Riley picks up Coach of the Year honor

OREGON STATE head man Mike Riley has been named the American Football Coaches Association Region 5 Coach of the Year it was announced today.

Mike Riley led the Beavers to an 8-4 record and 7-2 mark in the Pac-10 to finish tied for second in the conference. The Beavs will also be making their third consecutive bowl appearance when they play in the Dec. 31 Sun Bowl against Pittsburgh. Oregon State was forecast to finish sixth in conference by the Pac-10 media this year.

Riley, 55, has led Oregon State to a 55-42 record overall, including a 27-12 mark over the last three years. The Beavers are ranked No. 24 in the AP, No. 25 in the USAToday/Coaches polls.

Riley was joined on the Football Bowl Subdivision Regional Coach of the Year honors list with Ball State’s Brady Hoke, an assistant coach at OSU under Jerry Pettibone from 1991-94. The other three recipients include Houston Nutt of Ole Miss, Mike Leach of Texas Tech and Brian Kelly of Cincinnati.

Last week the AFCA announced that Beaver senior offensive left tackle Andy Levitre earned first team All-American honors.