Replacing Bo Pelini with Mike Riley Is Hard for Nebraska Fans to Understand

Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst has found his guy. His name is Mike Riley.

Riley hails from Oregon State, where he has been the head coach for the last 12 years. He was also Oregon State's head coach briefly in 1997 and 1998 before heading to the San Diego Chargers. He returned to the Beavers in 2003.

When the news broke, emotions were mixed. Some Huskers fans were elated, while others were unsure what to think.

"

Way to shoot for the stars, Shawn. Can TO fire him?? #Huskers

— Richey Irvin (@richeyirvin) December 4, 2014"

What has fans the most confused is a statement Eichorst made during the press conference after firing Bo Pelini.

"Although we did win a bunch of games, we didn't win the games that mattered the most," Eichorst said.

That's an interesting quote to focus on. Pelini did struggle to win the big games for Nebraska, like against Michigan State and Wisconsin this past season. However, Riley's record at Oregon State doesn't look significantly better.

Season	Wins	Losses
1997	3	8
1998	5	6
2003	8	5
2004	7	5
2005	5	6
2006	10	4
2007	9	4
2008	9	4
2009	8	5
2010	5	7
2011	3	9
2012	9	4
2013	7	6
2014	5	7

As Hail Varsity's Brandon Vogel noted (via Phil Steele), Riley is 4-21 against teams ranked in the Top 10 and 14-41 against teams ranked in the Top 25. As for Pelini? He was 9-17 against ranked opponents during his time at Nebraska (he was 9-14 to start the season, per The Wall Street Journal).

Looking solely at that, fans are scratching their heads. However, it's not the whole story, as Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel noted:

And that is worth considering. Riley, a defensive back for the University of Alabama in the early 1970s, was well-respected by fans and media. His demeanor, as Omaha's 1620 The Zone's Damon Benning noted, is something to pay attention to:

Additionally, Riley brings a lot to the table as far as recruiting is concerned, as noted by Barton Simmons of 247Sports.

"At Oregon State, Riley and his staff have developed a great reputation as evaluators and developers of talent," wrote Simmons. "Brandin Cooks was heading to UCLA, with a possible future as a defensive back, until Oregon State landed him as a future first-round draft pick at wide receiver."

William Mancebo/Getty Images

The ability to recognize talent and recruit it will be incredibly important. It doesn't hurt that Riley recruits well in the state of Texas, as ESPN.com's Max Olson pointed out:

The hiring of Riley is likely hard for fans to wrap their heads around just yet. Eichorst did an impeccable job of keeping the news under wraps, which made the news even more surprising. Plus, Riley was 93-80 at Oregon State, which has to make some fans nervous.

However, wins and losses truly aren't the only thing to consider. Despite what Eichorst originally said after firing Pelini, Riley possesses the qualities the Huskers have been looking for. In a statement, per Huskers.com, Eichorst explained:

"

There was one coach who fit all the characteristics that I was seeking to lead our tradition rich football program. Mike Riley has a proven record of success, a sound approach to football and teaching, an understanding of the educational mission of our university and the integrity and values that we cherish at Nebraska. I have no doubt that Mike will assemble a tremendous staff and lead our student-athletes to win Big Ten titles and compete for national championships in the years ahead.

"

The standard has been set, and that's to win championships. We'll find out if Riley can bring those to Nebraska.

In the meantime, it's OK to feel a bit conflicted.

Quotes from athletic director Shawn Eichorst obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.