Riley meets the press
September 15, 1998
(Talk about the things that go into good offensive line play and the things youve gotten in that area this season) One of the main things about being an offensive lineman on any Pac-10 team, when you look at all the teams in our league, would be that being versatile is very important. That probably sounds kind of funny, but the guy has to be an athlete to be a run blocker like you want to run in our league, and to be a pass blocker against some of the best pass rushers, probably, in the country, so you really have to be an athletic guy. And the other thing is, people want you to be athletic but they want you to be 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, so it takes a special guy. Now, there are guys who are bigger than that and there are guys who are smaller than that, but that is probably the norm for offensive linemen in general. Good feet, the ability to bend your knees - if youre stiff and cant bend your knees, you cant get low enough to block and overpower people even though youre big. Good hands - the rules have gotten to the point where hands are very important to both offensive and defensive linemen. Then youve got to be one of those people who just keeps persevering without a lot of quick rewards. People arent cheering for the offensive linemen specifically, but the offensive team is basically run by the success of the offensive line. We always tell the team that the game is going to be won there, in the offensive and defensive lines. I really believe thats true. You cant run or pass without good performances there.
(USC coach Paul Hackett said he was worried that his defensive line could be overpowered by OSUs size) Thats a nice thing to say - for a change, probably. I mean, were big, we look good, and we are improved. Until we prove it on the field of battle, were not a great line; but were improved and we have guys working very hard there. I think weve got a good opportunity to improve because there are some pretty good football players in that group.
(How has Jason White helped?) Jasons arrival, and then injury and re-arrival - the fact hes playing right now is very important to the makeup and chemistry of our line. Going back further, if we hadnt had Jason then there would be quite a mixture of what you see right now. Keith (DeDomenico) probably wouldnt be playing center, he probably would be playing tackle. And Larry (Ramirez), who was playing tackle and is a better guard, who started there, maybe would have had to backup tackle some more and it would have been disruptive in that regard. It just wouldnt be the same makeup. Jason allowed us to be able to place people in what we considered the best spots for our team. Tackles are hard to come by, and were thin, but with the way we are right now, weve got a chance - if we can keep playing with this group like this - to become consistent, which is really important with an offensive line ... that you work together, get a feel for each other, know what your partner is doing, and you play off of him, and you do that all when guys are going 100 miles per hour. Thats the hard part of being an offensive linemen, its an adjustment deal. Anyway, I think theyre playing pretty well and theyre a group that has a lot of pride and will give themselves a chance to improve and become a good line.
(Mike Kuykendall redshirting?) (He has suited up for both home games)There are no final decisions on redshirts. If we need Mike in Game Five and hes going to play a lot, then hes going to play. The same thing with Shawn Kintner. But at the same time, after we get past this stretch right here, if we dont have to play them, thats good. I think both of those guys are going to be real good players, and wed like to have them for a whole season contributing like they will for four years.
(Talk about "going home" to USC) Thats not home anymore. But thats fun. Thats the great thing about sports - you guys have all been involved in going to places you lived in or grew up or something like that. When I first started coaching in Canada, I was coaching the DBs up there and my dad was the head coach at Hamilton. So when I was coaching for Winnipeg, when we played them, Id go see my folks and it was fun. Everybody would try to go, "Wow," but it was just fun. I think this is fun. I really feel fortunate and I have a deep appreciation for my time at USC - I really liked it a lot. It was a fun place to coach and I was around really good people. I really liked the players there and I just had a really good time. So for me, this is a fun deal. Ill see some of those people and see the players that are still there, and thats a great thing about sports, one of the real positive things. Because those relationships last forever, when they graduate or leave, they still last; and if I leave, they still last, so it will be fun to see them.
(The decision to move the USC game to this week from the original date of Nov. 14) (USC asked to move it up and Oregon State agreed; it gives both teams two weeks off to prepare for their rivalry games) That was one of the plusses that was brought up at the time. I think its OK. Id rather have a bye later, anyway. Maybe not that late.
(Is there less of an emotional attachment to visiting USC because John Robinson is no longer there?) For me, one of the real highlights was working for John. That was definitely a big factor in my time there. Besides the team, that was what I appreciate most about my time there. But there was a lot of other really good people that worked at USC that I liked, and the players. (Was Mike Garrett included in that group?) Yes. And all the guys - Dino Dennis, the equipment guy; Tim Tessalone in sports information ... all those are great guys. All that kind of stuff. So it is fun, but it is different because last year was the staff that I was on. (So you could have walked the wrong sideline at the Coliseum?) I might - if we were the first ones out there. That part will be different. I dont know if thats right for that USC band to stand right behind you. (But theres a Pac-10 rule against doing that now) Oh? Good, thats good.
(Coach Mark Banker said the hard thing is convincing the Beavers that USC is just another team despite the band and all that - youve got to put that behind you. How hard is it to do that? When you were at USC, how much of an advantage did you consider it that guys would walk into a place like the Coliseum, one of the four or five most storied places in the country?) I would hope - and I talked to our team about this - that it just adds to the excitement of this opportunity. I dont think there should be anything intimidating about this game except for ourselves getting ready to go. We should just be worried about ourselves. They are a good football team, and they look like theyre playing real well. But weve won two games, and if we play, well have a chance to win this one. If we make plays, and compete - I think that has happened and does happen to teams. When youre on that side of it, I never thought of that. Every game is just like they are now. Im anxious about every game, wherever Ive been and whatever its been. Thats why you spend all that time preparing - it doesnt change. We did not count on that. But I think it has been a real thing, and could be. I think Marks right - its very important that our team has a healthy respect and not a feeling of intimidation in any way. We should not have that. Like I told our offense, were not going to practice against anybody quicker than our own defense - were not. So weve seen speed. Jamil (Braithwaite) and Inoke (Breckterfield) are fast, fast guys off the edge. Our linebackers are pretty good, too.
(Any advantage for you in knowing their personnel, while theyre wondering about OSUs personnel?) I dont know. I think coaches have so much at their disposal now as far as studying the other team. I dont think that my knowledge is probably much different than a lot of guys because of the film and the TV and all the things you read and hear about players. But mostly the video - it doesnt take long to watch the video and see that R. Jay is pretty good.
(R. Jay Soward) Hes a great guy. Hes a fun guy to be around - very emotional, passionate, exciting. (You were talking to him on the phone earlier ... ) I asked if he could skip this game like he did the first one. I dont think hes going to. But hes really fun, hes really talented. I think when he was a freshman and we played UCLA, he broke a Pac-10 yardage record in that game and he was phenomenal.
(Mike Van Raaphorst) Hes very solid. I like Mike a lot. I thought he would be the starting quarterback there after I left, that hed win that job. I think hes solid, reliable, wont make many mistakes. The other guy they have who plays is really good (Carson Banning).
(OSU has shown during your time here that it can win non-conference games. The next step is winning Pac-10 games) That is definitely a big deal for us this year, to win conference games - a big deal.
