MIKE RILEY DESERVES BETTER

IN DEFENSE OF MIKE RILEY

"Oregon State will  never go to a Rose Bowl with Mike Riley as Head Coach" *

Just one example overheard from the merciless, unremitting stream of boorish, impulsive jeers flying down from the cantankerous orange-clad, pink-skinned Reser Crowd during & after Oregon State's 8-Point Loss to UCLA Saturday. (*clean enough to print)

Not to suggest it is wrong or intolerable for any fans to express fervent disagreement & downright dissatisfaction with ‘their’ Program & Man in Charge - on the contrary...

Truth be told, Beaver Nation is generally conscious of the cataclysmic 20-Month string of injuries & misfortune that has plagued OSU Football.

Despite these hardships, the facts ARE sobering:

• OREGON STATE: 0-3 FOR 1ST TIME SINCE 1996
• OREGON STATE: 12 LOSSES IN LAST 17 GAMES
• OREGON STATE: LOST to FCS 'Small-Fry', Sac St

Without question, these numbers should be downright alarming to Beaver Fans.

Many specific Oregon State Coaching moves & decisions (especially Offensive ones), lead to more questions than answers:

(1) QB CONTROVERSY

Multi-layered questions remain regarding Mike Riley's decision to bench an established, unquestionably more versatile & mobile, 4th Year Junior QB, Ryan Katz, in favor of a project QB; Freshman QB, Sean Mannion.

Ryan Katz - having made the trip to Madison - may have picked up on the details of WISC QB Russell Wilson's journey to Wisky.  Katz may lack the refined game of Wilson, yet the parallels are undeniable

WISC Sr QB Russell Wilson, despite just one remaining year of eligibility, left North Carolina State & Enrolled at Wisconsin.  Wilson has been a genuine savior for a Wisconsin team that entered 2011 with considerable uncertainty at one primary position: Quarterback.  Wilson has seamlessly picked up where 2010 UW Graduate QB Scott Tolzein left off - Wilson has been been an ideal, ready-made fit for Badgers.

(2) OSU RUSHING | RB DEPTH PROBLEMS

With all the hullabaloo involving OSU's profound RB Depth & Injury issues, why did OSU wait until Half #2 of Week #4 to insert OSU's Initial #1 (Fall Depth), RB Jovan Stevenson? 

Obviously, Stevenson was coming off an Missed Season due to Injury – yet reportedly pronounced ‘healed’ in 2011.  Despite playing multiple possessions of all 3 previous Beaver Games, Stevenson carried the Rock a grand total of once prior to his 7 Carries for 47 Yards Saturday vs. UCLA (Prior 9 Haves of 2011 Season, Stevenson had 1 Carry for 1 Yard in Madison vs. Badgers).

Though we may not understand or agree with answers to such questions, Beaver Fans are altogether justified in pursing  explanations to these and all such puzzling issues.

IN DEFENSE OF MIKE RILEY: 

I implore Oregon State Football fans to account for the cyclical nature of college sports, & above all else,

STOP. 

For at least a few moments, to see in your mind's eye how good we Beaver Fans have had things under Mike Riley….

* 5-1 in Bowls

* 63% Conference Winning % (29-17, including Sat UCLA Gm)

* Inspiring, Nat'l TV Upsets over #2  So Cal & #1 So Cal, ect.

STOP.

Especially OSU Alums, and/or those of us who thoroughly regard Oregon State as a special place, and/or ever referred to OSU as, "My School". 

Consider the distinct, degree of respect & high regard Mike Riley & this program commands in the college football community at large.

OREGON STATE FOOTBALL, w/HC Mike Riley has consistently OVER-ACHIEVED; ESPECIALLY IN SEASONS SUCH AS 2011.

STOP.

Before concluding, the 2011 Beavers are 'finished'.

Riley's Oregon State Teams are dubbed, "THE NOVEMBER BEAVERS" FOR GOOD REASON.

The initial ‘firemikeriley.com’ movement was perceptively launched in 2004, following Oregon State's 49-7 HOME Loss to California.  The Beavers dropped to 1-4, with the usual, intrinsic mine field of Conference Games lined up.. 

As we know, Oregon State inexplicably closed 2004 by winning of 6 of their final 7 Games.  Oregon State capped the year w/another Phoenix beat-down of Notre Dame (2004 Insight Bowl: OSU 38-13) 

List of RECENT OSU Midseason Turnarounds is striking:

2006: OSU Started 2-3, then Won 8 of their last 9 Games to finish 10-4)

2007: OSU Started 2-3, then Won 7 of their last 8 Games to Finish 9-4)

2009: OSU Started 2-2, then Won 7 of next 8 Games leading up to Civil War)

WHEN RILEY'S BEAVERS START SLOW, 'DOOMED TO A LOW-TIER CONFERENCE FINISH, RILEY'S TEAMS HAVE CONSISTENTLY...

      PUSHED BACK,

            STAYED THE COURSE,

                  CAUGHT FIRE,

                        QUICK EVOLUTION
                              INTO A DANGEROUS, CONFIDENT TEAM 

REPEATEDLY TURNING ALMOST-CERTAIN LOSING SEASON(S) INTO REWARDING, WINNING ONES.

WHEN IT REALLY COUNTS...
DURING FINAL ¼ SEASON(S)...
IN LATE-SEASON CONFERENCE & BOWL GAMES....
RILEY’S BEAVERS HAVE BEEN A WRECKING CREW

     
BRASS...

Beaver fans really cannot anticipate this atypical pattern to continue every year, thru another slow start.  It does provide Beaver Fans a track-record of success.

So, again….please….

STOP.

Think about these things before all that liquid-courage allows those 3 words, 'Fire Mike Riley!' to escape your pie-hole; at the tippy-top of your lungs.

It is a free country; yet, this act is just plain reckless.  Especially considering where & to whom its' aimed; at Mike Riley?  At the 'flex' point of an otherwise excellent body of work; both recent & far-reaching?

FIRE MIKE RILEY? 

....YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?

Please take a brief look in rear-view first.

I invite Beaver Nation to consider the quintessential core building blocks of an exemplary, stable college football program: 


RECRUITING


Landing recruits to play at Oregon State is admittedly a unique & demanding challenge for Mike Riley.

I truly believe most Orange-Bloods respect & understand this,

AGAIN, OSU IS 29-17 CONFERENCE, OVER 5+ SPAN

IN A CONFERENCE W/POWERHOUSE FOOTBALL SCHOOLS IN WARM &/OR URBAN LOCATIONS

• Southern California, Arizona State, Arizona, UCLA, Stanford, California

40-MILES FROM 'UNIVERSITY OF NIKE'

IN 'NORTHWEST/RAIN-SOAKED STATE/CLIMATE

THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM A MAJORITY OF THEIR POTENTIAL RECRUITS

20 Former Oregon State Football Stars were listed on 2011 Opening Week NFL Rosters (including 3 QUARTERBACKS); thus, 20 Pro's were directly influenced, in one way or another, by Mike Riley.

Safe to say, Mike Riley has categorically overachieved in luring premium talent to our picturesque NW College Town.

2011:

The mere fact Mike Riley has the self-assurance & job-confidence to insert a Freshman Quarterback, Sean Mannion in place of a more accomplished, 4th Year Junior Quarterback, Ryan Katz...


Verification of a Head Coach with a well-rounded, 'Big Picture' approach. 

ESPECIALLY if we disagree with such decisions…its' entirely possible that Riley knows what he has in front of him. 

Moreover, Mike Riley was offered the HEAD COACHING JOB at THE Crown Jewell Program of the West; Southern California.  Riley has ties to SC, having ascended to 2ND in Command of The Trojans under Legendary, long-time SC Head Coach, John Robinson.


Mike Riley was offered the Southern California Head Coach Position vacated by forlorn, SC Head Coach, Pete Carroll in 2009.  Thus, despite uncertainty in LA, regarding the eventual outcome of the Reggie Bush/OJ Mayo turmoil, Riley was presented a once-in-a-lifetime set of keys:


KEY #1:
PAC-12's CEREMONIAL"PACE-CAR" IGNITION KEY
(w/TITLE & 'Car-Fax', reportedly surrendered by Pete Carroll, during at Reggie Bush's San Diego Estate Sale)


KEY#2:
'EXECUTIVE WASHROOM of ELITE COLLEGE COACHES 
The 'Jet Set'?  Not exactly.  Yet, it might not suck to rub an occasional elbow w/Mack Brown or Nick Saban. You'd probably hear Joe-Pa struggling behind door #4 on every doggone visit to this Water Closet.  Brady Hoke JUMPED at his chance to shake dew over the trough.


Nevertheless. Mike Riley vetoed SC's offer & opted to remain in his Hometown of Corvallis thru 2019.

PERSPECTIVE!

LASTLY,

"Oregon State will  never go to a Rose Bowl with Mike Riley as Head Coach"

HOW SOON WE FORGET....

Quick reminder to Long-Suffering-Beaver-Fans ("L.S.B.F.'s")

661 agonizing days ago (Dec 03, 09), Riley's Beavers' were so tantalizingly close to Pasadena they could smell it. 

'09 Beavers: 18 Minutes, 49 Seconds from clinching the undisputed PAC-10 Title & Conference's Automatic Qualifying BCS Game entry vs. Ohio State on Jan 01, 10.  OSU possessed a two-score, 30-21 Third Quarter Lead in Eugene. 

As we're certainly aware, Oregon State's Offense repeatedly settled for Field Goal's in The Red-Zone.  Oregon State's Defense just couldn't hold off a relentless Oregon Offensive Attack, orchestrated & designed by then-1st Year Head Coach Chip Kelly.  The Ducks deployed their big-play/quick-strike 'Spread-Option' attack to eventually edge past the Beavers, & Oregon held on for a 37-33, Rose Bowl-Clinching Win in Eugene. 

Big-Game Losses are still always listed in the 'L' COLUMN...till we devise another Column in the Standings for 'Moral W's. 

No such thing as an acceptable loss, obviously. 

Yet, Riley's Beavers reaching their Conference Finale twice in the past three years - and most recently, The Beavers reaching their final 19 Minutes of the Regular Season with their Rose Bowl destiny & aspirations directly within clear reach?  It's undoubtedly painful - yet, an 'accomplishment' most folks in these parts sincerely never DREAMED POSSIBLE in the not-so-distant past.

& NEVER is a long time.

Oregon State Football Fans could certainly agree: Nothing could surpass the epic vision of our 'Good-Guys in Black' tearing out of the Rose Bowl Tunnel on a glorious Pasadena New Year's Day Afternoon. 

The very best chance we Beaver Fans have to see this dream become reality in our lifetime is WITH MIKE RILEY leading the Beavers out of that Tunnel.

In my humble opinion.
 W-O-W