How Conor Riley is handling criticism from K-State fans in first year as coordinator
A capacity crowd of 51,880 turned against the Kansas State football team at times last week when the Wildcats lost a frustrating home game to Arizona State.
A loud chorus of boos could be heard throughout Bill Snyder Family Stadium just about every time K-State committed a turnover or got stuffed on an ineffective running play as the home team fell behind 24-0 and was unable to catch up.
That was unusual for a football venue that has played host to 19 victories over the past four seasons. But K-State fans were clearly upset with the offense and its coordinator, Conor Riley.
Every offensive coordinator deals with criticism. It comes with the job. But this is new for Riley, who is 10 games into his first season calling plays for head coach Chris Klieman.
How did he handle all those boos?
“It’s one of those things that you prepare yourself for mentally,” Riley said. “It’s still hard, not necessarily the criticism. What makes it challenging is the responsibility you take for the coaches in this building and the players in this building. That’s probably been the biggest challenge.
“It’s not necessarily whether you like a call or somebody else likes this call. The responsibility that you feel with the other coaches, and then, more importantly, the responsibility that you feel with the players is probably the hardest part right now ... The outside stuff, I guess it probably impacts my wife or maybe my mom a little bit more than it does me, because I know what is really in my heart the most important thing, and it’s the people in this building.”
Riley will be under pressure to get things turned around this weekend against Cincinnati.
Things were going fine for the Wildcats in their first eight games, when they went 7-1 thanks to an offense that was averaging 32.3 points and 434.5 yards per contest. Fans didn’t have much to complain about back then.
But things have changed over the past two games.
K-State managed just 19 points and 327 yards in a loss to Houston and then produced a meager 14 points from 412 yards in a loss to Arizona State.
Making matters worse, sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson threw a pair of interceptions in both games. The Wildcats went 0-2 while averaging 16.5 points and 369.5 yards per game.
Their production has basically been cut in half from the way they started.
Why? Predictable plays is certainly part of the equation. Everyone knows the Wildcats like to run it up the middle on first down with DJ Giddens. The offensive coordinator could be better, but it’s never entirely his fault. Penalties, turnovers and miscommunications have also been problems.
Execution also matters.
Riley knows what he will stress this week as he works to get K-State’s offense back on track and turn those boos into cheers.
“I want to see execution,” Riley said. “I want to see guys flying around, cutting it loose, playing free and executing at a high level, because those are the things right now in my mind — and I’m responsible — that we are lacking and burning us right now.”