Riley on alma mater’s all-time team Valley man named football great

A Valley resident recently gained a big honor from his college alma mater.

By Rhett Workman • November 26, 2008 12:00 am
Eric Riley was recently named a member of Eastern Washington Unversity’s all-time football team. He played in the mid-1980s.
Eric Riley was recently named a member of Eastern Washington Unversity’s all-time football team. He played in the mid-1980s.

A Valley resident recently gained a big honor from his college alma mater.

Eric Riley, who played football for Eastern Washington University in the mid-1980s, was named in a vote by fans to the university’s “100 for 100” all-time team.

Riley was named as a tight end. According to the university, nearly 700 ballots totaling over 5,000 votes were received. Riley and his fellow all-time teammates were honored by the school at halftime of the Sept. 27 Eagles football game against Idaho State at the Eastern Washington campus in Cheney.

“Great honor, great honor,” Riley said. “[I was] just actually really lucky to be along with that many great players that have played there.”

Riley scored 11 touchdowns in his Eagle career, which lasted from 1983 to 1986. Overall, he caught 74 passes for a total of over 1,000 yards while at Eastern. Riley scored a touchdown on average nearly every seven catches he made, according to stats released by the university. He also played in the NFL, with the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and New England Patriots, before a hip injury forced him to retire from playing football. Riley started one game in 1987 with the Jets and during his time with that team, according to the Web site www.pro-football-reference.com, he caught four passes for a total of 42 yards.

Since Riley starred at Eastern, a few other ex-Wildcat players have gone on to play for the Eagles, a NCAA Division I Football Championship Series subdivision school in the Big Sky Conference. During Riley’s time there, this designation was called Division I-AA. Two of them, quarterback Alex Smart and defensive lineman Dexter Moetului, currently play for the Eagles but have not seen much, if any, playing time this season.

This was the second time Riley was honored by the school in connection with his success in the Eagle program; the 1985 Eastern team he played for was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Riley encourages young players to pursue their interests.

“[It] really doesn’t matter where you play; if you have a dream, go play,” he said.