Coaching football at the Division One level can be like riding a rollercoaster. One day you are riding high after a win. Then next day you are being yelled at and second guessed like you don't know what you are doing. It takes a strong individual to maintain their composure during the difficult times and the craziness of the great times. A major college coach has to have a level head that keeps his team emotions in check.
One of the coaches in the Pac-12 who exemplifies those characteristics is Mike Riley, head coach of the Oregon State Beavers. He is one of the most respected coaches in the country, does more with less, and maintains a high level of respect with his players.
Most people would not be able to pick him out of a crowd of people. Many football players may not be able to pick him out of crowd either. That is how unassuming Coach Mike Riley is. He is textbook definition of poise and coolness. Watching him on the sidelines, one would think he was at a tennis match or golf tournament because of his low key demeanor. He is rarely animated to the point of having an official call him for an unsportsmanlike penalty. Riley doesn't have that in his DNA. Now, that is not to say that he doesn't yell or scream every once in awhile at a player or an official, but he typically will handle adverse situations in the calm, cool way that he is known for.
Coach Riley was recently named the number two most underrated coach in all of college football by ESPN. In Corvallis, he doesn't get the 5 start recruits that a lot of schools get, he gets the 2 or 3 star athletes, and an occasional 4 star athlete. The four star athlete at Oregon State tends to be a rare sight. He gets kids that are not necessarily recruited by the big schools, may have a bit of "chip" on their shoulder, and then with the help of his staff coaches the heck out of those players. By coaching these kids the way he does, he gets the max effort and potential out of these kids. In the end, that coaching shows up on the field on Saturday afternoons.
He has coached 32 players who have earned All-American honors, 32 players have been drafted into the NFL (does not include FA signings), has the most wins in Oregon State history with 88, and has a couple of players who have been first round picks by the NFL. Stephen Jackson, drafted by the Rams in 2004 and this past season had Brandin Cooks selected #20 overall in the first round by the New Orleans Saints. He has had three players go onto the NFL and earn Pro Bowl honors. Derek Anderson, Brandon Browner, and Stephen Jackson have earned those honors in recent years.
Coach Riley's approach to coaching a pro style offense has benefited many players that have through Corvallis. It's an approach that players will see at the next level and provides them with a "jump start" on the any other player in the country.
One area that Riley takes a lot of pride in his that many of his players also accomplish things in the classroom. He has had players earn academic accolades more than 70 times in the last six years at Oregon State.
He is the known for the being "the best man in college football". A phrase that sports radio host Jim Rome gave him. He is respected by all, hated by none (other than opponents on Saturdays), and has created an environment in Corvallis that has led to a renewed spirit of winning and doing things the right way at Oregon State. I, for one, hope that he finishes his career in Corvallis and stays connected with the program forever. He is a great man and coach and one that should never be taken for granted by the fans of Oregon State.
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