How and Why Mike Riley Meshes with Husker Players

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Having a bye week for the first time this season, Nebraska looked, sounded and acted like a football team that has pushed the reset button and refreshed itself. While watching Friday foe Iowa climb to No. 3 in the national college football rankings and seeing Michigan State hijack defending national champion Ohio State last Saturday in the Horseshoe, the Huskers emerged from the weekend physically improved, mentally healthy and wiser than ever about the wild and wacky world of college football.

Monday’s last regular-season press conference inside Memorial Stadium had a different tone and a certain sense of assurance. Mike Riley talked about the road the Huskers have taken since their 3-6 start that included four losses on the game’s final play. He also talked about the way he and his staff wrapped their arms around every player so that each could see the way, the truth and the light of playing for a new head coach.

Asked if he had any idea a year ago that he would wind up the head coach at Nebraska, Riley’s first two words were no and none followed by whatsoever because the idea was not in his wildest dreams. “I would not have thought it because I had always made it pretty public that I intended to retire at Oregon State,” he said.

We all know that, but it’s important to remember how Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst targeted Riley as a head coach and why one of his greatest allies was Riley’s wife, who encouraged her husband to “look into” the opportunity.

“That was the newest, most surprising information I had gotten in a long time,” Riley said Monday with a laugh. “That’s not necessarily exactly the reason why, but it opened a door that was very interesting for all of us, and we’re all very thankful for it. We always will miss parts of our life in Corvallis, but we’re very thankful for being here.”

In a Week of Thanksgiving, Riley Thankful He’s at Nebraska

Four days before Thanksgiving is a good time to measure Riley’s ability to inherit a team, overcome quadruple doses of last-second losses and use the resulting scar tissue as ammunition to compete. It’s admirable how the 5-6 Huskers’ can compete against the Big Ten’s best teams in the stretch drive of a season that has become a tale of constant reassurance, strong relationships and equal opportunity.

Despite battling week in and week out without any measurable depth in defensive tackles, ends and linebackers, Nebraska has beaten Michigan State, 39-38. The Spartans, of course, have beaten both Ohio State and Michigan on the final play of both games and are one win against Penn State short of meeting Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game at Indianapolis.

Now, the Huskers have a similar opportunity to spoil the Hawkeyes’ school record 11-0 start and become bowl eligible at the same time. How did Nebraska pull itself together and gather the fortitude to move on despite all odds. My opinion: Because Riley (pictured above with freshman Stanley Morgan) meshed with his players, and they meshed with him. Instead of carving out a plan that might work best for a new staff, Riley and his staff opened their arms and treated every player with the same dignity and respect.

The result was discovering talent like senior fullback Andy Janovich, who came out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Riley, in fact, was asked Monday if Janovich’s emergence was the result of his “coaching this year’s team” instead of favoring younger players with more time and upside.

“I haven’t thought of it that way, but I think that our job as coaches, as we said a long time ago, is to really study and look at this personnel in the spring and then try to find a way to blend the talent that we see with what we’ve done before and see if we can make it work,” Riley said.

Andy Janovich Fit Perfectly into Roles Riley Deemed Critical for Success

“It didn’t take anybody very long, including Bruce Read, our special teams’ coach, to note that Andy is a really good football player,” Riley said. “So, from what we’ve done with people like that in the past, Andy (pictured above) fit perfectly and we saw him as one of our best players, so we were going to get him in the game.”

Janovich admitted he “wasn’t really expecting much” at the beginning of the year “because the last staff told me the same thing, like ‘hey, we’re going to play you a whole bunch’ and I was just like, ‘sweet.’ Then it got to my junior year, and I was just like, ‘alright, whatever.’ Then they told me the same thing and I said, ‘alright, we’ll see.’ Then when it worked out, I’ve been just thrilled with what’s happened.”

With three years of experience as the head coach for the San Diego Chargers, Riley is convinced that Janovich will find a home in the NFL whenever his collegiate career ends. “I’m just focused on my degree,” said Janovich, one of 18 Husker seniors who will make their final Tunnel Walk Friday afternoon.

“I’m going to Pro Day (next year) and if it works out, that would be great,” Janovich said, indicating that his education, however, remains his top priority.

Riley relishes the prospect of this year’s seniors having the opportunity to upset two top five teams and spoil their respective unbeaten seasons in the ultra-critical month of November.

Seniors are always impacted the most whenever football staffs change. Monday, Riley admitted transitioning seniors was probably the most difficult because they’ve been with   their former coaches the longest. “I would say that we’ve been able to function well through some hard times because of the stability of that group,” Riley said. “I really appreciate them for who they’ve been and how they’ve gone through this year. They’re good representatives of this program and this school.”

Coach Riley: I Think it’s really about Us More than Anything

Motivation, especially for the regular-season finale, comes easy. Playing a good team is pivotal to the natural growth of a Nebraska-Iowa rivalry. “There’s lots of stuff here that is real about that,” Riley said. “Just bringing it back to the basics, I think our guys are just excited for the opportunity to play in a big game against a good team and get a chance to prove what we can do. Everyone is obviously aware of the ramifications for them but I think our guys want to play and win. Whatever motivates them, I think it’s really about us more than anything.”

Nothing can change Nebraska’s six heartbreaking losses and redemption isn’t Riley’s mindset. He’s too busy continuing to build trust and relationships. When the Huskers lost the coaches who recruited them, Riley never tried to intervene with built-in loyalties.

“Only through time can we gain those relationships that you really get into coaching for,” Riley said. “That’s what I’ve found to be different for me, too. I mean, I was at a place for 12 years and so everybody understood what it was to be in the program, the expectations, behavior. The older guys were kind of the teachers as we went forward. Starting anew actually is very motivating and energizing and takes time. With all that, this was a good group to break in with. From the beginning, they were pretty darn open, considering how hard the situation was for all of them.”

Bottom line, Husker players meshed with new Nebraska coaching because both sides were open-minded and respectful about every aspect of change. Leadership is universally built on trust, and fortunately, that’s what has emerged to elevate Nebraska’s continuous pursuit of excellence on a day-by-day basis.

Meaningful Nebraska Numbers

1 Nebraska has defeated two top-10 opponents in one month just once in school history. NU defeated a pair of top-10 teams in October of 1995. Nebraska defeated #6 Michigan State earlier in November.

14 Iowa enters the game with an 11-0 record. The Hawkeyes are just the 14th undefeated team Nebraska has faced in Lincoln in November. The Huskers are 7-5-1 in those games.

26 The matchup with Iowa will mark the 26th consecutive season Nebraska has played on Black Friday. NU has played either Oklahoma, Colorado or Iowa on the day after Thanksgiving every year since 1990, compiling a 19-6 record.

18 Seniors will be suiting up for their final game at Memorial Stadium. They include:

• Taariq Allen, wide receiver, Weston, Mass.

• Tyson Broekemeier, punter, Aurora, Neb.

• Byerson Cockrell, safety, Columbus, Miss.

• Imani Cross, I-back, Gainesville, Ga.

• Daniel Davie, cornerback, Beatrice, Neb.

• Jack Gangwish, defensive end, Wood River, Neb.

• Andy Janovich, fullback, Gretna, Neb.

• Joe Keels, defensive end, Kenosha, Wis.

• Chongo Kondolo, offensive guard, Carrollton, Texas

• Alex Lewis, offensive tackle, Tempe, Ariz.

• Chris Long, offensive guard, Blair, Neb.

• Givens Price, defensive tackle, Houston, Texas

• Ryne Reeves, center, Crete, Neb.

• Anthony Ridder, defensive back, West Point, Neb.

• Jonathan Rose, cornerback, Leeds, Ala.

• Zach Sterup, offensive lineman, Hastings, Neb.

• David Sutton, tight end, Lincoln, Neb.

• Jamal Turner, wide receiver, Arlington, Texas

8 Different states Nebraska seniors represent. Nine are native Nebraskans. The 2015 senior class features three players from Texas and one each from Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, Mississippi and Wisconsin.

45 Games in the all-time Nebraska-Iowa football series. Nebraska leads with 29 wins, 13 losses and 3 ties. The Huskers are 14-2-1 against the Hawkeyes in Lincoln, 11-2 at Memorial Stadium, 10-6 at Iowa City, 4-4-2 at neutral sites and are on a one-game winning streak after last year’s 37-34 overtime win at Iowa City. Remember the Huskers’ 24-7 third-quarter deficit last year? Kenny Bell’s 32-yard touchdown catch and 9-yard winning TD reception in OT? De’Mornay Pierson-El’s 80-yard fourth-quarter punt return touchdown? How about Taariq Allen’s 34-yard TD catch in the last 1:44 of the third quarter to launch the momentum and move Nebraska within 24-14?

25 Nebraska has played the last quarter-century on national television on Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving. The Huskers are 19-6 in those games that include a 5-1 record against Oklahoma, an 11-4 mark against Colorado and a 3-1 record against Iowa.

41 Different starters on Nebraska’s roster this season – 21 on offense and 20 on defense. Fans forget the injury issues the Huskers have battled all season. The hardest hit areas have been 17 games missed by defensive end and defensive tackle starters and 13 combined games missed by linebacker starters. Nebraska’s best defensive effort of the season at Rutgers reflected the return of key healthy defenders and the equilibrium a deeper roster provides. In allowing just 259 total offensive yards at Rutgers, the Blackshirts set season highs with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

1927 The last time Nebraska has beaten an undefeated opponent in the final game of the regular season when the Huskers defeated New York University, 27-18. Eighty-eight years later, Nebraska can make history and if the Huskers pull off a sequel to their monumental 39-38 upset of Michigan State earlier this month, someone should take a postgame photo of defensive end Ross Dzuris (junior, Plattsmouth, Neb.) and tight end Tyler Hoppes (sophomore, Lincoln, Neb.). Both wear jersey number 88.

1 Nebraska vs. Iowa 2015 Heroes Game Trophy and one opportunity for fans to connect directly with that trophy on Saturday. The Husker Nation Pavilion, north of Memorial Stadium on the Gass Practice Field, offers fun with family-friendly entertainment every home weekend. On Friday, from 11:30 a.m. until kickoff at 2:30 p.m., Husker and Hawkeye fans are entitled to enjoy a special feature – the Husker Photo Booth (@HuskerFanPhoto), giving fans a chance to have their picture taken with the Heroes Trophy.

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Great article. Leadership is built on trust, and trust is built on truth. Jim Carstens, Huntley, Illinois