BY ADAM ZUVANICH l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Two weeks ago Wednesday, Kyle Clark signed his national letter of intent to play football at Texas Tech.

Until Thursday, though, the prized offensive tackle from Denton Guyer wasn’t completely comfortable with his decision.

Like many of the Red Raiders’ players, coaches and fans, Clark was anxiously awaiting a resolution to the Mike Leach saga. The Tech head coach had been locked in a stalemate with the university over contract extension negotiations, and Leach’s future with the program was in doubt.

So when Clark received the news Thursday that Leach had finally worked out a deal to remain at Tech for another five years — and that he wouldn’t be fired before Clark and Tech’s other signees even arrived on campus — he breathed a “great sigh of relief.”

“It’s one less thing we have to worry about,” said Clark, a member of The Avalanche-Journal’s Fabulous 44 list of the state’s top recruits. “We can just move on and look forward to the 2009 season and so on, and turn this program into one of nation’s greatest.

“I’m just glad he got it taken care of,” he added, “and I’m excited to get up there and be a part of it.”

There also was a sense of relief among Tech’s assistant coaches, some of whom have been on Leach’s staff throughout his nine years in Lubbock.

One of those long-tenured coaches, wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons, said the staff has been conducting business as usual and preparing for the upcoming season. But Simmons acknowledged the situation had been a distraction and there were concerns about the assistants’ job security.

According to Leach, running backs coach Seth Littrell resigned last week because he was “fearful of the stability of our program” and questioned “the school’s commitment to our coaches.” Littrell, who could not be reached for comment, is leaving for a job at Arizona.

“To say it wasn’t a concern or we weren’t fearful for our jobs, I’d be lying. Obviously, all of us were concerned,” Simmons said. “… I’m just happy that everything worked out, it’s over and done with, and we can all move forward and get better as an athletic department and university.”

Simmons said Tech’s returning players were just as glad to learn their head coach was staying.

“Yeah, they’re relieved,” he said. “A lot of these guys came here because of Texas Tech, but we were the people who went out and developed the relationships to get them to come here. That working relationship, who would want to change it at this point?”

Clark and another recent signee, defensive end Chris Knighton of Longview, said they still would have honored their commitment to Tech even if Leach had been fired or his future was uncertain beyond the next two years — the amount of time left on Leach’s previous contract. But both players said they’re not sure how they might have reacted had an agreement not been reached.

Clark said he had second thoughts about his non-binding, oral commitment back in December, when Leach interviewed for the head-coaching position at Washington.

“I signed with Texas Tech, but I would rather be coached by coach Leach,” Knighton said. “It just boosts our confidence knowing that we’ll play for him.”

Had Leach not signed an extension and entered the 2009 season with only two years left on his contract, Simmons and Clark said it could have had a negative impact on recruiting. Simmons said other schools could have used the uncertainty as a knock on the Red Raiders, and Clark said potential recruits might have shied away from Tech.

“I think it would do a great deal of damage, especially recruiting quarterbacks and stuff,” Clark said. “People go there to be in a great offense and throw for 5,000 yards a season. If there’s only two years left, you’re not even guaranteed to play in that type of offense if he does go to another school and they turn it into a running offense or something.

“It definitely would have hurt if it wasn’t settled, so it’s great for recruiting and great for the program that he’ll be there another five years.”

Thursday’s deal might also provide a boost — or prevent a decline — in ticket sales. The Red Raiders sold out their season-ticket allotment for the first time last season, but according to Dave Welsh, Tech’s assistant athletic director for ticket operations, a few season-ticket holders said they wouldn’t renew until Leach’s status was determined.

Welsh, whose department is still in the early stages of securing season-ticket renewals, said there wasn’t a significant response from fans either before Thursday or after an agreement had been reached late in the afternoon.

“As far as (today), it’s hard to say, but I think fans will definitely be positive about the developments,” Welsh said. “… If it would have been later (before an agreement was reached), it certainly could have had a negative impact. But luckily, a lot of people were very hopeful things could get done, which they did.”

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Expanded Coverage

Feb 20, 2009
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• Clock running down on contract

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• Both sides frustrated with Leach contract process
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• Mike Leach’s Dec. 5 Contract Counter-Offer
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• Texas Tech’s Jan. 9 proposal for Mike Leach’s Contract Extension
• Mike Leach’s Jan. 20 Contract Counter-Offer
• Mike Leach’s Feb. 10 Counter-Offer