Coaching Merry-Go-Round Continues To Turn
With the firing resignation of Tommy Tuberville at Auburn, that means one-fourth of all SEC schools will be replacing their head coaches after this season. Tennessee already thinks they've found their man in Lane Kiffin, but the position at Mississippi State is still open.
Meanwhile, Mike Leach has interviewed at Washington, and Texas Tech is desperately trying to come up with the money to keep him in Lubbock. I may be in the minority here, but I want Leach to stay in Lubbock. While I believe him leaving would cause the complete and total collapse of Texas Tech's football program, I want him to stick around for the slefish reason that I want the Aggies to kick his ass a few times. He has benefitted tremendously from being in Lubbock during the Franchione tenure here in College Station, and I'd like for him to stick around a little longer. I want to see the Aggie defense return to their Wrecking Crew status, and then see them face off with Leach's Air Raid offense.
The one coach I am watching closely to see where he goes is Cincinatti's Brian Kelly. After leading the Bearcats to a Big East Conference championship and a BCS bowl berth, Kelly is the hot name I think a lot of other BCS programs will pursue. Other coaches to watch are Todd Graham at Tulsa, Tulsa's offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, and Rice's David Bailiff. I think anyone who pursues Bailiff may be making a mistake, though, because Bailiff is a Franchione acolyte. Gary Patterson at TCU was in the mix for the Kansas State job, but they jumped the gun in announcing his hiring, so he spurned them. I've heard they are prepared for Patterson to leave in Fort Worth, so he is one more coach to keep an eye on. Patterson to Auburn? I wouldn't be surprised.
Update: Hal Mumme has been fired at New Mexico State. I was fairly confident his practice of not recruiting defensive players would eventually cost him.

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Comments
Re: Leach Staying
I’m with you on that. Every year that Leach beats us becomes all the more painful, but it really is mostly because A&M has just been so bad lately, and even going back 10 years, has been on the decline. I want our team to get good agan and start beating Tech regularly…then I want Leach to leave and have their program collapse. That would be a win-win.
yeah
last true Wrecking Crew defense ech played was 2001.
We were outscored 12-0, iirc. The problem was our offense, not our defense. Then we had the nightmare 2002 game and it has been downhil with lousy defense every since.
i like Mike Leach, alot
I want him to go to Auburn and show off his Air Raid offense.
I think it would be a shame for him to go to Washington, but im all for him leaving Tech.
Call me scared, I really dont care, I want him out of Lubbock.
I would love for us to bash their heads in year after year, but im not willing to have them beat us over and over until ‘the Crew’ gets its feet under them again.
BG, looks like
you will get your wish…careful what you wish for ; )
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3745354
And Crabtree told Rivals
he’s coming back to Tech next year. Take that with a grain of salt, but if true, Tech isn’t going anywhere south of #3 in the division for a little while longer…
find that one hard to believe
anything can happen but thats pretty far out there
by wishiwasalonghorn on Dec 4, 2008 8:19 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah, me to
but it’s fun to daydream about it. He’s a great kid, but his dad totally creeps me out. I think Crab senior wants junior to support him sooner rather than later.
its funny you say that
i’m from dallas and have met a few people who supposedly know him. i only hear great things about the kid though, seams like a class act. but his dad kinda reminds me of one of those moms at pre-teen beauty pagents,…..creepy as hell
by wishiwasalonghorn on Dec 4, 2008 8:37 PM CST up reply actions
they said on the radio
the #3 finish in the South this season for Tech (I know they are tied for first at 11-1, but the tiebreaker placed Tech third) was the reason Leach was trying to leave, said that this is the best it will ever get for him in Lubbock.
I think with Taylor Potts and Detron Lewis returning, Tech has something to build around, but we’ll see.
I think Crabtree is gone.
I wonder what Leach's problem is in interviews
don’t get me wrong, but I think this makes two jobs he has pursued (Miami and Washington) that he hasn’t gotten.
I just have a hard time believing Washington turned down an experienced head coach with a proven track record for a co-offensive coordinator with no head coaching experience. The only possible explanation to me is that he must not interview well, but I don’t know.
I expected to hear that Tech was piling up money to keep him in Lubbock and that was why he decided to not take the Washington job, not that they decided to go with someone else.
I’m happy, though, because I want another shot at him.
maybe its not interviews
we have all seen leach long enuff to know 2 things. he is good for an upset each year and good for a let down each year. maybe both of these programs know this. both washington and miami have national titles in their past(i know washingtons has been a while} maybe these programs feel they are better than the occasional upset to highlight the year. as far as the sarkisian hire, i think it has to do with the usc mystique. usc has somehow become a magical dynasty and evreyone associated with it must be the best
by wishiwasalonghorn on Dec 5, 2008 3:12 AM CST up reply actions
crabtree is gone.
no way he risks being a top 5 pick
what if Tech struggles next year. That last second catch against Texas will fade from memory.
I am all for kids staying in school, but when a kid is guarnteed somewhere around $20 million contract, I think it economically unintelligent to risk it.
Agree
I’d like kids to stay in school for four years if at all possible, too. And not for athletic reasons. The exception being a top 10 pick. I don’t think there’s any disagreement among draft guys and NFL people that Crabtree is considered a top 10 pick. There’s too much guaranteed coin in those slots to pass up.
x
There’s too much guaranteed coin in those slots to pass up.
And too much at risk for injury or a host of other factors that could diminish his stock.
Ball is now
in Leach’s court…he’ll probably sign this since the Birmingham News reported today that Leach is officially not a candidate for the Auburn job.
http://www.star-telegram.com/college_sports/story/1077262.html
Tuberville
would make a great addition to the A&M coaching staff. If he doesn’t get a head coaching job this year I’d LOVE to hire him as the A&M DC or something similar.
Meat? They're made out of Meat? Meat.

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