Something is amiss at Texas Tech. Otherwise, why hasn't Tech given Mike Leach whatever he wants in order to retain his services
Whether you like it or not, Mike Leach is the face of Texas Tech University. His football program was 11-2 and gained national attention this season, was ranked No. 2 in the country at one point, and brought a lot of positive vibes to Tech.
For all his quirks and pirate stories, Mike Leach knows how to coach. He has been coaching at Tech for nine seasons, and the Red Raiders have been to nine bowl games.
For that, word has leaked out that Tech may be considering firing Leach when the school's Board of Regents meet Friday to discuss his future. If that happens, it won't take long for Baylor to pass Tech in the Big 12 South standings.
I'm just waiting for somebody in authority at Tech to please tell us what the heck Mike Leach did to make you guys want to kick him out the door and turn the football program upside down. Oh, the football program will be turned upside down if Leach isn't roaming the sidelines.
If Leach is fired and is coaching elsewhere, that means his fancy high-scoring and exciting ping-pong offense goes with him. That means defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill and some of the school's other top assistants will probably go with him.
That means some of those top recruits Leach signed earlier this month probably will go with him, too.
Oh, you don't believe that?
When Art Briles was coaching Houston in 2007, he received an oral commitment from a hot-shot quarterback from Copperas Cove named Robert Griffin. But when Briles left Houston to take the Baylor job, that hot-shot quarterback changed his mind, signed with Baylor and was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season.
Griffin told me he changed his mind and went to Baylor because Briles left Houston to go to Baylor. Players, especially the really good ones, are very loyal to their coach.
I'm very sure that Texas Tech is a fine academic institution with numerous ways to prepare students for the future. But the real reason football players are at Tech is to play football for Mike Leach.
Anyone forgetting that, you're really doing yourself a disservice. And if Leach is fired, you're really doing Tech a disservice and you're really guaranteeing that the Raiders will soon be battling for a spot in the Big 12 South cellar.
_ Dwain Price
The problem is Kent Hance. He's an ambulance-chaser and a lobbyist, so he has no moral compass.
Posted by: Pecos45 | February 18, 2009 at 04:03 PM
With all due respect to my friend, Dwain Price, I wouldn't be so fast to predict Tech's demise with the possible exit of Mike Leach. Now, certainly, the timing wouldn't be great, even with this recruiting class already signed. On the whole, Leach has been very good for the university in many ways, but no man or woman is bigger than the institution. The face of the university are the thousands of knuckleheads like me who are products of the school and live among the proletariat. We actually make a difference, with varying degrees of success, of course. And we have a lot of fun doing it. But back to the point at hand. If the Board decides a change is needed, I'd throw the same contract at Mike Price. This guy, actually, with no intentional disrespet, has forgotten more about football and coaching than Leach will ever know. I don't have any idea what Price's buyout is, but this guy gets it done. He's been alleged to have conducted himself in ways contrary to some community standards but ... so have several U.S. presidents, for Christ's sake. Plus, since when did football coaches become bastions for morality. Are we to next expect to trust lawyers? They're football coaches, not priests (keep your jokes to yourself). And do you think Art Briles might not rather be in Lubbock than Waco? Sonny Dykes ... well, you might as well just hire the basketball coach's son, too. Oh, wait ...
Posted by: John Henry | February 18, 2009 at 04:14 PM
Big 12 South Celler huh? I smell some wishful thinking from a aghole.
Posted by: Raider Red | February 18, 2009 at 05:34 PM