For those who missed this article
I once wrote that the Beavs were quietly building a good roster, because they were.
http://angrybeavs.com/football/6613
Some picks are wrong. e.g. Katz the obvious mistake (though he is doing great at SDSU so far). Also, I like Murphy more than Watkins or Lagrone (no longer on the roster), and Zimmerman changed positions, etc. But overall I think it was a good analysis for the time, given what we knew.
Now, do I think we're going to the Rose Bowl this year? No. But back in 2011 I could see the recruiting class was good, and the roster talent was improving via recruiting and 2012 attrition. This goes along with my other posts describing why Riley would have the Beavs at 8 wins again. I'm not bearish on Riley if you want max 8 wins (in a 12 game season); I am bearish on Riley if you want BCS games, a Rose Bowl, etc.
I hope this post helps clear that up. I see many people writing "eat crow, Angry!" as if Riley has accomplished greatness, or I'm completely blind to improvement (see the date of that article: I noticed the improvement long before many fans). I'm excited about the 2-0 start. I saw the 2012 team being good a while back. Again, if you are content with 8 wins then I can see why you love Riley. For those of us who want BCS games, you can hopefully see why we don't love Riley.
Now, moving forward…I'm thrilled with the season thus far. The attention to detail, intensity, execution are all at 90% or so (well above past levels), but still not elite. Riley calling plays–something we begged for here–is making a huge difference. Bray and Brennen are adding intensity to their units. Confidence is high. I'm loving what I see. But, it's all with a grain of salt since Riley's at the helm, and I know he has a cap. Sorry, I just will feel that way until he proves me wrong. It's what, 12 years and he hasn't, so I'm going with proven history over speculation, hope, etc.