Brown’s record impresses, but Riley also has big wins

The final part of a collaboration by the American-Statesman and The Oregonian, breaking down position-by-position matchups in advance of the Alamo Bowl on Saturday.

Today’s matchup: The coaches.

Texas: Mack Brown trails only Darrell K Royal in all-time wins at Texas, but the biggest coaching headline will be Major Applewhite’s first game calling plays for the Longhorns offense. After former co-offensive coordinator/play caller Bryan Harsin’s sometimes questionable use of his skill players, many want to see what Applewhite does. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Manny Diaz had a superb unit in 2011, but statistically one of the worst in school history in 2012, allowing nearly 200 rushing yards a game.

Oregon State: Head coach Mike Riley, often referred to as “the nicest guy in college football,” is Oregon State’s winningest coach. Big wins under him include a 31-28 win at No. 2 Cal and a 3831 double overtime win at No. 18 Oregon, both in 2007. He also has coached in both the NFL and CFL, and coached San Antonio’s team in the World League of American Football for two years. The Beavers have made a bowl game in seven of the last 10 years, and Riley has a habit of winning when no one thinks he can.

Hookem.com’s Dave Behr says: Edge to Oregon State. Despite Mack’s record, there’s no denying things have slipped of late. There’s excitement over Applewhite, but Diaz’s defense remains a concern.

The Oregonian’s Lindsay Schnell says: Edge to Texas. The Beavers’ success this season has been directly related to Riley’s decision to take over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf. With Riley calling the shots, Oregon State is less predictable and less conservative, and that’s served the Beavers well. But Brown has won more big games than Riley.