December 29, 2007
Next Up Oregon State’s Mike Riley
Update 2: Guess who else is in San Francisco this weekend … Lane Kiffin. A San Diego radio station is reporting, according to internet rumor, that Lane Kiffin will be interviewed by Dan Guerrero as well. Take it FWIW.
Update: As quickly as one report about our coaching search goes up another follows stating the opposite. Corvalis Gazette says LAT report about Riley not true. Read more at bottom.
It's been a little manic the last few days with all the announcements. One more won't change the atmosphere. Rich Perelman of the LAT is reporting that Oregon State's Mike Riley will interview with Dan Guerrero for the HC position today in San Francisco:
A credible source says that UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero took a flight to San Francisco tonight for the purpose of speaking with Oregon State coach Mike Riley tomorrow morning about the UCLA head coaching position.
Oregon State just defeated Maryland, 21-14, in the Emerald Bowl. Riley's team has won four straight bowl games and finishes 9-4 after a 10-4 season in 2006. In his second tour at OSU starting in 2003, his record is 39-24 (.619) and has won eight or more games in three of five seasons.
Riley played defensive back at Alabama from 1971-74 and has been a head coach at Winnipeg (CFL), San Antonio (World League), Oregon State twice and in San Diego (NFL). He was, interestingly, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for USC from 1993-96, losing all four games he coached against UCLA.
This may just be a filler interview, then again … At least no one can say that DG isn't casting a wide net. This interview confirms what we have long thought, that DG has other candidates waiting in the wings for their bowl or Sunday/playoff games to finish. This gives him some breathing room, but it also calls into question how he is managing the process. If Neuheisel's people are saying that Neu hasn't been contacted in a week, as Big Joe McDonnell said yesterday on the air, then DG might not be playing the politics of the search well, as has been long suspected.
We have already written about DG's missteps, and that was a couple of weeks ago, but we are trying to maintain patience with the process. As long as DG is making progress, as it appears he is (leaving open the question of whether the progress is productive or not) then he deserves our patience. One thing is certain, he is losing the battle of perception. In the end however, the perception will be trumped by the outcome, if it's good. Here's to hoping it's good. Go Bruins!!
Update: Corvalis Gazette says LAT report about Riley not true.
The biggest stir that came up after the Oregon State football team’s win over Maryland on Friday night in the Emerald Bowl came from an L.A. Times report that said coach Mike Riley was going to meet with UCLA for its coaching opening Saturday here.
OSU officials said that was incorrect late Friday night since Riley was getting on a plane to return to Corvallis right then. Riley is scheduled to be at men’s basketball game Sunday night to do a TV interview. Riley also recently said he has no interest in the UCLA position. He told me Thursday he wants to go home right after the game and have family time before heading to the Hula Bowl.
A reporter from the L.A. Daily News said that boosters he is close to said that’s not the way UCLA is going. But you never know with this stuff.
14 Comments on Next Up Oregon State’s Mike Riley
December 29, 2007
Ray @ 10:26 am:
Has anyone seen anything about this? It was in this mornings San Diego Union:
“Word on the street is that Mike Martz (Madison High) will be the next UCLA football coach, replacing fellow San Diegan Karl Dorrell (Helix High). Martz, current offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions and former Rams head coach, no doubt would bring some excitement to that program.
A passing wizard, Martz worshipped at the altar shared by Don Coryell and Ernie Zampese (Zampese expanded Air Coryell into an aeronautical conglomerate). UCLA can use some football pizzazz . . .
High school quarterbacks, I would guess, should be attracted to Martz, who likes to get the ball downfield . . .
It makes sense. UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero really has put this thing off, and for what? He’s waiting for the end of the NFL regular season . . . “
John W. Reagan @ 10:28 am:
The way DG is treating Neuheisel is disrespectful and unprofessional, and I am not the only one who has noticed. I am in Las Vegas for the holiday and I have been listening to the local sports radio shows. All of the hosts have made negative comments about DG and the way he is conducting UCLA’s coaching search, and about the football program in general. One host called the UCLA football program a disorganized mess, at the moment I think he’s right.
mark @ 10:31 am:
Isn’t it strange that we haven’t heard from Dan Guerrero since his statement over two weeks ago (16 days, to be exact) regarding the status of the search? The search was “progressing” at that time…I suspect the search has regressed since then given the names that are currently being talked about. Just hire Neuheisel already. My patience would be running thin right now if I were a recruit.
John W. Reagan @ 10:39 am:
I just read yesterdays article in the LA Times by Bill Plaschke regarding the coaching search. The title is “Dan Guerrero flagged for delay of game.” The article basically calls DG out. Worth a look.
ATP @ 10:53 am:
JW Reagan….I’m with you. That’s why I mentioned a few days ago that I wouldn’t blame Neuheisel if he told Guerrero to buzz off. Why should Neuheisel sit back and let people take pot shots at him while Guerrero twiddles his thumbs? If I’m Neuheisel, I have to be thinking, “Geez, I had two interviews and they’re still looking for someone else to interview? The writing is on the wall. See ya.” Chow and Golden got the message. No one would blame Neuheisel if he did what they did.
Personally, I get more discouraged everyday. None of the coaches still being pursued give us a better chance of winning than Neuheisel. At first, I gave Guerrero the benefit of the doubt. Now, I’m beginning to think he is an idiot.
By the way, since you’re in Vegas, there is a guy in town (among others) who really knows college football. I’d love to hear his opinion. He is the sportsbook manager at The Orleans and his name is Bob Gregorka. If you get a wild hair, head over there and see if you can pin him down.
Have fun.
BruinBuddy @ 11:11 am:
You can mark the date February 3, 2008 on your calendar. On this day, the Super Bowl wil have been played and that day also, it will be announced that Dan Guerrero wil be interviewing Bill Belichick for the vacant UCLA coaching position. By then Bill Belichick wil have been the 91st coach interviewed in his thorough exercise of his “options”.
BruinFamily @ 11:16 am:
ATP - Great to have you back! So how do you know this sportsbook manager so well
. . . wait, I’ve got Barbara Hedges on the other line . . . no, that was Rick wanting to know if JWR could find a Vegas line on who’s the next coach, or even when, so he could put a few bucks down . . .?
Ok, ok - bad joke - we’ll get a lot of those if RN is hired, but I’ll gladly put up with that while we’re building a consistent winner with a coach that’ll retire hear.
DG, talk to us - at least let us know when . . .? RN, ML, JJ, JF, JT, MR would all look good in Blue and Gold.
Brewnz @ 11:21 am:
If all candidates were informed about this timetable, I don’t see a problem with this search, nor should Rick, even if there has been no contact with him since the last interview, as reported. This just means DG is being prudent, open to other options and following his plan. It does not mean that Rick is plan B, he may in fact be the primary choice, just looking for any *better* choices that may be willing to come to UCLA(fat chance). It looks bad to us, but we are just outsiders looking in, not really knowing what has transpired, and just guessing as to what is going on. Who is to decide how a HC search should be? Those who have dropped out were not agreeable with this timetable. As I have posted before here and at BN, when the dust settles, the last man standing will be Rick and Pac10 Championships and more will be the norm at UCLA.
BruinFamily @ 11:21 am:
Geez,
I meant retire here, ya hear
Just waiting till the coffee kicks in
mark @ 11:22 am:
The bruinsnation website suggests that perhaps Fox is being considered for the HC job, Neuheisel (or Chow) for OC, and Harbaugh for DC. In the grand scheme of things, this makes a little more sense (at least how it relates to Harbaugh, who has no business being mentioned as a candidate for the HC position). HOWEVER, isn’t it odd that the Chancellor would interview candidates being considered for the coordinator positions??
ATP @ 11:23 am:
BruinFamily….Yeah, I guess I kinda tipped my hand a bit there, didn’t I? LOL
I’m always amazed when former football coaches or players are asked their opinion on who is going to win a particular game, and then a linemaker is asked the same question, its the linemaker that gets it right most of the time. Maybe we should have one of them pick our next coach.
ATP @ 11:26 am:
Brewnz….Hope you’re right, man.
BruinFamily @ 11:29 am:
Gotta agree with Brewnz!
I’m glad some of the pessimistic, angry, name-calling posts have subsided lately. I am confident good news is coming.
Would you fault Rick for talking to SMU or WVU keeping his options open? I don’t even fault DW for talking to UDub (though the way it was leaked seems suspicious). Why fault DG for exhausting all possibilities to avoid another 5 year experiment? I HOPE he is being up front with the candidates wrt timetable.
Gotta say I was truly impressed with Riley 5 years ago when he asked Alabama for a few days to interview with UCLA first. They had stones to say no (would DG do that?), he had stones to say he still wanted the UCLA interview. Then he got shafted for our experimental days. I’m glad my experimental college days are over - I hope DG’s are also.
J.J. @ 2:18 pm:
jut announced on a.m. 570 with Lee Hacksaw! Ucla to hire Rick Neuheisel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!