Let the rumors begin

by Tech92 on Nov 7, 2008 3:04 PM CST

"Texas Tech coach Mike Leach falls into the category of a successful coach at a program with fewer resources. In the most competitive conference outside of the SEC, he has made headway against the likes of Oklahoma and Texas. And his team plays in a stadium with about half the seating capacity of Neyland Stadium. A source told me that Leach is "very, very interested" in the UT job. Of course, Leach isn't going to say that. In case you haven't noticed, he's currently preoccupied with trying to win a national championship. He's also on the verge of having his contract renegotiated. So he's probably happy where he is and committed to building a championship program at Texas Tech. But don't cross him off your list." -- Knoxville News Sentinel

Not that I am even remotely surprised by this story...I will assume, until he signs whatever extention Texas Tech can offer, that he will be a top candidate at almost every major opening this year. I am all for a guy bettering his situation for his family, my personal preferences be damned. I just hope that, should he choose to leave, he does it after the season instead of the way RichRod ditched West Virginia right before their big bowl game last year.

Personal belief on this...Leach will come closer to leaving this year than he ever has. If Meyers and Tech don't knock his socks off with their offer, he will leave. End of story. He really won't have much choice - and I wouldn't blame him. He deserves to be paid what the very best coaches in the country are paid. And right now, he's nowhere near that...shoot, he's near the bottom of the Big XII in pay as it is. Can Tech get him the riches he deserves? If not, then we need to start cultivating our own internal list of candidates to replace him. Now.

This will be a very busy season for changes in the coaching ranks and there are several great, young coaches ripe to make the move to a BCS conference school. If Meyers is worth his salt, he will have already identified 8-10 candidates to replace Leach to be ahead of the curve.

The problem is by virtue of Tech waiting another 10 weeks to offer an extension, we could be left with very few quality guys to come in and pick up the recruiting trail where Leach leaves off should he decline an offer from Tech - or leave after a bowl game. If by "end of the season" Meyers is meaning after Baylor, then I like the chances of the Pirate staying put a little better.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Double-T Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Double-T Nation's writers or editors.

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i would bet after the baylor game ends and 10min after he talkes to the radio station on the post game show Myers will be in his office to talk.

56,000 screaming crazies in The Jones rockin' as it has never rocked before... Terry Bowden

If you not having fun....then your not playing the game right.

by texastfan on Nov 7, 2008 3:26 PM CST 0 recs

Do we have the kind of dough to keep him?

if he were to really use these other schools for leverage. I feel like I have done well to this point in life, but I certainly don’t have 10 grand laying around to pony up like the people who have choice season tix or luxury boxes . Does all that luxury box money (West side) go into that fund? I’ll admit now, I am THAT ignorant on the subject.

by Plano Jeff on Nov 7, 2008 3:44 PM CST 0 recs

Salary

Yeah, typically a college coach is paid a salary that has money coming from several sources. Leach, for example, only receives $300,000 of his salary from Texas Tech. The rest of it comes from our boosters and TV show contracts. The deep pocket boys take care of that, but the Red Raider Club is a good place to start if you want to donate anything towards that.

by Tech92 on Nov 7, 2008 4:02 PM CST up 0 recs

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/879980.html

by Tech92 on Nov 7, 2008 4:02 PM CST 0 recs

I think...

Leach likes what he’s created here. Furthermore, I don’t see his style as a HEAD coach translating to the SEC. Granted…doesn’t mean it won’t happen… I just think Leach seems happy in Lbk, like Bob Knight. I think Lubbock is a coaches dream with the non-aggressive press, and “good-ole-boy” handshake attitude. I say he stays. But that’s just me.

by jwhitettu on Nov 7, 2008 4:03 PM CST 0 recs

hope you’re right…but money talks. Loudly.

by Tech92 on Nov 7, 2008 4:12 PM CST 0 recs

It seems that Tech has received at least three good commits from recruits since the Texas game. I find it hard to believe that Leach (or his staff) would be pushing these guys to commit now if he were even thinking about leaving. I think Leach wants his money, and I am certain he will get it.

Leach stays in my opinion

... I'm just sayin'

by antiswarm on Nov 7, 2008 4:37 PM CST 0 recs

It's In Leach's Best Interest...

to wait til the very end of the season, so he can use a National Championship or BCS bowl victory as leverage. I really don’t think he will be able to do any better financially somewhere else, because Tech has paid him well so far and Tech has shown themselves willing to pay him his worth. His pay has always been competitive with other coaches with the same amount of success, which speaks well of Texas Tech and Gerald Myers.

Tech has earned Leach’s trust by now, he has been rewarde every time he took this program to another level.

I think Leach stays put, unless he’s offered something that he’s been wanting for a long time. Something he wants for personal reasons, like it is close to a beach or a Pirate Museum. Something of personal preference, He has never come out and said publicly that he loves Lubbock or that he does not want to entertain these schools looking for a coach. But he may be doing that to use these offers as leverage as well. That’s why I don’t put much weight on these rumored offers and such. He’s a very smart man, and we ought to all be thankful that we’ve had him this long…hopefully he’ll retire here, but we’ll just have to see.

by I TT on U on Nov 7, 2008 4:59 PM CST 0 recs

I'm sort of surprised

we’ve had him as long as we have. But since he’s been here nine years, let’s keep him another nine. But you’re right…it’s a personal thing and some school may come calling that has a blend of personal interests, or location, or any myriad of things that we may not be at all aware of that would sway him.

Regarding antiswarms comments about getting recruits to commit. I think every coach, even those who are dead set on leaving, try to line up as many kids as possible. Nothing is guaranteed, so you want them to commit in case you don’t/can’t leave. Shoot, Washington has asked Ty Willingham to continue recruiting the kids who have committed and he’s already been let go when the season ends.

by Tech92 on Nov 7, 2008 5:06 PM CST up 0 recs

Yup,

and a coach can use his recruiting class as leverage as well, if it’s a good class that is. It’s like when you are putting your resume together, you may want to add something like being class president your freshman year in high school, even though it may not seem like a big deal to you.

By the way, how do I change my username here? I’m afraid I’m putting people off with it. It was funny when I first came up with it, but now, not so much. I want to be taken seriously …sometimes! I have sent an email to SBN about it.

by I TT on U on Nov 7, 2008 5:55 PM CST up 0 recs

remember...

that as in politics, people who write articles in newspapers, on websites, blogs etc., do so many times to create the impression that they WANT to create. More than half of what is written is either just not true, or at best, not EXACTLY what was said…

Also, believe it or not, there are individuals who value certain situations as much as, or even more than the money – (i.e. Joe Pa at Penn State). I want to believe that Mike Leach is in this catagory: His family and religous values, the current level of respect and admiration, the possibility of sustaining a high level of competitiveness in the Nation’s BEST CONFERENCE, all of these things will contribute to a desire to stay in Lubbock. I think Mike will stay put, as long as Texas Tech meets him half way – or maybe a little bit further!

by natsnagrom on Nov 7, 2008 5:29 PM CST 0 recs