Mike Riley

During his first two seasons in 1997 and ’98, Riley laid the foundation for a program that has since competed in the Fiesta, O’ahu, Insight (twice), Las Vegas and Sun Bowls.

Riley is the first coach in OSU history to win more than one NCAA-sanctioned bowl game at OSU, capturing the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl, the 2004 Insight Bowl and 2006 Sun Bowl titles.  He also is the first coach to lead the program to two winning conference seasons (5-3 in ’04 & 6-3 in ’06) since 1969.   The victory in the Sun Bowl improved Riley’s bowl record as a coach to 6-0; 3-0 as a head coach at Oregon State and 3-0 as the offensive coordinator at USC.

His 2006 team became only the second club in OSU history to win at least 10 games – winning eight of the last nine, including impressive victories over No. 3 USC, No. 24 Hawai’i and Oregon.  To cap one of the best seasons in school history, the Beavers won a thrilling game over Missouri (39-38) in arguably the best Sun Bowl ever played.  The final summary of the season showed OSU finishing third in the Pac-10, just one game behind co-winners USC and California.  Fourteen student-athletes earned all-conference mention and another nine earned academic honors.

The hometown boy—he attended Corvallis High School—returned to the Beaver sideline for the second time and led the program to the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl title in convincing fashion.  His ’03 team set numerous individual and team records, and led the Pac-10 Conference for both offense and defense.  He followed up the ’03 team’s success by signing the program’s best ever recruiting class, according to several scouting organizations.

The 2004 team accepted the challenge of playing both the ’03 defending national champions, and the eventual 2004 national champions, and faced one of the most difficult schedules in the nation.  The team fought through early setbacks before defeating Oregon in the annual Civil War in record fashion.  The victory over the archrivals propelled OSU to a convincing 38-21 victory over Notre Dame in the 16th annual Insight Bowl.   The Beavers closed 2004 winning six of their final seven games and pushing Orange Bowl/National champion USC to the wire.

Riley left Oregon State after the 1998 season to pursue a unique opportunity to become the head coach of the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers.  He spent four years in the NFL, returning to Oregon State after a one-year stint as an assistant with the New Orleans Saints.

Riley was a popular choice when he was originally hired for the position in late December of 1996 and was equally as popular upon his hiring the second time.

“I’ll say it again: Mike Riley was the right choice the first time around.  He’ll be an even better choice this time,” respected and longtime in-state journalist Dwight Jaynes said.

The 54-year-old coach calls Corvallis his hometown, although he was born in Wallace, Idaho.  He grew up watching Beaver football, as his father Bud was an assistant coach for the program from 1965-72.  Mike was a standout quarterback at Corvallis High School, leading the Spartans to the 1970 state title. 

Riley, who already had coaching in his blood at a young age, made the decision to continue playing the sport in college at the University of Alabama for legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.  He played cornerback from 1971-74, helping the Tide to four Southeastern Conference titles and the 1973 national championship.

Riley immediately launched a successful coaching career following his graduation from Alabama in 1974.  His first stop was as a defensive graduate assistant coach for Mike White at the University of California.  He helped the Bears to an 8-3 record and a share of the Pacific-8 Conference title, the first and only for the program since the Pac-8/10 Conference was formed in 1968.

He continued his education and his coaching in 1976 at Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash.  He finished his master’s degree in physical education in 1977 while working for the popular Pacific Northwest coach and future Canadian Football League legend Hugh Campbell.

Riley’s first full-time appointment came at NAIA powerhouse Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore.  From 1977-82 he served as the program’s defensive coordinator and secondary coach, as well as assistant athletic director.  Riley assisted head coach Ad Rutschman’s Wildcats to a six-year record of 52-7-1, which included five conference titles and the 1982 undefeated NAIA title team.

An opportunity to coach in professional football presented itself following the ’82 season, and Riley was on his way to the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers as the secondary coach.  During his three-years as an assistant, Winnipeg produced a 32-15-1 mark and won the 1984 Grey Cup title.

Riley returned to the college ranks in 1986 as an assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado, before being named the youngest coach in CFL history in 1987 with Winnipeg at 33-years of age.  Riley guided the Bombers to two Grey Cup titles (1988, ’90) and was named the CFL’s Coach of the Year in those seasons.  He will be inducted into the club's Hall of Fame June 13, 2007.

In 1991 Riley took over the San Antonio Riders of the World Football League, spending two seasons before the league suspended its North American operations.

He returned to the college ranks in 1993 when then USC head coach John Robinson offered him the position of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach – he later became assistant head coach. The Mesa (Ariz.) Tribune named him the league’s top assistant coach in 1993 after leading the Trojan offense to record setting numbers.  Then USC quarterback Rob Johnson earned numerous Pac-10 and NCAA records and would later become a first-round draft pick.

“He’s a player’s coach, who gets the most out of you by treating you like normal,” Johnson later said.

Riley remained at USC through the 1997 season, helping the Trojans to victories in the Rose, Cotton, and Freedom Bowls.  USC won one outright league title, shared another, and finished second one time.

“He’s the nicest guy I know, and one of my closest friends,” Robinson said.  “Some guys come into your life and really have a positive influence, others just come and go.  Everyone who has ever known Mike thinks he’s the nicest guy.”

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