that Hoke along with say Baldwin or Jonathan Smith as OC would be a pretty solid move but at the same time Hoke is 56 and while that shouldn’t disqualify him I think OSU really needs a younger coach that can relate to players better for recruiting.

      That said, Pete Carroll is 63 and without question he is the youngest coach in America.

          • I’m not advocating Hoke (I am a Wells guy) just saying I am not convinced what happened at Michigan means he couldn’t work at OSU.

            I do know that when he was at SDST (which to me is more relevant than Michigan for OSU recruiting) he was considered a very good recruiter but I have not thoroughly researched him.

            I just wouldn’t immediately hate Hoke like a would a Tedford if it came with a solid offensive coordinator too. That is all I am saying.

      • Rich Rod was 15-22 (.405) at Michigan and Hoke was 31-20 (.608). I don’t know if that counts as destroying…

        I agree Frost or Wilcox would be sexier hires, but I’m not against Hoke if it had to be him.

    • Because he sucked at a job with all the advantages and his teams got worse when his own recruits started playing. Did not even wear a headset on the sideline.

      • He strikes me as a guy who worked hard to get a big payday, got it, and then bailed. Now he’s trying to live off the retread/what if, and some sucker like OSU will bite.

        • Its also possible Hoke wants redemption and will work his ass off to prove he is better than the results he got at Michigan

          Don’t get me wrong, I only accept Hoke if it comes with an exciting OC hire too. Package deal.

  29. All I know is I am watching the Baylor game and Baylor just looks like they are having fun, imagine a bunch of college kids having fun playing football?

    How I’d love to see that kind of energy in Corvallis.

    I’d honestly rather go 6-6 with the energy, excitement, and fun I see Baylor having than go 8-4 the way Riley has always done it. Football should be fun….

    • That’s why Scott Frost, Matt Wells or Wilcox would all be more interesting and work better at Oregon State than most other names thrown out there. Frost has presence and would build an interesting OSU program that would get some real attention right away. The offense would start getting fun to watch and I would trust his leadership and ability to hire a good DC. Wells is a good well rounded young coach with enough personality and chops and comes with a capable DC. Wilcox brings Pac-12 knowledge and familiarity as well as an intriguing staff. This group of 3 potential head coaches has the most upside with recruiting and overall opportunity to grow the program IMO as well. Frost might be best with Wilcox on his heels and Wells only inches behind in terms of recruiting.

  30. just noted on oneclick that Goe has a story about Tedford wanting the job. I passed on Goe and I take a pass on Tedford too. The ONE guy Riley beat most routinely. C’mon man!

  31. if I was adept I’d provide the link, but check out the story on ESPN re: the owner of the Golden State Warriors and how much the team is improved, not so much because of the new coach (Kerr replacing Jackson) but because of the ASSISTANTS Kerr has surrounded himself with. Same roster; much improved results. There’s a moral to that story.

  32. I know this won’t be a popular opinion with most. And it’s probably a pipe dream anyways but I’m liking what I see from Georgia Tech. I’d take Paul Johnson as a head coach in a heartbeat. That’s the kind of ball control offense to beat the ducks!

      • great column on him by Pete Thamel in SI’s MMQB from early November. (Side note: can’t imagine Lindsay writing anything remotely that good) I’d write a check tomorrow if they hired him. spent time hanging out with Urban, Nick Saban, Pete Carroll. That’s good company

  33. So Read, Cav, Banks and Bray…

    Kinda feel bad for Seumalo, his kid goes to CHS with my son, they’re both on the Spartan football team as well, tough to move kids, wonder where he goes.

    Had a conversation with Brennan’s wife not long ago, she was telling me her kids got “bullied” at school when the Beavs lost, she is good people, I’m sure they would love to leave. Not sure the kids in Lincoln will cut their kids any slack either, kids tend to emulate their idiot parents (my kids as perfect examples).

    • I believe Brennan is going as well.

      Yeah, I agree. I wonder what happens to Coach Seumalo and then the impact to Isaac. Saw one of the reporters ask Isaac some questions regarding his dad and the changes… and he was like “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just want to go home to my mom.”

  34. Well, shit and yay!!!! I’ve said this before, I’m a beaver fan first, husker fan second….happy the inept coaches are gone except for coach Bray, but upset that banker and Cav are going to nebraska….watch and see how many players transfer during and after spring ball…lineman might not like all the cussing Cav does at practice…isn’t that 1 reason people didn’t like Pelini?! This won’t go well with Eichorst…I could see Eichorst stepping in and saying cut down on the cussing to Cav. We will see tho.

    • I for one am happy to see Banker go. Very predictable and soft defenses giving 5+ yards of cushion to opposing teams. It’ll be interesting to see how his defense does with higher rated recruits.

      • Giving cushion is fine, you just need speed to be able to close in on the ball be it run or pass. It will be interesting to see what kind of recruits they get.

  35. Just throwing this out there

    Volleyball in sweet 16
    Mens soccer got to 2nd round of tournament

    OSU seems to be able to find success in all kinds of sports. Is it only football players that hate Corvallis? We should have Goe and Schnell investigate.

    • Zalesky-Wrestling
      Rueck-Women’s BBall
      Tinks-recruiting class next year
      Casey-Baseball team
      Riley-Football

      One of these things is not like the other

  36. Post at that Husker board in reference to Riles bringing Banker et al…

    “This is a low point.

    Tough to get excited about this.

    It’s like if your parents encouraged you to give away your PS3 to a friend and Christmas morning you unwrapped your gifts and found out your folks got you a PS2.”

    Great analogy, they may be getting the idea.

    • Pretty close. They forgot to add that your folks paid a PS4 price for that PS2, and it came with a few Wii games, a dusty old NES cartridge and a broken Lite-Brite.

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