Bo Pelini never won less than nine games in each of his seven seasons as head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Pelini’s teams were good enough to flirt with the occasional conference championship and final top 10 ranking, but were often embarrassed in defining-moment games. This was best illustrated in a showdown game at Wisconsin this past season in which the Huskers were mauled in a 59-24 loss, Wisconsin ran roughshod through the once invincible Black Shirt defense. Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon set a then-NCAA record for 408 yards and four touchdowns in what proved to be the end of Pelini.
Whatever hope the bombastic Pelini had in returning was destroyed by his lack of political skills. He also was done in by a deteriorated relationship with athletic director Shawn Eichorst. Eichorst fired Pelini, who later went on a rant about what a political eunuch Eichorst is. While Pelini may have had a case, his inability to get the Big Red over the championship hump was the real catalyst of his demise.
Enter Riley
Mike Riley was not met with great enthusiasm when he arrived in Lincoln for his introductory press conference as head coach of the Huskers. In fact, the hiring was derided in many circles. Riley had just left an Oregon State Beavers team that had finished 5-7 for its third losing season in the last five years. Known as the consummate nice guy with superior people skills and a mild mannered demeanor, he could not be more opposite of Pelini.
Riley has always been held in high esteem by his fellow coaches, however. The coaching world came out in strong support for him when he was announced as the Husker head coach. They said he lacked the facilities and support needed to win big at Oregon State. It was strongly stated by the coaching community that the Nebraska program has the necessary resources to thrive with a coach like Riley. It is starting to look like the coaches may have been right.
A Great Start
Riley and a core group of four assistant coaches worked relentlessly in the final month towards National Signing Day to come up with a class that ranked 31st in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten. It was a phenomenal accomplishment considering the lack of contacts that Riley has in the Midwest and Big Ten states.
Recruits such as defensive backs Eric Lee and Avery Anderson along with defensive end Daishon Neal, and twin defensive tackles Carlos and Khalil Davis, may finally return the Big Red to its Black Shirt status of dominant defense.
Riley has also worked relentlessly to establish recruiting contacts with in-state coaches that has impressed. He has wowed fans on the banquet circuit with his personable ways.
Riley and the Huskers have also been aggressive on the social media front and used twitter in what was described as a recruiting revolution for the program. The Huskers wanted to make sure recruits saw all that they were doing and what they had to offer as far as top facilities and fan support.
The 2015 recruiting class could have suffered a mass defection based on the firing of Pelini, but Riley was able to not just salvage it but turn into a probable asset. It is a tribute to his abilities as a leader, organizer and executive.
A Different Era and Set of Challenges
Nebraska was able to thrive in its old Big Eight Conference glory days with the combination of partial qualifier players that have since been outlawed, and with a group of walk-ons that were built into monsters through weight training. Nowadays, everyone does that, and with limited recruiting material in-state, the Huskers must recruit nationally.
Nebraska must also do a better job of adjusting to a world in which every team in the nation is on TV for all of its games. Nebraska’s days of hogging the national spotlight are over. But that doesn’t mean they cannot return to national prominence. They can use their storied history with creative solutions for today. It also doesn’t hurt that they play in the weaker Big Ten West Division, which could potentially be dominated with the right build out.
The Right Choice
Riley and the Huskers have seen Big Red faithful warm up to them with great enthusiasm. There is a now a sense that although Riley was not the first choice he may prove to be the right choice. Beyond that his polite mannerisms will be a perfect cultural fit with the classiest fans in college football.
There is one other impressive thing about Nebraska’s Mr. Nice Guy head coach. Riley played his college football for Alabama and Bear Bryant. He’s tougher than you think.
