Oregon State's Mike Riley to interview for Wisconsin job
Riley has done well in his 12 years coaching Oregon State, all things considered, but this still seems like a kind of strange fit to me. He'll be 60 years old when the season starts and never has coached (or, as far as I can tell, lived) in the Midwest. In fact, the only player on the Oregon State roster from a Midwest-ish state is a sophomore RB from Missouri.
It seems like it could take him some time to get up and running there, which might not be what you want from a 60-year-old coach.
Link:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/jeremy-fowler/21395143/wi…
As HC of Oregon State (from Wikipedia):
| Year | Overall | Conf | Standing | Bowl | Coaches | AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3–8 | 0–8 | 10th | |||
| 1998 | 5–6 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||
| 2003 | 8–5 | 4–4 | T–5th | W Las Vegas | ||
| 2004 | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | W Insight | ||
| 2005 | 5–6 | 3–5 | 7th | |||
| 2006 | 10–4 | 6–3 | 3rd | W Sun | 22 | 21 |
| 2007 | 9–4 | 6–3 | 3rd | W Emerald | 25 | |
| 2008 | 9–4 | 7–2 | T–2nd | W Sun | 19 | 18 |
| 2009 | 8–5 | 6–3 | T–2nd | L Las Vegas | ||
| 2010 | 5–7 | 4–5 | T–5th | |||
| 2011 | 3–9 | 3–6 | 5th (North) | |||
| 2012 | 9–3 | 6–3 | 3rd (North) | Alamo | ||
| Oregon State: | 52–51 |
December 14th, 2012 at 12:02 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 12:11 AM ^
Cross him off the list. Coaches never go back on their word after saying they won't leave a current job. We'll check back in 2020.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:52 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 12:02 AM ^
It does seem rather odd on the surface. What's his connection to Wisco? Not that every potential coach should have one but it does seem to be more and more common these days.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:10 AM ^
http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2012/12/mike_riley_to_wisconsin_oregon.html#incart_river
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A CBSSports.com report surfaced Thursday night that Oregon State coach Mike Riley is set to interview for the opening at Wisconsin. The report says Riley is expected to interview this week.
But sources close to the Beavers program say the report is false. Riley was unavailable for comment, but athletic director Bob De Carolis told The Oregonian Thursday night that he had heard nothing about Riley interviewing for the position.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:14 AM ^
Hmmm... odder still.
Maybe it's a money grab by Riley (looking for a raise from Oregon State), and he wants to keep this quiet since he isn't very serious about the Wisconsin job?
December 14th, 2012 at 11:21 AM ^
Bingo! Turd, you sir, have probably hit the nail on the head. I totally believe it is a money grab. After watching Les Miles do it several years in a row, other coaches have to say to themselves “I can do that.” I’ve wondered when others would start it.
Miles has honed it to perfection. Every year or other year he lets his name get floated for one job within realm of possible; then goes and negotiates a new contract with LSU.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:10 AM ^
Would be extremely strange if he did somehow get the job..
I watched that special on gameday about him, wouldn't make sense to leave such a great situation..
Idk why he would want to even think about leaving at that age either
December 14th, 2012 at 12:20 AM ^
I was watching that special about Mike Riley, about how he would ride his bike to the stadium, because he lived so close...and that he loved everything about that town and university. I really can't see him leaving at this age. If he was going to leave, he should've done it while he was younger, and for a higher profile job. Perhaps it was his agent who leaked the story.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:19 AM ^
in Corvallis - though he did play at Alabama. He insists that the only job he wants at this point in his career is the one he currently holds. Would be shocked if he left for Wisconsin - just like would be shocked if Bielema left for Arkansas.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:20 AM ^
Is it a good idea or not?
December 14th, 2012 at 12:21 AM ^
You're coaching in a nice, sleepy school that gets outspent 10-to-1 by a famous alum of your neighbor/rival. You have some decent seasons and go to lower end bowls.
Then a team with a big stadium, a couple of conference championships, and a streak of Rose Bowl appearances calls. Do you interview with them? Sure. Doesn't mean he's taking the job, or that they'll offer it.
What we can conclude is that Wisconsin doesn't have a clear plan A right now and they're looking everywhere. Good bet they're not going to hire a hot Air Raid coordinator, too.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:29 AM ^
Creepiest. Avatar. Ever.
You're staring into my soul.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:22 AM ^
funny tnings - honestly when I first heard that Rich - Rod was coming to Michigan I nearly passed out
December 14th, 2012 at 12:30 AM ^
I think it would be a great hire for Wisconsin. Riley is a very good coach and even though he's 60 he appears to be a very young and in shape 60. I don't think he'll leave though.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:33 AM ^
I scanned Riley's wikipedia article to confirm his stint in San Diego, which was of course abysmal. What I had never realized is that he was the coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bomber powerhouse of the late 80s and won a couple of Grey Cups. I actually remember those days.
That won't help him recruit, but at least he understands what the weather is like.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:39 AM ^
and Riley is phenomenal. Corvallis is a tough place to recruit to. It's very isolated and doesn't have the glitz of U of O or the sugar daddy. He gets one, two and three star talent and churns out pro football players and solid teams just about every year.
He'd be a nice add to the B14G
December 14th, 2012 at 2:27 AM ^
Can we please kill the phrase "B14G" and beat it senseless if it ever tries to make a comeback?
December 14th, 2012 at 7:12 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 9:41 AM ^
in OR and have been a beaver my whole life. I love Mike Riley and actually think he'd be a good fit for Wisco. They have somewhat better recruiting cache than OSU, but Riley knows how to develop talent. OSU had a couple down years recently but he's really turned the program around and I'd expect him to churn out 8 or 9 win teams at Wisconsin.
all that to say, i'd really hate to see him leave corvallis
December 14th, 2012 at 12:47 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:01 AM ^
Whenever we hear about these interviews they never amount to anything. When someone actually gets hired you only hear about it after it has already occured. Just a money grab by his agent.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:42 AM ^
I'm not sure that I agree with you on this. I feel like it's rare that you see a Bielema-to-Arkansas or Tuberville-to-Cincinnati type surprise. More often, don't we hear that a guy is a candidate, even if we don't know the specifics of the interview schedule and everything?
December 14th, 2012 at 2:31 AM ^
Hiring a .500 coach from the Pac-12 is one way of assuring Wisconsin reverts to its historic mean. I, for one, am all for it.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:45 AM ^
Not all .500 records are created equal. Going .500 in the Pac-10/12 as Oregon State's coach is an impressive feat, given that you live in the shadow of Eugene, have to deal with California schools with much richer histories and recruiting opportunities, and so on. Going .500 at USC would not be so impressive. Lane Kiffin tried to pull that off this year and came awfully close (5-4 in conference).
December 14th, 2012 at 4:56 AM ^
Hoke was a sub .500 coach from the MAC/MWC so I guess his also average to below average.
December 14th, 2012 at 7:27 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 9:31 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 2:53 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 5:46 AM ^
Mike Riley would be an interesting choice for Wisconsin, if this materialized, andcould possibly build a staff around him that would make up for the lack of experience he would have in the Midwest. His own experience could perhaps get Wisconsin into the West, though I don't know if the Badgers are necessarily a draw outside of the Midwest (they do get some players from Florida, so they have success elsewhere).
One name that also comes up in this search is Brad Childress too, who is the OC of the Cleveland Browns, I believe, and a former Wisconsin assistant under Alvarez. It seems like Wisconsin really would prefer someone who has some ties to the school, if possible, and Childress certainly does.
December 14th, 2012 at 6:25 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 8:12 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 8:31 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 8:41 AM ^
If he interviews at other schools then OSU will feel the need to pay him more to stay.
Mike Riley is at his second head coaching stint at OSU, where he grew up and where his father also coached.
Pat Forde wrote an interesting article on Riley earlier this year. The dude rides his bike to work. That won't work very well in Madison... which is basically a giant ice skating rink in the winter.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--mike-riley-s-wild-coaching-ride-has…
December 14th, 2012 at 8:45 AM ^
He rides a bike to work? He's a perfect fit for the People's Republic of Madison, then.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:17 AM ^
Plus +1 to you. An apt and conscise description of Madison!
December 14th, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
Who bike to work all winter long.
They are admittedly all younger than Riley is, but Riley will be able to afford a house near the athletic complex.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:42 AM ^
you know what i dont understand, how people on here complain about the Big 10 hiring MAC coaches but then when a coach from a BCS conference interviews for a job they state that they dont have any midwest experience, make up your fucking minds people
December 14th, 2012 at 10:22 AM ^
around Brad Childress. He wasn't the greatest NFL head coach but he had some success and has Wiscy ties.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:34 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 12:32 PM ^
but he's looking for leverage and a bigger pay raise. Can't see it
December 14th, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
I think that would be a great hire! SEC takes our B10 coach, then we grab one of the hot PAC10 coaches....and the world just goes around and around hahaha