Mike Riley was positively scintillating from a cell phone reception ranging more than 3,000 miles away Thursday. I can only imagine what he will exude in face-to-face meetings with players. Mike made me feel like coming out of the booth to play for him -- very few coaches can do that!

In college coaching, nothing is more important than passion, and Mike Riley has it, doubled and redoubled. He will do a great job for Oregon State, while completing a circuitous route to a kind of poetic justice that is all too rare in today's rapid fire world of sports. After all, he is the man who got things going (1997-98) for Dennis Erickson before taking an offer he could not refuse in San Diego.

In a well-documented courtship by Alabama after last season, Mike showed unprecedented restraint by saying "no" to a firm offer to coach his alma mater. To my knowledge, there has never been another former Bear Bryant player who would not have killed for that job. But then, there has likely never been another Bear Bryant player from Corvallis, Ore., either.

Mike had another idea because of his values and loyalty to immediate family, who much preferred the West Coast. He asked for time to consider the UCLA situation, appearing to take a terrible risk.

Alabama set a deadline, but Mike sat tight. And when the deadline passed, UCLA hired another guy, Karl Dorrell. Through it all, the New Orleans Saints organization was supportive and patient -- something Mike will always appreciate. NFL teams are not always so understanding, and have often forced coaches to stay put or face imminent unemployment in similar situations.

Then came the Hollywood twist with the shocking storyline: Dennis Erickson, self-proclaimed college lifer, was going back to the NFL! And who better to continue the amazing turnaround of Beaver fortunes than the man who started it with great recruiting?

Mike Riley, the self-proclaimed "gym rat from Corvallis," is coming home again -- this time to stay.

ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry coached for 17 years in the college ranks. His Game Plans for marquee matchups appear each week during the college football season.