Heading into the 2020 season, Riley enters his third season as the wide receivers coach at Adams State. Riley broke into the college coaching profession in the spring of 2018 here at Adams State serving as a graduate assistant with full time wide receiver coaching responsibilities.
With his main focus as an assistant coach being with the wide receivers, Adrian Riley has brought a unique and efficient perspective, in his alignment and assignment coaching methods. His savvy approach to coaching the receivers helped make it easy for the 2018 Adams State group to boast the #3 ranked passing offense in the country.
In his first year as the wide receivers coach in 2018, Riley made an immediate impact when he inherited the duo of Chad Hovasse and Marquese Surrell to a combined 172 reception, 2310 yards and 29 touchdown season. Riley tutored senior wide out and 2018 RMAC Offensive player of the year, Chad Hovasse, acquire a first team All-conference, first team all-academic, 2nd team all-American and Harlon Hill nominating season where he led the country in receptions (104), yards (1356), and was second in the country in receiving touchdowns (19) in the year 2018.
In 2018, Riley also mentored senior wide out, Marquese Surrell who earned 2nd team all-conference and honorable mention all-America honors and set the Adams State single game record in receptions (18) to go along with a career best 68 reception 954 yard 10 touchdown year.
In 2019, for the second consecutive season he helped the Grizzlies have a wide receiver on the second team All-America list and for the first time in school history have two different back to back offensive players of the year. Riley guided junior wide out Tariq Bitson, to a 2019 RMAC offensive player of the year season. Bitson was named first team all-conference and named to NFCA All America 2nd team. Bitson hauled in 63 receptions for over 1300 yards and 11 touchdowns in just nine games respectfully before a knee injury forced him to sit out the final few games.
Riley’s collegiate playing career began at Jacksonville University in 2010 where he was a three year letter winner. In his final year at Jacksonville University Riley (2013) was ranked 11th in the country in punt return average and named Pioneer league 2nd team all-conference as a punt returner. Was respectfully named honorable mention at wide receiver. He still holds JU’s second longest punt return for touchdown at 76 yards and holds JU’s second longest streak of games with a catch at 24.
Riley obtained his bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in management from Jacksonville University (FL) in 2014 and later earned his master’s degree from Adams State University (CO) in Business Leadership in 2019. He was born December 7th in Orlando, Florida.
