OSU coach Mike Riley commited a secondary NCAA violation Wednesday at the signing day press conference.
Here are some leftover notes from Oregon State coach Mike Riley about the 2012 recruiting class, starting with a minor mistake.
Riley was asked about Cleveland Wallace, an OSU commit until signing day, who picked the Huskies. When he answered by saying his name Riley committed a secondary NCAA violation.
OSU officials said they are reporting the violation to the NCAA. These low-level violations are common for all sports at all schools. They are recorded by the NCAA with warnings given out.
It’s not even a slap on the wrist. I got a copy of a year’s worth of OSU violations a while back, and they are so silly. Some of them were patches were at the wrong spot on a jersey, having a recruits name on a dinner maker and other odd nit-pick things.
Three RBs were recruited, and Chris Brown was the one who wanted to come to OSU the most. So he’s on his way.
QB Brent VanderVeen was the No. 1 QB he evaluated.
WR Zack Robinson and S Cyril Noland might be tried out at CB because Riley wanted more CBs and could sign only one.
Here’s what Riley said about TEs in the class: “We really wanted at least two tight ends. Two is a good number for us. Tight ends are hard to find. It’s a versatile position. We are looking for guys who are athletic enough to run down and make plays. We need to get good production in the passing game out of the tight end catching the ball, but yet he has to block and defensive end. Finding those guys are hard.”
Riley visited 26 players between the middle of December and signing day.
Rivals.com gave OSU an A for offensive recruiting, saying to was the best job in that area in 14 years of tracking. However, the defensive recruiting got a C- due to the lack of DT recruiting and DBs who got away.
15 comments
KC says:
Feb 2, 2012
Ahem “DBs (plural) that got away. That’s cool coaches feel like they’re covered at DT and everyone else in the world is wishing the the titanic farewell on it’s maiden voyage… having already seen the movie
OS_Beaver says:
Feb 2, 2012
Since Hoops got over the road hump in the Civil War, I think OSU can beat Colorado tonight in a close game. We need to maintain defensive intensity and mix in our defenses strategically. Jared again needs to be a leader and the entire team, including coach, needs to communicate and be engaged from start to finish.
Oregon State @ Colorado:
http://beaverbyte.com
OSUSupporter says:
Feb 2, 2012
Boo-boo…..? Big deal. Riley was just expressing his disappointment just as many of us felt when so many DB’s “flipped” on signing day. We may be okay at DT/DE and with those great OG/OTs coming in, our line is shaping up to be solid. A run game would make Mannion look like an all-pro.
getreal says:
Feb 3, 2012
Really…all-pro????? I think even saying All-Pac 12 would be seen by most as a ridiculous stretch but okay.
Billy says:
Feb 2, 2012
The violation was probably because Wallace hadn’t sent in his papers to UW yet, technically making him a recruit so Riley isn’t supposed to name names.
Beaveralum says:
Feb 2, 2012
Given our defense was such a problem last year, I’m really surprised to see no help coming on the dline dbacks. What’s up with that?
dunerat says:
Feb 2, 2012
Again nothing has changed, Riley just couldn’t close again. The only surprises they come up with on Signing Day is the players that get away. If you added up all the players in the past that Riley hasn’t been able to close on since he has been there on signing day, You could put together a PAC-12 Championship Team. It took Bellotti 6-7 years before he did it at Oregon. Riley has had 12 years and yet to do it. Yes this looks like his best class, but He came off of back to back losing seasons in a weak league. 2-10 last year, worst since ’95. I say 2 because if Keith Price plays in the UDUB game they win easily.
73GradMike says:
Feb 2, 2012
I surely hope that the DTs we have already will take care of business.
Banker has a lot to prove before he gets a passing grade on recruiting DTs and on utilizing the talents of his roster to play effective defense.
He sure as hell better not blame the players for his shortcomings!
(Hint: consider stunts and blitzes BEFORE you have a 14-point lead!)
(Note: opposing coaches know how predictable you (Banker) and Langsdorf are. That’s why they they consistently kick your asses!)
I’m guessing that top recruits see how poorly OSU coaches utilize talent and how often OSU coaches blame player talent for team losses.
Coaches need to express some personal responsibility and vow (and work) to improve!
FOR SOME OF YOU FANS WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: I love and support my Beavs. I’m just tired of the coaches doing the same things over and over when those “same things” yield poor results. Constructive criticism suggests where changes could be made. I, obviously, am suggesting that coaches institute some innovation and variation to overcome the unsuccessful patterns that they have established. I have consistently heard from coaches that what I suggest is “not the way we do things”. I counter that “the way they do things” is not working. I have been very specific in the past, and I am willing to be very specific in the future. (I won’t even charge HALF of a coach’s salary)
FOR READERS WHO THINK THAT FAN CRITICISMS NEGATIVELY INFLUENCE RECRUITS: I counter that coaches blaming players and not themselves for OSU football’s problems is the largest possible deterrent to signing top recruits. If coaches vowed to change and to improve their game plans and their in-game adjustments (constructive criticism), then I believe that top recruits would appreciate that honesty and that commitment to improve. If I am a recruit who hears that losses “are the players’ fault”, then I would look for a different team that has coaches who are willing to improve their own contributions instead of deflecting responsibility.
As ESPN has taught us to say, “C’mon, Man!”. Let’s get the coaching staff to properly utilize their players to get to wins and bowl games.
As Pat Casey, Tanya Chaplin (gymnastics), Ralph Miller, and DENNIS ERICKSON have demonstrated, OSU can be a Top-10 team (and NCAA Champion) with the right coaching and circumstances.
I’d surely like to see OSU football reach those heights (or even approximate those heights) again!
Chris says:
Feb 3, 2012
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2012/02/02/pac-12-football-the-day-after-signing-day/
We keep reading about this class and how great it is, but according to the rest of the conference in Jon Wilner’s blog, it doesn’t get any mention at all.
How does this happen – UCLA getting such a high rating when it’s new coach has never even coached college football? How does this happen? It happens because the new coach Mora took on assistants with extensive recruiting backgrounds, etc. Recruits were swayed. Yet old Riley stands still and let’s his top recruiter in Heyward get plucked off by UW and he does nothing to deal with it. With all the firings in the Pac 12 this past year there were some good assistants available and Riley passed on them all.
We just got the season renewal via email and I admit I am so on the fence on all of this. I just have zero faith in Riley completely and wonder how next year will be. Even if these new recruits do pan out any impact from the new recruits is really two-three years away with red shirt years in the mix.
I really wish Riley would have made a move in the offseason to hold his assistants – and even himself accountable. He didn’t. Every single one of his peers in the Pac 12 was sacked over the past two years – Riley is the only consistent loser to keep his job and assistants completely intact (w/the exception of Heyward)
Beavs Believe says:
Feb 3, 2012
Heyward was not our top recruiter. Langsdorf is.
BeaverDon says:
Feb 3, 2012
Why do you say that Beavs Believe?
aaron_ says:
Feb 3, 2012
While it hurt with this years class that heyward left overall does it really hurt us recruiting? I mean if he was our best recruiter that isnt saying much. the past few years our recruiting was weak. This year is very good. Granted we lost a few this year becuse he left, but overall we did well. Losing him will hurt us only in the short term, with the guys taht didnt sign. But in the long run we can be anyworse off becasue he left.
jim says:
Feb 3, 2012
i am less concerned about recruiting the D this year as i thought last years D recruiting was very good, i especially like the LB’s we got last year. keep in mind those rescruits wont make an impact for another year.
dunerat says:
Feb 3, 2012
I was never impressed with Hayward as an on the field coach. OSU has recruited and built there defense to defend old offenses. Only Stanford, Washington, USC, and OSU are running old offenses. All the other teams are going to somekind of spread offense. Riley is just buying time until all schools are running the spread except OSU. Then they will have the unique offense in the league.
AndyPanda says:
Feb 3, 2012
“OSU has recruited and built there defense to defend old offenses.”
This is true, but it is the defensive coordinator that dictates schemes, not position coaches.
Heyward can see the writing on the wall as well as the rest of us, and saw an opportunity to make more money advancing his career instead of being collateral damage.