MSU-N Game Day: Lots of change, but Riley has been a constant

The past few years have seen constant change and adversity for the Montana State University-Northern football team.

In 2020 and 2021, the Lights dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and a shortened spring season. After another tough season in 2021, the Lights had a coaching change.

Through all those troubles, Hunter Riley has been a mainstay for the Lights. He has played safety and punter for the Lights since 2019 and has had to go through all the adversity. Every season of his career, he has also had to adjust to a new coaching staff.

While it has been tough, Riley did not let it deter him from playing college football.

"Fighting through that, it's been pretty tough but we're still working through and making the best out of it," Riley said. "It has been hard but I think it's all getting down to the final steps and it's all going to be a part of the process that we needed to turn this program around."

Over the years, Riley has been a reliable player for the Lights. In his freshman year in 2019, he recorded 58 total tackles and four interceptions at safety. He also averaged 33.4 yards a punt that year.

In the shortened spring season in 2020, Riley recorded 17 total tackles and he averaged 44.1 yards a punt to earn First Team All-Conference honors. He continued his strong play in the 2021 fall season as he recorded 89 total tackles and three interceptions. When it comes to playing safety in collegiate football, Riley is just looking to do what is needed of him.

"When a play presents itself to me, in my mind (I say) if I don't make this play, it's a touchdown for the other team," Riley said. "So I just put that on me and make it a life and death situation."

Riley has continued to play well for the Lights this fall. In seven games this season, Riley has 59 total tackles and two interceptions. He has also continued to punt for the Lights as he is averaging 38.75 yards a punt this fall. While he has grown accustomed to playing safety and punter for the Lights, it was not easy at first.

"It's definitely a load to carry because you got to try and perfect each craft," Riley said. "But once you get the hang of it, it starts to get pretty simple because you know what to do and what not to do."

Even after many rough years, things have not gotten easier as the Lights are 0-8 this season. Despite the losses, Riley has enjoyed his time with first-year head coach Jerome Souers and the new coaching staff, which he believes is creating a strong culture for the program.

"I think this is the tightest we've ever been player to coach and player to player," Riley said. "It's been nothing but a great time from this coaching staff."

Riley came a long way to the Hi-Line to play for the Lights. Riley is originally from Bakersfield, California and played at Liberty High School. The lowest temperatures he was used to was 30 degrees, so the freezing winters on the Hi-Line have been an adjustment for him. However, he has settled in thanks to the community and scenery of Northern Montana.

"I'm going to have to go with the scenery and all the different things you can see and do up on the Hi-Line," Riley said. "The communities are always just so pure in a sense and they're always so welcoming. I think that's probably my favorite part above everything else."

When he was originally recruited to the Lights, the plan was for Riley to play safety. He primarily played safety through his high school career and started playing punter his senior year. He had been practicing punting throughout high school and he played soccer, which he believes helped him become the punter he is today.

"(Soccer) is what really helped me get better with the punting aspect of things and it still carries into this day with some of the techniques I use to kick the ball," Riley said.

When he got to Northern, the Lights were missing a punter so he let them know he had punting experience. After the coaches saw him kick a couple balls at practice, Riley had the starting job.

Despite the adversity the Lights have faced during his time here, Riley has enjoyed his time here. Thanks to the help of his teammates, he has been able to endure the losses. He also finds himself motivated to keep with it because he is one of the first members of his family to go to college let alone play a collegiate sport.

"What that'll lead to in the future is when I start a family or my siblings start families, I can be the one that is looked up to and relied on," Riley said about being an example for his family.

During his time at Northern, he has learned the importance of brotherhood and community as they have traversed the hard times.

"No matter the score, you always got the kids on the team to help you because it turns into a brotherhood," Riley said. "Everybody's just helping each other out because if you don't have that bond with everybody, then it's almost impossible to survive in a college sport."

During his time at Northern, Riley has studied civil engineering. He has not decided what he wants to do after college. He wants to eventually get into engineering but does not know if he wants to get involved in coaching before going into that field. If he does go into coaching, he would want to start on the Hi-Line.

Because of COVID-19, Riley got an extra year of eligibility to play for the Lights. After this season comes to an end, Riley will return for one more season for the Lights. With two more games this season and another season next fall, Riley just hopes to help the Lights lay the foundation of a winning program.

"(Our) biggest goal is to get a bigger recruiting class, keep more people and then keep what we have going now," Riley said. "We're just working to keep that going for us because that's one of the biggest things that's helping us this year."

Riley and the Lights play Rocky Mountain College at Tilleman Field this Saturday at noon.