Six questions answered on national signing day
Other than being hired on Jan. 9, Tommy Tuberville’s most significant day as Texas Tech football coach came Wednesday when he and his staff landed 22 players during his first national signing day with the Red Raiders.
Tuberville’s staff will start to put their stamp on the team with winter workouts this month and spring practice beginning in March.
Among the myriad topics covered on signing day, here are six of the most interesting questions Tuberville addressed.
• How will Tech coaches manage the small number of scholarships available next year?
Tuberville didn’t obsess over filling every spot Wednesday. He stopped recruiting a few of Mike Leach’s commitments because the team has only 13 scholarship seniors for 2010. Tuberville said he’d like to have more like 20 scholarships because of the depth of talent in Texas high schools next fall. It could work out that way because of the 25 new players, Tuberville said it’s likely only 18 to 20 will meet initial eligibility requirements.
Running back Delans Griffin, offensive lineman Aleon Calhoun and defensive end Lawrence Cayou are among those who might be detoured to a junior college. Tuberville said he believes every player he signs can earn a degree at Tech. But everywhere he’s coached, he said he’s benefited by placing non-qualifiers in junior colleges with plans to re-sign them two years later.
“Each one of my coaches, they’ve got to find at least one great player that they can put in a juco,” Tuberville said. “You do that with seven, eight, nine of those a year, you can win a lot of games (down the road) like that.”
• Once the new coaches stop recruiting on the fly, what will some of their recruiting tenets be?
Tuberville said every one of his assistants will be assigned to a part of Texas. Beyond that, there will have to be a high level of agreement on a recruit’s value.
The evaluation will go up the chain of command, which only starts with an assistant who sees a player he likes in his geographic area.
“They will evaluate the players,” Tuberville said. “They’ll take it to the position coach, then the coordinator, then me. So four coaches will have to OK a player for us to recruit him. With that evaluation process, I think we’ll have a lot of success.”
Tuberville said he wants the majority of Tech’s signing classes to be Texas players, but Wednesday probably won’t be the last time the Red Raiders sign four players from Florida. Defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson is a Miami native, and Tuberville is well connected there from his eight years as an assistant at the University of Miami and his 14 years as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference.
Tuberville believes far more players get overlooked in Florida than in Texas.
“(Texas) has probably the least diamonds in the rough,” he said, “because the coaching is so good in this state, the popularity of football is so huge, that these high school coaches, if they see a player, they’re going to get him out in junior high or 10th grade year or ninth grade year, and (colleges) are going to know a lot more about them.”
Just as Spike Dykes signed a lightly recruited Zach Thomas and Mike Leach signed an afterthought of a prospect named Wes Welker, Tuberville said he had no competition landing surefire Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis for the University of Miami.
Tuberville said more good athletes in Florida wind up not playing football until their junior or senior year.
“That’s the reason you have a few more guys in that area that might be unknown,” he said. “The evaluation process is just so hard down there. But we will spend the time with the coaches in that area to be able to find the diamonds in the rough, so to speak.”
• Which freshmen could play next season?
Tuberville said Shawn Corker from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., might be able to crack a deep receiving corps, just because he’s that talented.
“He catches almost everything thrown at him, but he can make plays after he catches it,” Tuberville said.
He also mentioned cornerbacks Tre’Vante Porter and Phillip Warren and defensive end Jackson Richards. All the defensive ends Tech graduated helps Richards’ chance of playing early.
Tuberville said he loves Warren’s intangibles, and likes Porter’s obvious talent.
“It’s hard to find 6-foot corners with his athletic ability,” Tuberville said, “and the thing he can do very well is play man coverage. He plays well out of his backpedal, he’s got great hip flexion, and I think he’s got a chance.”
• Where does Scott Smith project?
The 6-foot-7, 275-pound Smith has never played defensive tackle, and he’s not about to start now, according to Tuberville. He could even play as a stand-up pass rusher in the team’s 3-4 front.
“We don’t want anyone lining up outside of him (in pass protection),” Tuberville said. “With what teams are doing now (in spread passing offenses), you need height on the outside where they can get their hands up. He’s got a lot of ability.”
Smith is scheduled to join the team in late spring or early summer. Though he signed at mid-term, Smith did not enroll in January, because he was unnerved by the Tech coaching change. However, the papers he signed in December are binding, and Tuberville said he’s comfortable that Smith will show up as planned.
• How will Tech’s philosophy regarding offensive linemen change?
In Mike Leach’s system, coaches were comfortable using linemen 6-foot-5 to 6-7 across the board if they were available. Leach used tall linemen such as Toby Cecil at center and Louis Vasquez and Brandon Carter at guard.
Tuberville will tweak that. He said he wants to reevaluate the offensive line.
“We have some huge guys, and I like 6-7, 6-8 guys that can block,” he said. “But I think sometimes you might have to look at a little bit shorter offensive linemen for center and the guards, where they can be more athletic in what we’re going to do in our running game.”
• Who’s playing “Guess My Position?”
Ben McRoy and Lavaughn Whigham, most notably. The Leach staff projected McRoy as an inside receiver. Tuberville didn’t rule out that plan. But in thinking-out-loud fashion, he said he wasn’t sure McRoy couldn’t be a Big 12 running back, even though he comes in at 5-9 and 163 pounds.
Running back was McRoy’s primary position during his senior season at Lakeland, Fla., High School. He rushed for 872 yards at 8.8 yards per carry.
“I think he’s a little bit like Dexter McCluster, the young man from Ole Miss,” Tuberville said. “He can make you miss. He’s exciting to watch.”
Tech coaches think the 6-1, 180-pound Whigham could play just about anywhere but quarterback or on the line. Tuberville mentioned cornerback, safety, wide receiver and even linebacker if the Miami, Fla., Southridge product puts on weight.
“He might be the best athlete out of these 25 (signees) in terms of just pure athletic ability,” Tuberville said. “He’s raw. He was a standout in everything that he did. … We don’t know where he’s going to play, but he’s going to play somewhere.”
To comment on this story:
don.williams@lubbockonline.com l 766-8734
courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com l 766-8735
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Man I am freaking excited to see this team play this year, I am anxious to see how we will look, I think its going to be good to have a fresh start because I can gurantee we would have had another “good” year but gone to some pointless bowl game once more, hopefully we can eventually bring in some studs, especially on the defensive side of the ball which is something we always neglected the past 10 years
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Cut Adam James now…save yourself the headache of dealing with him, plus you get one more scholarship for someone who wants & needs it!
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Yes, cut James!!!
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TommyTuberville said:
Man I am freaking excited to see this team play this year, I am anxious to see how we will look, I think its going to be good to have a fresh start because I can gurantee we would have had another “good” year but gone to some pointless bowl game once more, hopefully we can eventually bring in some studs, especially on the defensive side of the ball which is something we always neglected the past 10 years
Tommy,
Maybe Texas Te
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Voice of Treason
Did they not teach you how to reply in pirate school, or when you lived down in your parents basement, you are the absolute dumbest poster I have ever seen on this website
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To use another individuals real name as your signature is called identity theft. I don’t think Mr. Tuberville would like his name being used this way. Just thought you should know.
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I think zero top 150 compared to Texas 15 top 150 ain’t too bad.
Hell we number 41, just behind Baylor. Purty good year.
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Tommy, it is obvious you are a fake…are you little Adam? Pathetic…little pacifier-sucking adam needs cut from the team pronto…he and his daddy are a cancer on the team.
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You know what I don’t get at all? Is if Daddy Craig James is so worried about his little 3 yr old boy(Adam), Why the hell would he be stupid enough to alow his precious son to even set foot back on the campus when he got all of the death threats after the Leach firing??? Shows what a really Stupid man Mr Craig James really is for not possibly saving his son’s life by pulling him out of Tech and transfering him somewhere else. The boy is still treading dangerous waters here in Lubbock because the threats continue. The boy has completely sealed his fate with the Red Raiders as far as playing again, so he should just tuck his little tail between his legs and go crying wee wee wee back home to Daddy cause he aint ever gonna get anymore, playing time that is, hehehe! I bet you dollars to donuts, that the lil jerk is on drugs the way he has been acting, and I wouldn’t doubt that his Big Personality Daddy would be the one supplying the little fool with the drugs either >:-(
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TTU Football Professor, johnJ and iluvpirates
YOU wonder how/why Craig James could not be worried about his son? Because his son was NEVER in harms way at Texas tech. There was NEVER anything done to him, this has been no more than a childs game to him from the beginning.
Many of you accused coach Mike leach of “locking him in an electrical closet” it did not happen!
You demand he be “cut”. You wonder why he doesn’t leave the team, as his playing time is done, his career is over!… Is it?
You say he has “completely sealed his fate” as far as playing again……….has he? Rumors from a very reliable source say that there IS a connection between Craig James and your new head coach. This will be proved or disproved simply by observing Adam James. You all know his talent is at best, mediocre. If his playing time increases, rumor is true!
The majority of you want the trouble maker gone, and rightfully so. You will receive answers to the rumor questions early in the season!
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Anyone believe the “air raid” will survive? See TT’s comment – pasted below. I sure hope the 3-4 works because Tech won’t be averaging 40 or so point per game any longer, which means we need a real good defense to remain competitive. The exciting style of football we’ve come to know and enjoy the past 10 years is quickly blowing off the south plains. We’ve lost our niche. I believe the winds blew it directly to Stillwater, OK.
Ironically, this is one of several reasons Franklin’s offense failed at Auburn. TT was determined to tweak a successful & proven offensive system with more running. It destroyed the scheme, just as it will do at tech. You will see small o-line splits to support more running game among other suttle, but destructive changes.
Bye-Bye “air raid”. We enjoyed it while it lasted!
Pasted comment:
How will Tech’s philosophy regarding offensive linemen change?
A: In Mike Leach’s system, coaches were comfortable using linemen 6-foot-5 to 6-7 across the board if they were available. Tuberville will tweak that.
“I like 6-7, 6-8 guys that can block,’’ he said. “I think sometimes you might have to look at a little bit shorter offensive linemen for center and the guards, where they can be more athletic in what we’re going to do in our running game.’’
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Play Ball: I’ll bet you all the gold in Knox City that Tech, which has “lost its identity” and is starting over with tweaked or new schemes, will post a better record than Okie State over the next three years.
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I’m rather curious about the strategy of signing seven or eight players every year that you don’t think will meet eligibility requirements. It seems like maybe half of those will end of flunking out of college, and two or three of the others will end up signing somewhere else after they finish their junior college days. That only leaves a couple for Texas Tech. Granted that two good players is better than none, but I’m just curious why we’re signing them in the first place.
I’m totally in agreement that we need more depth on our defensive line. We’ve NEVER had enough depth on our defensive line, even before Mile Leach. We’ve even had to switch players from linebacker to defensive line when we’ve had injuries. Why we could never get enough quality defensive linemen baffles me. Hopefully, Tommy T. got some good ones this time and we can at least have some backup players who can step in adequately when needed.
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Judge Roy Bean,
It is a proven strategy that can help your football team, but I always question if it has the individulas best interest in mind.
One stat that we can fairly judge Leach & Tuberville on is this:
2008 NCAA Graduation Rates for FB Players
Texas Tech #8 in the nation w/ 79%
Auburn #46 in the nation w/ 57%
Texas Tech is an educational facility so this should figure in the equation somewhere
We all need to ask ourselves, What is truly the best way to judge success at a University?
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StopItAlready,
A good, insightful comment. But I’m sure you’re one of the few who will be comparing graduations rates in four years instead of football wins and losses. But no doubt, graduation rates should be more important to the recruits.
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Judge,
I knew Mike Leach fairly well and one of the things that got him in trouble was his stubborness…but it was that stubborness that also made him not give up on any individuals when it came to helping them earn a degree.
Many have asked why didn’t he just simply throw Adam James off the team. He was stubborn and didn’t give up.
I don’t know Tuberville at all so I can only compare the #s. I wish him well in all areas!
I will also add, in my opinion football wise it was time for a change and you are right unfortunetly most only look at the won/loss record and not the much more important graduation rate. At least the athletes and parents should spend more time worrying about it.
By the way, Texas under the same study had a graduation rate of 50%!
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Stop IT
Tech isnt even a tier 1 school, I went to Tech just because I had it paid for and decided to go to UT for a masters because of better academics, so to compare graduating rates from Tech to a real academic school like UT or A&M is ludacris
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Play Ball…might wanna check your facts before you show up in this forum spewing your Team Leach crap….TT did not try to tweak an offense with more running…..Auburn, like most SEC schools, depends heavily on the running game to win games as well as manage the clock better….Although they have been know to have a decent passing game, it in no way looks anything like the spread offenses the Big 12 runs. After he hired his new OC, his plan was to implement the spread but because of years of recruiting players to run the SEC style offense…this new spread scheme was not ideal for the types of players at Auburn….which led to the OC’s firing some 6+ games later….CTT already has the scheme here at Tech, and he has a bright, yong coach who knows how to run it…..I fully expect a more balanced rn/passing game this coming season….similar to what we witnessed at the Alamo Bowl. Our defense will be where there will be the most dramatic change, IMHO. Good things are coming to the South Plains…..I can guarantee you this…..we will not loose to teams like Houston because we decided to go for it on 4th and 1 on the goaline….CTT would have managed the clock better that night limiting Keenums time on the field and in-turn, making that decision completely irrelevant…..Anyhow have a great week RED RAIDERS…..here’s to a great season in 2010!
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TommyT,
Okay have it your way…Some of the latest graduation rates of institutions of what youw would call “better” academics are like this among FB players:
Notre Dame 94%
Sranford 93%
Northwestern 93%
Wake Forest 90%
SMU 84%
Michigan 73%
Texas 42%
Happy, In what you think is Texas’ own category that is some comparsion
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This was somewhat my Bad…The rates in the last post were 2007 & the earlier post 2008, but the 2008 were very simlar of the schools mentioned but to be fair to Texas it was 50% in 2008
Texas Tech was 79% each year
A&M was 62% in 2007 and 56% in 2008
Other notable in 2008 Neb 78% and Fl 68%
It should be noted in 2007 Texas was able to beat 3 BCS schools in graduation rate. Both Arizona and Georgia were 1 full pct behind the Longhorns @ 41%, while San Jose State came in @ 36% OU came in @ 44%
Now Mr & Mrs Parent of Blue Chip Recruit. If you are really interested in your son graduating do you really want him going to the school that finished 4th from the bottom in 2007?
Do you think it is part of the obligation of a football recruiter to only recruit players that can also succeed in the classroom at their University?
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It’s nice to have some local discussion of relative graduation rates. Now if we could just make this into a “national’ discussion, maybe the football factories would have to start taking notice.
And maybe they would start taking another look before they signed the “one year and done” basketball phenoms. But then again, probably not.
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TommyT
Did you really mean that comparing rates to a real school was a mediocre Atlanta-based rapper, or did you mean ludicrous? Hi to all the other smart Longhorns.
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@USAFRaider
Great post! That Houston loss was a heart breaker. I’m glad that we’re getting a shot at redemption this fall. Feel free to run the score way up in that game Tubs!
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This post from DTN is a must read!!!
Will Texas Tech Football take the next step?
by TTUMAR on Feb 4, 2010 2:33 PM PST 69 comments, 69 new
The 2009 football season and 2010 recruiting class have come to a dramatic end. Given the traffic here on DTN and elsewhere, it could be said that Tech fans have never been more engaged in what is going with the program than they are right this moment. Both positive and negative emotions have lead to a level of interest that is clogging message boards, and pushing our stadium to expansion limits. Nose bleed bleacher sections usually covered in bird feces are now brand new luxury boxes. $10,000 used to buy 4 semesters of tuition, now it buys 4 club seats for one season of football.
The Mike Leach era of Tech football is over. His legacy however, lives on in that none of the interest and progress mentioned above occurrs without his involvement. Without coach Leach there is no stadium expansion, there is no “Air Raid” or the top flight offense recruits it attracted. Without Leach there is no Michael Crabtree or Graham Harrell, and no moment in Nov. of 2008 where Tech fans accross the nation are brought to tears over the catch heard round the world. That night, wine drunk, and a Cohiba in hand, I stumbled out on my deck ….laid down on my back, and cried as I listened to what must have been hundreds of horns honking miles from the stadium, all accross Lubbock. Without Mike Leach there is no way a nationally recognized coach like Tommy Tuberville comes to Tech.
Now the debate rages accross Raidernation, “will coach Tuberville and this team make it to the next level”? Will we leave behind the yoke of mid-market also ran, for elite status. More than some of Raidernation are convinced our best chance at that kind of progress is now sipping bourbon-n-cokes in Key West. They are angry, hurt, and many have gone far enough as to refuse to support the team with their attendance,attention, and money. Most of this group of loyal but jaded Raider fans loves the team, will continue to watch, but remain emmensly skeptical.
So will the team answer our call? Will these recruits supplant their mediocre “Rivals Rating” and push the Masked Rider and his steed into BCS stadiums? The answer is NO. Atleast not alone. No, because this type of step is one of such huge proportion that it requires the heavy lifting of not just the team………but also of it’s fans. If any large contingent of it’s fans withholds it’s support, the entire machine fails. It’s a self fullfilling prophecy you see. “We think we are doomed, so we cannot support”. But without the support, we are doomed. Don’t believe me, let’s take a look at our competition:
The following is a list of every program who has won a National Championship since 1998, and how many different coaches they have had in that time:
School Coaching Changes
Tenn 3
LSU 3
FL 3
Ala 4
OK 2
TX 2
USC 3
OhSt 2
FLSt 2
Miami 3
—————————-
TTU 3
This list represents our competition for elite status. The unicorn that has alluded our program since it’s inception. Many of these schools have won mulitple NCs during this decade in spite of these coaching changes. One large common denominator among all of these schools is that through out it all, the fans endured, remained strong, and even grew their base of influence. Their stadiums are huge, many twice our size, with waiting lists for season tickets.
We are Texas Tech, we are Raider Nation. We are bigger than Spyke Dykes, Mike Leach, Tommy Tubberville, and his inevitable replacement. We are hungry. We have never been closer to our dream, but also never more fractured. We have been picked on, disrespected, and ignored not only by the nation, but by our own conference foes for decades. Now we are dangerous. Like the dog raised on a chain, we are done being poked with the stick that is mediocrity. We are ready. This turbulent time should not be allowed to divide us, or define us, but rather be the last straw that leads us to say “I’m angry as hell, and I am not going to take it anymore.”
We have a choice. We can rightfully withold our monetary support for this team and protest the corrupt leadership who has surely embarrassed our great alma mater……….or we can support our squad in 2011 with such zeal and fervor that the “stooges” can’t expand the stadium fast enough! We can bring about a level of fan support in 2011 the likes of which this school has never seen as we set records for attendance and noise! Let the “3 stooges” not be fired for the Leach debacle, but rather for incompetence due to underestimating capacity requirements at the Jones!
All eyes are on our program at this moment. If you doubt that take note that despite signing a medicore 41st best recruiting class, ESPN insisted on holding an interview with coach Tuberville. When was the last time the national press interviewed a Tech head coach on national signing day? Everyone is watching and waiting, many (especially in Austin & College Station) are looking for us to fail. Are we going to continue to let our support ebb and flow with the tides, or are we going to do what every other elite program has done in the last decade and cowboy up? The countdown has begun, the pieces are in place, the exact outcome is uncertain. But regardless, through our unprecedneted support, 2011 can be THE year of the Red Raider. From this moment forward, may our field never be rushed again. For no victory, regardless of size or implication, is unexpected. Wreck’em Tech.
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I agree with you PlayBall. All TT thinks about is run. The comment about linemen and notice when talking about McRoy and where he might contribute, he immediately compares him to McCluster at ole Miss and not a Welker. And I’ll take that bet straightshooter. We had a chance to hire Dana H. from Houston and he’s now at Okie St.. Get ready folks the roller coaster is about to drop.
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I don’t like Texas but I can explain why the graduation rate stinks there for football players. 15% of them leave early to play pro football.
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“TommyT
Did you really mean that comparing rates to a real school was a mediocre Atlanta-based rapper, or did you mean ludicrous? Hi to all the other smart Longhorns. “
LMAO – I died
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The offense is all Neal Brown. He’s calling the plays and coaching the qb’s. It’s his baby. Tubs will be calling the special teams plays and hopefully there will be lots of RUNning back punts for TD’s!
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fil_gman
Bla, bla bla bla bla bla bla.
Way to go, TTUMAR figure out a way for Hance & Co to have their cake & eat it to.
I have enjoyed reading you guys at DTN, never felt qualified to chime in, but this
is a little over the top, no offense intended. To me this post comes off as a des-
perate attempt to GUILT Tech fans, supporters & Alum into backing this football
program.
T-ville has already given this speech in an earlier interview. Did he enlist you for
your assistance?
Controlling this bunch is like herding cats. Good Luck
KENT HANCE IS A SNAKE IN THE GRASS & ALWAYS HAS BEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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technique
Come on man! Enough already! I love this team and this university and it is little whiners like you that are beginning to be the embarrassment to our school! If you’re so dissatisfied then find some other school support…any school…just go away! We have heard your complaints and we understand your anger, but we don’t share your lust for lingering in the past!
Please take your conspiracy theories and half thought out insults and go find a nice, 100% to your liking, university and administration to support! The rest of us have endured the embarrassment of this whole situation, but we choose to move on. Bottom line Leach is gone, the “snakes in the grass” are still here, like it or not. Our football team is not responsible for this and neither are TT and his staff. He is just a guy trying to do a job and I will let him give it a shot!
I am sure that you could do a far superior job as the HC or AD at Tech, but, again, you do not have that job. Don’t follow and support our team out of guilt! Do it because you are a genuine fan and you love our school and team, or don’t do it at all!
I hate how all of this went down, and I agree that Leach should not have been the only one to lose his job, but I will, now and in the future, refuse to attack the people who have come in to run our team and program! I will show them support and I will do my part in trying to give Tech, the team, and fan base that it deserves!
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fil_gman
ignore these guys – they never talk football or x’s and o’s – they just like to disrupt football fans.
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I bet the Longwhorens are tier 1 in football player incarceration rates!! They send more of their players to the cross-bar hotel than the NFL.
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Thanks Drknow for getting rid of Tommy T. That was the funniest thing that i have read here in a long time, god knows we needed a good laugh. I almost shot a kidney out my bunghole.
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Uh, Tommy T, if you spent your money at TU for an education, you got screwed. It’s spelled “Ludicrous,” which sums up your statement.
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fil_gman
As I stated, I did not intend to insult you. I was merely pointing out the “fans are important” card had already
been played by the Riverboat gambler.
I am no whiner, I will not go away. “Half thought-out insults” are not my style.
You seem somewhat frustrated & confused. The embarrassment to TTU lies in the Administration building.
As I have stated I’m not a big fan of Leach, but I am a fan of justice.
Coach T-ville will move forward with the football program, no matter what any of us does. I suggest you fall
in line & concentrate only on aspects that interest you. I have not called you names, or told you to go away,
or to find another team to follow, as you have me. Do you people in the “move-on” group think you can alien-
ate & attack a large percentage of the fan base, as you are doing, & everything will be hunkey-dorey once
football season begins. Personally, I think you are playing Russian roulette, that is why I referenced herding
cats in my previous post. The speed with which the uncommitted fans of TTU rejoin the fold is an unknown,
therefor the only thing anyone can do about it is hope for the best. You know, the same as you suggested we
anti-hancers do, in your post, just accept it & move on.
I hope I have clarified my position, & I am truly sorry you took offense to my comments.
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Tommy T!!!
The academics at A&M??? What academics? How to make grass grow by not walking on it? How to care for your dog? How to make a stack of logs fall? How are their students at the law school or med school that they dont have?? Just because the valedictorian from Mexia or Brenham go there doesn’t mean they have strong academics.
It is standard procedure to attend a different schools for grad and undergrad. Dont act like you just HAD to go elsewhere! Less than 4% of jobs require an MBA. If you got out of the Austin “think tank” in 2009 you looked forward to an average salary of $97,898. The average 1st year lawyer at BigTex firms had a starting salary of $160,000. Tech Law had the best pass rate on the last bar exam http://www.ble.state.tx.us/Stats/stats_0709.htm and consistently beats UT! Maybe you should stop trying to have independent thought and listen to whoever paid for you to go to Tech!
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3 UN-answered questions after signing day:
1. Why didn’t the amazing new coach from the military school in Virginia (Mr. Prunty) sign any of his whiz kids??
2. Why did Baylor beat Tech in recruiting?
3. How many current players are going to transfer?
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TommyT: I suppose you learned how to spell ludicrous (notice that I spelled it correctly with my B.B.A. from Tech) when you were obtaining your degree at U.T.(must have been the Wal-mart t-shirt masters program).
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You can cuss it, you can discuss it, you can talk about it until your children are grand parents. It has ALWAYS been that way and will ALWAYS be that way…….
Texas will ALWAYS recruit higher than Texas Tech……Why? UT is not academically higher accredited than Tech. Austin is quite a bit larger than Lubbock. Austin is 5 times as “trendy” as Lubbock…are these the reasons or are they even factors? Who knows? The humidity there IS MOST DEFINITELY something that an individual can acclamate to. Is the rumors of blowing dirt a negative factor for Lubbock? Who knows? When these high schoolers “PICK” a school, the city is also a factor.
If it were based on academics alone…Tech is equal! If it were based on Tradition alone…Tech has a deficit! If it were based on the city alone…Tech has a deficit. If it were based on the football program alone….Tech has a deficit, but only because of Tradition. It may be a combination of all the above but, no matter…it has ALWAYS been that way and ALWAYS will be that way!!
Who knows?
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really
Correct, correct & correct.
This is all THE…..VERY……REASON long time TTU supporters are sooooooo angry.
With the former coach, we could SEE the beginnings of TRADITION building at TTU. We could be proud of TTU.
Tradition is everything, it is the be all & end all for any University, of course once the basic are established.
Hance & Co’s crudeness, cavalierly extinguished the small growing flame, Hell they even blew out the pilot.
If the Administration had wanted to preserve the integrity of the Univ. they could have easily chosen another
path to the same end.
RESIGN HANCE, NOW, NOT TOMORROW, RESIGN TODAY!!!!!!
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Good point Wazoo. Who are the current players that are going to transfer? Is one of them a potential starting quarterback?
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I love Tech !! We have the most beautiful campus of any Big 12 school, but
Texas is in fact a much higher academically accredited University than is Tech.
I laugh at those that are either too jealous or so stupid as to slam UT for achieving what we have been seeking to do forever. Thats win the Big 12 South, win the Big 12, and win a National Championship. I think we look stupid talking about how underachieving UT is and ignore the facts.
Bragging that you wont go to the games, reserving your support of our new coach, wanting players to transfer or quit, hoping our school loses millions to a former coach thats bound for another job, accusing the media of being biased in reporting the facts yet saying all the known facts reported dont support firing leach, cry – cry- cry
Its the very people that do some of the above that are most hurting Tech’s chances of becoming greater. These guys claim they only want justice when its becoming obvious they only want attention or are so unhappy with themselves they want to dog talk every other school or anyone involved at Tech.
Firing Meyers & Hance should be considered. I am not supporting them or their actions. I am supporting my school and think 90% of the arguments and statements posted lately are foolish and dont help Tech – dont provide any new information.
I have a source from Tech that has told me that theres lots of damning info that Tech has not released that will support the firing of Leach with cause. Lets wait before saying we dont believe that, because it may be things we know nothing about yet. You arent a supporter if you are rooting against Tech on and off the field. Please dont start saying you want to hurt James or any of that BS. Threats against me or others that do support Tech only prove your ignorance and the fact that in the real world you are really cowards that just talk big online.
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Rapid,
Those infamous inside sources that love to leak things out. They love to use people to leak their info with their spin all around it and some are stupid enough to believe them and play pigeon for them.
Anyone of importance who might know something for real is under a Gag order!
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My point exactly…ENOUGH SAID
My source did NOT , would NOT, and could NOT “leak” a word because of the gag order.
Seems most posting think they either have ALL the information already or will ignore all facts anyway.
My point is that theres likely alot we dont know yet. There may be a reason that hasnt come out yet that will support either Tech or Leach. So far it looks like Tech is saying Leach was fired just for telling his bosses to F off, his refusal to cooperate in an investigation, refusal to accept his suspension with pay, and his mistreatment of a player. Leach’s case is maybe that Tech never intended to honor his contract because of financial or personaliity issues, he had nothing to do with treatment of James, the board intentionally damaged his reputation and for false reasons, the board fired him because of their relationship with ESPN or Craig James, and he did not tell his boss to F off and he was within his rights to fight his suspension.
Maybe Leach has more defenses and evidence. Maybe Tech has does too. Saying that is not spin. Lets wait to learn all the FACTS !
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Rapid, you make some very good points . but I would remember the gag order?
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Rapid, you either have a source or you dont, be careful what you say?
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We’re totally screwed. Tuberville can’t commit to a spread-passing attack. He’ll make well-intentioned modifications (see comments about the O-Line) that are intended to help the run game, but end up hurting the passing game. Rather than having an awesome run game or an awesome passing game, get ready to have neither.
And what happened to us recruiting nationally? Sure seems like we’re taking a MAJOR step backward there. We’ll never compete in state against A&M and Texas. We’ve got the second to worst stadium in the Big XII South. Local recruits know that. Getting injections of outside talent was one of the biggest factors of our recent success.
I, for one, am not excited about the coming 7-5 or 8-4 seasons where all of our wins are to the score 7-0 and all of our losses are 42-10.
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Rapid,
From an earlier post you states, “…I have a source from Tech that has told me that theres lots of damning info that Tech has not released that will support the firing of Leach with cause. ”
I mentioned a Gag order in a post and you countered with…..”My source did NOT , would NOT, and could NOT “leak” a word because of the gag order.”
It seems your source leaked “a few words” by telling you there is “lots of damning info”.
I think you’re confused and probably were used as a pigeon
Enough Said
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Enough said
I dont think I am THAT important.
No one knows yet all the evidence or testimony in this case. The judge has not even ruled if Tech is liable should they lose a jury verdict.
It takes two to stay married but only one to get a divorce. Leach has to prove he was a nearly perfect husband. All Tech has to prove is he wasnt and show one or more examples as a reason to get rid of him. I think its especially tough for the pirate because Tech’s decision was a group decision. Hard to believe all these regents intended to fire him for no reason. Maybe it was just Meyers or Meyers and Hance but they convinced the entire board, All Tech has to do is convince the majority of a jury.
Leach explaining that his kid and his parents deserved this treatment seems to hurt his case. Leach saying Tech never intended to pay this contract when it was agreed to is hard to prove. Lets wait to see. I think Leach made stupid decisions after he was accused by James.
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You either have a source or you dont, Tech violated his contract, you are right we dont know all the facts and you dont either.
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rapid
Laws & rules are not enforced to punish the stupid. If Leach was or is stupid should have no
bearing on his case. TTU Administrations zeal to terminate him before his 10 day remedy clause
was completed, one day before he was due $800K, is what makes the whole thing stink to high
heaven. This convoluted debacle is so complicated, it’s hard to sort who did what to whom & which
contract clause or law applies. I am thankful for the gag order preventing Hance from attempting to
“spin” this into infinity. What us non-lawyers think should the be common sense solution to this
fiasco is not necessarily going to be the legal solution. Hance & former & current regents were stupid
for e-mailing about contract negotiations in early 2009. We can make a list of all the stupid things
done by either side & check them off for an interesting exercise, however we still won’t know whether
the Administration failed to honor their contract with Leach. My feeling is, there are too many lawyers,
they are all desperate to justify their existence & therefor are worming their way into our lives in ways
never intended by the law of the land. Common sense has been replaced with litigation, where this
leads us is any ones guess. Maybe we all eventually end up going to law school so as to be able to
defend ourselves. We could go back to using common sense, with basic simple laws as guidance,
but then we have the problem of many many starving lawyers in our society.
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Technique, very god points, as you brought out he was fired before he was able to get the 800,000, he was also fired before he was able to give his side of events at the court house,there are so many twists and turns in this whole mess and the local media has had a lot to do with spinning it in Techs favor, like you said, thanks for the gag order, but they are still spinning it,ESPN also had a hand in it, thats why it looks so suspicious if it was a open and shut case, why get the local media and espn involved and why shove Tuberville down our throats, we can think and he hasnt even coached a game yet, let us make up our own minds instead of spin and shoving it down our throats, makes it even more suspicious to me, The e- mails are very incriminating and the denial by Craig saying he wasnt going to sue makes Tech look like they overreacted and a bunch of liars, this is just one big fiasco from day one and it keeps on going, the most common sense thing I have heard if Adam was a man he would have stood up for himself instead of getting his Dad involved but it looks like he was supposed to or why hire a pr firm and make a video of his mistreatment,lots of twists and turns and loads of opinions this b.s. has been going on for over a month now and shows no sign of gettin settled anytime soon
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Purple Cow
So you dont want Tech fans to welcome Tubberville because that feels like “they’ are shoving it down our throats ? You have posted crap about Craig James but seem to wish he had said he did threaten to sue Tech ? Its funny to me that so many keep agreeing we dont know the facts but ontinue to post TECH IS WRONG. I am uncertain if these 10 days werent satisfied because the Shed event happened well in advance of Leach’s termination date. I DONT KNOW FOR SURE.
I have said it many different ways that WE dont know, that includes myself. You keep saying I either have a source or dont. Yep….everyone talking about this has a source – a radio, newspaper, friend, whatever. Maybe for your mind I should have said I was told by a person. Do you understand that better ? Yes, I am either telling the truth or not. Since my person didnt tell me the reasons they fired him I guess no one did anything wrong.
Do you hear yourself ? Would you object to me or anyone saying that although we havent seen the evidence or heard the testimony and dont know the facts I know who was wrong here ? You are doing what you seem to be upset at Tech for…..making important decisions without knowing all the facts.
I guess we can assume Leach believes he did nothing wrong and that Tech believes they have done nothing wrong. Thats why there are courts. Hopefully the facts will be known in court and THEN a jury can make decision based upon all the facts.
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We can base our judgment on what we see in print and what we see on Tv, the radio and common sense, everyone is entitled to his or her opinion,iam basing my opinion on what I see in print, see or hear. you have your opinions and I have mine,
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Craig James said he didnt threaten to sue Tech and the lawyers for Tech said he did and they thought it was a serious threat, rapid, there words not mine.
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Ok, whats your point ?
Actually, Craig said he didnt threaten to sue
Tech guy (dont think it was their lawyer ?) said he took Craigs complaint seriously with regards for a suit If Tech did not investigate this matter.
Thats a big difference. Do you suppose Tech should have just said go F yourself, no investigation, and no matter the facts no one working for Tech has done anything wrong. Ummmm thats kinda what the pirate said isnt it ?
The bigger point is it doesnt matter what a kids parent said. Thats where Leach made his first mistake. If a Tech players parent calls the coach should that influence a coach one way or another ? It shouldnt have helped or hurt this kid…right ?
I think the point that I cant seem to make is ….NONE OF US SHOULD REACH A CONCLUSION UNTIL ALL THE FACTS ARE KNOWN. Opinions not based on facts are really just ones hopes.
If Tech fired Leach based on what a parent said then yes that would be very wrong. I doubt that a group of regents did this….but LETS WAIT TO SEE !
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Good point, rapid, Tech decided to investigate on their own,we really dont know if he said he was going to sue or not,he says no, Tech thought he was and decided to investigate, we shall see
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POINT IS THEYRE BOTH LIARS AND HAVE NO CREDIABILITY AND IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN REPORTED IF ADAM HAD BEEN MAN ENOUGH TO STAND UP FOR HIM SELF,CRAIG USED HIS BIG MICROPHONE AND INFLUENCE IF IT HAD BEEN ANYONE ELSE THEY WOULDNT HAVE INVESTIGATED S..T, THEY CANT EVEN INVESTIGATE THEIR OWN VIOLATIONS, AND TUBERVILLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIRED AFTER A INVESTIGATION OF THE AD AND PEOPLE BE HELD RESPONSIBLE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND
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http://www.texastech.com/tickets/football-tkts.html
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COWBOY UP KENT, RESIGN TODAY
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get rid of Kent Hance & gerald Myers
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