Kansas State Football | Meet offensive line coach Conor Riley | February 4, 2019

Hear from new Kansas State offensive line coach Conor Riley, who joins Chris Klieman on his first K-State staff.

BIO:

One of the top offensive line coaches in the nation, Conor Riley was hired as the offensive line coach at Kansas State in December 2018. Riley comes to Manhattan from North Dakota State where he has coached the previous six seasons – including the last five tutoring the offensive line under head coach Chris Klieman – helping NDSU win five national championships during his tenure.

Each of Riley’s six years on the NDSU staff, the Bison have rushed for at least 235 yards per game and ranked in the top 10 nationally in rushing, including a highwater mark of 286.2 yards per game in 2018 to rank seventh the nation and a 272.2-yard clip in 2017 to rank fourth. North Dakota State resided in the top 10 in time of possession in three of Riley’s five years coaching the line, including a first-place mark in 2015 (36:38). Riley’s lines have also finished highly in fewest sacks allowed, ranking 10th in 2016 and eighth in 2018.

Riley’s 2018 offensive line blocked for the best in Bison and Missouri Valley Conference history in terms of points scored (622), touchdowns scored (80), total rushing yards (4,293), total offense (7,076) and rushing touchdowns (54). Additionally, NDSU set a school record for yards per play (7.37) and ranked second in yards per rush (6.41).

The 2018 season also saw the Bison line help NDSU rank second nationally in first down offense (327), third in third-down percentage (.524) and sixth in scoring offense (41.5).

Riley has coached multiple All-Americans at NDSU, starting with fullback Andrew Grothmann in 2013, and continuing with offensive linemen Joe Haeg (2014, 2015), Zack Johnson (2015, 2016), Landon Lechler (2016), Austin Kuhnert (2017), Tanner Volson (2018) and Zack J. Johnson (2018). Haeg, a former walk-on right tackle, developed into a fifth-round NFL draft pick and is currently with the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2018, Volson was named the top offensive lineman in the country by the FCS Athletic Directors Association, the fifth-straight Bison under Riley to earn the nod after Kuhnert (2017), Zack Johnson (2016) and Haeg (2015 and 2014). Volson also won the 16th annual Rimington Trophy as the top center among all FCS, NCAA Division II, III and NAIA players, and he was also named a First Team All-American by HERO Sports and STATS.

Volson and Zack J. Johnson each earned 2018 First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors, and Johnson added a First Team All-America honor from the Walter Camp Foundation.

Riley came to NDSU as tight ends and fullbacks coach in 2013 before molding one of the top offensive lines in the nation the next season. With four new starters and a fifth who was changing positions, the 2014 Bison rolled to a 15-1 record and national championship.

The Bison offensive line paved the way for a school-record 1,994 rushing yards by running back John Crockett in 2014, while NDSU ranked first in the FCS with only 3.38 tackles for loss allowed per game.

Riley spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the offensive line coach at Sacramento State where the Hornets’ blockers allowed just seven sacks in 11 games during the 2011 season.

Prior to working on the west coast, Riley was the offensive line coach and running game coordinator at the Omaha from 2007 to 2010, which included a No. 4 national ranking in rushing offense during the 2009 season.

A 2003 graduate of University of Nebraska Omaha, Riley began his collegiate coaching career at UNO as a student and graduate assistant from 2003 to 2005. He left his alma mater to become the offensive line coach at Concordia University-St. Paul in 2006.

The Omaha native enjoyed a standout high school career at Creighton Prep. He began his collegiate playing career at the U.S. Air Force Academy, then transferred to Kansas before heading to UNO in 1999.

After redshirting his first season, Riley was named the North Central Conference’s outstanding lineman twice in his three-year career. Following his senior year, he earned 2002 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Daktronics All-America first team honors. Riley was a second team Division II All-American as a junior in 2001.

He and his wife, Christy, are the parents of two daughters, Cate and Claire.