Carrollton, GA – March 30, 2005 – There is an imposing new figure on the practice field this spring for the West Georgia Braves football team. The figure belongs to offensive line coach Spencer Riley, the newest member of West Georgia’s coaching staff.
Riley was named by head coach Mike Ledford to fill the vacancy on his staff. The vacancy was created by last month’s departure of Mike Scott, who departed for a similar position at Division 1-AA Southeast Louisiana.
“Spencer is a very impressive young coach,” said Ledford of his newest assistant. “He is very knowledgeable, a hard worker, and has commanded the respect of everyone in our football program.”
Riley brings impressive credentials to his new job. He joins the Braves following three seasons on the staff at Karns High School in Knoxville, Tenn. He served last season as the Beavers’ defensive coordinator, a post he assumed after spending the two previous seasons as the program’s offensive coordinator.
Despite his coaching accomplishments, Riley is better known for his on-field exploits at the University of Tennessee. He was a four-year letterman for the Vols, starting 44 consecutive games after earning a first team berth midway through his redshirt freshman season.
Riley helped lead Tennessee to four bowl bids, two Southeastern Conference titles, and one national title. He played guard during the 1996 and ’97 seasons, the latter being the first of back-to-back SEC Championship teams.
A year later, he moved to center and was the anchor for Tennessee’s 13-0 squad that captured the SEC title, and mythical national championship with a Fiesta Bowl win over Florida State. As a senior, Riley was named a team captain as Tennessee again advanced to a major bowl game. He was also chosen to play in the Senior Bowl.
Strong support from his Tennessee coaches was a factor in Ledford’s decision to offer the job to Riley. “He was highly recommended by both (head coach) Phillip Fullmer and (offensive coordinator) Randy Sanders. From what I’ve seen, they were both right on the money about Spencer.”
Riley is a native of New Market, Tenn., and was a prep star at Jefferson County High. He earned All-America honors from Parade Magazine, Scholastic Coach, and from recruiting guru Max Emfinger. He also earned a berth on the BlueChip Illustrated Dream Team.