CORVALLIS, Ore. — It was a move that no one saw coming, Mike Riley to Nebraska. Riley had just one college head coaching job and that was at Oregon State. Many thought that was where his career would end, but Thursday morning, Riley was announced as the new head coach of the Cornhuskers.
After talking to the Beavers, Riley boarded a plane for Lincoln and arrived in Nebraska on Thursday evening. He will have a press conference on Friday to talk about his move to Nebraska. His former players had the chance to talk about their reactions to hearing their coach was taking another job, and just like everyone else, they did not see it coming.
“I was shocked too,” Jalen Grimble said. “When I transferred I thought it was one place I’d never have to see the head coach go, but you know things happen and I’m happy for Coach Riley. As bad as it is for him to leave, he made me feel the best he could about him leaving.”
“You know, no one knew, so it came as a surprise to everyone,” Terron Ward said. “Just knowing that the coach that you’ve had that has been here for so long is going to a new program, it’s just a little weird, just thinking about it,but like I said, people have to make their decisions in life and he made his.”
“I walked on and he treated me just like he would treat anyone,” Gabe Ovgard said. “He was kind. If I’d make a play in practice he’d say ‘That’s Gabe Ovgard from Klamath Falls,” just stuff like that, just a great guy. No matter who you were, he was going to treat you with kindness.”
