An Editorial: The Mike Leach Saga and You
by kayakyakr on Dec 30, 2009 7:26 PM CST
in Texas Tech Football
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PrintHow do I begin coping?
I'm not really sure where to start writing this editorial today. Frankly, I'm in shock, I'm upset, and I'm not sure who to direct this anger, confusion, and frustration at. So, instead, I'm going to go ahead and write a bit about what I know and hope that you guys find it useful.
How did we get to this point?
The long and short of it is that Mike Leach and the Board of Reagents cannot get along. We have two different organizations, Mike and his legal counsel and the BOR, who both are determined to get their way and are not willing to negotiate peace between the two. While it's a lot easier to just blame the administration, there is part of my mind that believes that Leach is just as much to blame, considering that he had the opportunity to play politic and go back to normal.
Frankly, though, I wouldn't have played the politics either. What the TTU administration asked of Mike Leach was unacceptable and was never going to be agreed to. And I think they knew it. Someone with the power was ready to be rid of Mike Leach and we get to suffer for it.
Lots and lots more after the jump. Please read, it will make me feel better.
Can we blame Gerald Myers?
If you want to, I cannot stop you from putting all of this on Gerald's head. What I have heard is that he had little part in the agreement Leach was asked to sign and his only part in the suspension was his name on the paper. In addition, I have heard that Myers found out that Mike Leach was fired at the same time that Mike's Lawyer did. He was not involved in the decision to fire Mike and does not seem to be involved in the following coaching search either.
If this is true, I think that it is more reason for TTU to ask for Myers' retirement. If your athletic director is so powerless that the university does not consult him when discussing the termination of his football coach, what is he for? I will happily use this term in this case: Gerald Myers is a lame duck athletic director and it is time to bring fresh blood into his position.
"Well, I don't want to root for Tech anymore"
Before you burn your shirts, consider sending them to me. I believe it's an overreaction to discontinue your fandom of TTU unless you were a t-shirt fan in the first place, in which case, that's your right. It's not only the coach that you're rooting for, it's the players and it's the idea of the Red Raiders.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't be upset or you shouldn't react against the university (petition, protest, write to, and withhold money from the university all you like), I'm simply saying don't give up your fan status over this. The other thing I hope to see is those of you who are considering withholding or not purchasing tickets taking the same stance as our incoming recruits and waiting to see what hire we make before making the leap.
Speaking of the recruits, here's a bit of good news for you within all the bad: Mike Leach was not a fantastic recruiter. While many of the 24 players that have verbally pledged to play football at TTU in 2010 are looking at their options, none have decommitted yet. None of the players were particularly close to Coach Leach and so none of the players have straight-up walked yet.
Where are we going to go from here?
Believe it or not, I'm already passed the stage where I believed (and I really did believe it in the deepest part of my heart) that this was the end of TTU football. It hurts, but it isn't the end. A good hire right now and we retain the momentum and keep this party rolling. The question is if this administration is going to make the right hire or if they're going to make the easy hire. I can almost guarantee that they make the easy hire.
By easy hire, I mean that there are two candidates out there that list TTU as their dream job: Art Briles and Sonny Dykes. There's one other coach, our interim HC Ruffin McNeil, that isn't exactly part of the old-school, but would still be an easy hire.
Personally, I do not want to see Art Briles or Sonny Dykes announced as the next head coach at TTU. I have begun to believe that Ruffin McNeil is the right easy hire. What qualifies me to believe this? Well, nothing, but I do have some reasons that I think make sense:
Sonny Dykes should not be the next TTU head coach because he has less experience as an HC than Ruffin and hasn't exactly been a world beater as OC in Arizona. He's been ok, but we'll see tonight if he's got an idea of what to do against Suh.
Art Briles should not be the next TTU head coach two reasons. He does not run the Air Raid. He runs a spread that can make use of our current players, but his spread is not the Air Raid. I think moving away from the air raid would put a hard stop to the national momentum that we've built and would be a return to a regional focus. An Art Briles offense could not recruit WR from Florida who want to come to TTU. I also think that him coming to Tech would mean losing a lot of our current staff which would result in the loss of this recruiting class.
So that leaves us with Ruffin. Ruffin will leave almost all of our current staff intact and that will ensure that we retain almost all of our current recruiting class. The only other option who will give you this would be Sonny Dykes. Ruffin is also one of our best recruiters and is in fact the finisher on our staff. That's something that Mike was never good at. He could sell a few kids on playing for the pirate, but not quite like Ruffin can. If the goal is to maintain momentum, then he's the hire.
Granted, TTU could go off and make the difficult hire as well. Names that will be thrown around include Kevin Sumlin at Houson (and Dana Holgerson as well), Tommy Tubberville, Bronco Mendenhall, Kyle Whittingham, Larry Fedora, and Gus Malzahn. Most of those options are offensive coaches that will come in with a new and different spread offense. Sumlin and Tubberville (maybe) are the only ones likely to leave the air raid intact.
"Wow, that was a lot of rambling"
Thank you, I hope you could take something out of that and if not, well, I'm not entirely sure that I did either. Still, it's been said
So the Alamo Bowl is a job interview?
One last thought before I wrap up this novel, this weekend's game is, in effect, a job interview for Ruffin McNeil. If the team comes out and plays, I think that it will be his job to lose. It's also a job interview for Lincoln Riley. He's only spent 1 season in the booth for Mike and has only been coaching for 3 years. Is he ready to be a full-time offensive coordinator? I'm not so sure, but it's not out of the question if Ruffin continues as HC or if an air-raid aligned, offensive-minded coach comes in.
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RUFF!!!
The more I thought about it today, I hope Ruff is the next coach. No Briles. Leach may be arrogant, but I just dont like this Briles guy. Theres something about him? Dykes would be a spit in the face to us. Ruff is in house and I agree more than likely he will keep the staff, and there has to be someone there who can call plays like Leach did. Also, I agree this is a job interview for not only Ruff, but the whole staff. Btw, maybe im still in shock, but did I read that Cumbie will be calling plays? If so, I have confidence in him. He appears to be intelligent and knows the air raid better than anyone. I hope the lousy admin keeps Ruff, it would be a damn shame to see him leave. He’s earned it.
This was on the SBN main website. Not sure what radio station its from, but its pretty good. Enjoy
http://www.sbnation.com/2009/12/30/1227193/mike-leach-texas-tech-cody-for-the-win
I believe Lincoln Riley will be calling the offensive plays from the booth and Cumbie will be on the sideline signaling said plays to the team.
Hell no
Ruff is nowhere near the answer in my opinion. The best thing he has ever done for us is field a below-average defense. I would be more comfortable with ole’ country boy art briles than with ruff.
Agreed
I feel pretty much exactly the same way about the hiring situation. I agree that the administration will cop out and make the easy hire. Of said hires Ruff is the best option I think for the same reasons you gave. If they go for an over-haul type hire it could be a long decade (see tamu).
I’m a little torn because I’m still not sold on Ruff being a great coach yet. He has done well with the talent he inherited and I agree that his new recruits are heading in a good direction for the defense, but he hasn’t fielded a great defense yet. I’m not so sure I expect him to be able to field a great team… the jury is still out.
Agreed.
Ruff may have put in the time but he really hasn’t put together a stellar defense either.
I’m just not sold on Ruff.
by Damien Franco on Dec 30, 2009 7:58 PM CST up reply actions
Ruff has yet to show he can design and run a first rate defense, much less an offense. Nothing against the guy – the kids seem to like him, although being liked is not the ultimate answer as any experienced manager will tell you [see atm game].
I think the quality coaches will shy away from Tech simply because of its repeated administrative ineptitude. Every week it seems like someone else is running the show as egos and grudges have shown themselves to be the identity of the university bosses.
As for the recruits, only time will tell. I saw a quote from Kadron Boone today where he said he was going to call his position coach and then talk with his parents. Since his coach came out strongly in Leach’s defense, I can already hear the wheels spinning in the Admin offices.
I really respect you editorial
You have made excellent points and I agree the abandoning Texas Tech is not the answer. I think most of the die hard red raiders will stick around and support the school and team but….some heads do need to role for what transpired today. I don’t think this administration is fit to run a kennel. I want to see Meyers gone along with a few other which includes Bailey. From the coaching side of things I feel like Ruff might be the interim answer for next season and mainly because he could salvage the recruiting class at stake. I have no hope in Dykes or Briles becoming a great coach at Tech. Just because people went here doesn’t make them a good candidate.
You would think programs fall apart with an NCAA violation or something of that nature but today we all witnessed self destruction from our own which I’m struggling with the more I think about it. There won’t be a sugar coating to this ugly ordeal from any administrators. Honestly, I will always bea red raider but I don’t know if I can ever get over the stupidity I witnessed from within today. On a positive note I’m sure captain Leach will move on to be a huge success and I will miss our crazy pirate captian on the side lines. Things will feel very different without him around.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
Thank You Sir
As I read over your thoughts, my angry heavy breathing began to settle and my heart rate returned to normal. Thank you for putting reality back into my thoughts. I will always be a Red Raider and support those things that are in the best interests for the university as a whole and the students/athletes. I hope our guys come out on Saturday and play their hearts out, and remember that they are playing for the name on the front of the jersey.
As far as Ruffin goes, at first I thought it would be nuts to hire the guy, but the more and more I thought about it, I think he would be a great fit. The players seem to gravitate towards the guy and he seems to bring some great positive energy. He wouldn’t change the offense (I read this somewhere) and I hear he is a pretty good recruiter, so we would still keep some of those verbal committments. He has put in his due, and as funny as it is to watch the guy run up and down the sidelines at times, I would love to see it as a Head Coach. I wish him the best of luck for his “job interview”
Thanks for the insight
by Red Raider Juggernaut on Dec 30, 2009 8:13 PM CST reply actions
God help poor Kent
ESPN2 ran the press conference live when Leach signed his contract in the spring & afterwards all the announcers could do was try to imitate Hance’s accent.
Not too worried
About him right now
by oldschoolraider on Dec 30, 2009 8:37 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
was pretty much hardline university is right, mike leach is at fault.
this background music for bruce feldmen’s section is hilarious.
Music
Ya what was up with the music. Did leach just Die
by Red Raider Juggernaut on Dec 30, 2009 8:45 PM CST up reply actions
Music cracked me up too
Can’t really refute anything Hance said. But if I were Leach and didn’t feel like I had done anything wrong I’m not sure I would have apologized no matter how hard they pushed either.
Hance is probably very intelligent
But he sure comes off like a dumb-ass when he talks. His stupid accent and good-ol-boy approach is really off-putting.
by jeffinhouston on Dec 30, 2009 8:54 PM CST up reply actions
Not a fan of hance
You are the idiot employing myers which is wrong.
by oldschoolraider on Dec 30, 2009 8:52 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Dr. Lou
It seems to me that ol’ Lou has been advised to calm down by ESPN because yesterday he was pretty fired up and laughed at May to his face and said I would have loved to have you as a player. I cant believe ESPN is doing this to our school and Leach. How about the statement from Leach or former players showing support?
Also Hance
makes it out like he tried to ‘work with Mike to resolve it’ but he wanted Leach to sign that letter that basically said they could fire him at will if he farted and his contract was nullified… What a crock!
Mike Leach needs to hire a lawyer that doesn’t sound and look as stupid as the chancellor and own TTech then he can comeback as the Chancellor Head Coach.
By the way, your home stadium should be renamed ‘the Shed’…
GEAUX TIGERS!!!
Hance
should have thought about how much money Mike was bringing into tech. It’s starting to look like open season on Mike Leach now.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
I'll Cincinatti could deal with Mike's ego.
great program and Big East will be much easier than Big 12 south.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
Ego not the problem
It’s his genius that’s beyond the scope of what mere mortals can handle.
by Damien Franco on Dec 30, 2009 9:05 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
RUFF
Of all the easy hires, I like Ruffin the most. I completely dislike Art Briles and Sonny Dykes is currently busy making a joke of himself and the Arizona offense playing Suh and Company in the Holiday bowl.
The more I think
about it the more I think Ruff is the wrong choice. I still agree that he is the right easy hire, but I believe he is the absolute wrong long term solution.
Respect your opinion. Don’t think Leach did anything wrong. He tried to squelch an out of control spoiled brat that was going out of his way to destroy the program because he wasn’t good enough to get on the field. The kid made a spectacle of himself when was simply told to get out of the way and walk the track. Leach had no choice but to make an example of this kid or risk giving the impression that his authority means nothing. The administration should have backed him up. I would not apologize. I hope Leach gets everything he wants and exposes everyone that got in his way. I will not wear another article of Tech apparel. My license plate frames are coming off tomorrow. The university will get not get another dime from me until the right heads begin to roll.
I'm not done being pissed
Leach got bushwhacked. Pure and simple. The kind of behavior from the Board of Regents and top administrators more closely resembles a weak Roman emperor clipping a popular field general who garners too much popularity than anything else. If the TTU administration wants to mend its relationship with the fans, someone needs to get canned. Sending Myers to Raider Ranch isn’t good enough either, as he apparently has as much pull in the athletic department as Leach does (and probably less than he did)
by mojavereject on Dec 30, 2009 9:24 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
A Few Random Thoughts From A Bruin Who is a TT Fan Because of Leach
1. Shame on ESPN: They should have built a fire wall around Craig James and handled the story without a word from him. Their coverage has been ridiculous. The worst part? The pontificating by May and the cheesy music during the “commentary”.
2. The Statement by Hance: was a bit disingenuous. How can he say that Leach agrees with him on the facts? There is at least one clear disagreement — was it a "closet"or a “media room”? He was incredibly condescending; what was it that Leach wouldn’t do that would have “saved his job”? Sign an admission/apology? Uh, had he done so, he would have been fired with the “admission” as the basis.
3. Some of us at Bruins Nation smell a rat. But, we don’t know your program well enough to be sure what it is? Was this an attempt to get rid of him before the 31st to avoid the payment? Other than last year’s contract negotiations, are there other things in the background?
4. If Leach were to get a jury of Lubbock residents, will they identify with the school in a “my school can do no wrong way” or might he find some “we love Leach folks”? On balance, where do you think public opinion will cut?
5. Mike Leach is a unique coach. I really wanted him at UCLA. He was my first choice. (I think we got the right guy for the job. Neuhiesel really gets UCLA — he’s one of us and bleeds Blue and Gold.)
At the end of all of this, there will be a major similarity between Leach and Neuhiesel. Both will have been fired on a pretext. Neuheisel went after Washington, brought them to their knees, and made them pay (big bucks). If Leach is telling the truth, he will to the same thing.
But, unfortunately, Leach will share the downside with Neuhiesel — no matter what a court says, no matter what the settlement — he will carry the stigma of this firing. And, since he was not afforded any due process before being fired, that is not fair.
My best to all of you. I wish you the best through the turmoil.
sjh
by Class of 66 on Dec 30, 2009 9:25 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
good post
thanks for the comments
we have been worried that he would go to UCLA (always been a big fan of the cheerleaders)
by oldschoolraider on Dec 30, 2009 9:33 PM CST up reply actions
There is a rat. Jim Sowell, construction and big money man from Dallas had a lot to do with this according to emails released by the DMN.
Old news
Those emails were released during last spring’s contract negotiations. They really aren’t quite as damning as people might like them to be. At the time Leach had a contract with 1-year remaining and was balking at signing the proposed extension. The emails contemplated getting rid of Leach at the expiration of his then-contract.
Although it shows the ill will that existed then and now, it has nothing to really do with the events that transpired over the past 15 days.
by jeffinhouston on Dec 30, 2009 9:40 PM CST up reply actions
I lived in Westwood in 1986
I would love to see Leach wind up at UCLA. Plus it would be a great excuse for several weekend trips to L.A. each fall. See what you can do.
We Love Our Coach
Rick Neuhiesel is doing a good job and has the full support of most Bruins.
We also have a great OC in Norm Chow.
As much as I wanted Leach before we hired our current staff, I’m pleased with what we have.
So, I became a Tech fan so I could cheer for Leach and all of you.
BTW — I’m a Bruin living in Exile (Houston — actually I like living here). So, it’s been easy to follow you guys.
sjh
The reality
What bugs me about the spot we’re in right now is financial. The university doesn’t have the money to search very far outside of who is already on staff. If they hire Ruffin, they will probably ask him to keep the current staff and give him money to hire an OC.
Tech can’t afford to pay off whatever may be left of the assistant’s salaries (some are on renewable one year deals, so it wouldn’t be all of them), what is owed to Leach, and then hire a new guy and new assistants and pay them. This is exactly why Dan Hawkins is still at Colorado.
I don’t want Ruffin as the head coach. He’s a so-so coordinator. The players love him. But that doesn’t do much for me as a fan.
I don’t want Sonny Dykes. His offense has been a very slow work in progress at Arizona for too long. Though he would come VERY cheap.
I want someone who isn’t a young hot shot, because he’ll bail on Tech if/when he gets a bit of a track record.
I want a guy who is on the other side of the hill (50+) and isn’t chomping at the bit every year for the bigger, better deal; who has a good track record; who will keep Tech in the headlines for the right reasons; who will graduate players; who will recruit; and who will win. Honestly, I want Art Briles. He’s the anti-Leach in a lot of ways, but at this point, that may be what we need to move past all this.
Leach did great things for Tech, but the fact is there isn’t another one sitting on the shelf. I don’t want the Air Raid offense if Leach isn’t the one calling the shots.
Art Briles does absolutely nothing to excite me. It’s a spike dykes hire. Now, you’ve been a fan through the spike era, so i suppose that’s what you’re comfortable with, but i was raised on Mike Leach. I was raised on people talking about our program because it was exciting. I was raised on a team who could beat anyone at any time. I just don’t see that from art briles.
He doesn’t excite me either, to be honest. But I do think he’d make it work. Gus Malzahn excites me; Chris Pederson excites me; Kevin Sumlin excites me; Todd Graham excites me. But I don’t think we get one of them.
Out of curiosity
I personally could care less about this specific recruiting class or whether or not the offensive scheme is Air Raid, which isn’t exactly very different from the normal spread anyways, when it comes to hiring the right coach. I’d rather get a recruiting class full of scrubs for one year and hire a good coach than keep the class and get, for instance, Sonny Dykes. Besides, if Tech were to actually land a coach such as Fedora or Whittingham (good suggestions, btw), they’d likely bring at least a handful of recruits with them.
1 or 2 years of a thrown together recruiting class and you’re looking at 4 years to recover. If you’re changing system (and if you can’t tell the difference between the different spreads, you need to read more Smart Football), your previous 3 years of recruits are worthless and your next 2 years of recruits are not as talented as the level you were at before. You’re looking at 4 years of an improperly talented offense and in the big XII there’s a long climb back to the top.
Tech is unlikely to be attractive for the MWC coaches (and Pederson) and to bring a head coach from a mid major program and expect them to “bring recruits” with them, well, that just doesn’t happen, not better than those players we have currently committed.
Either way, you’re still looking at a recruiting shuffle, at minimum, and most likely a recruiting downfall no matter who Tech brings in, at least for one year. But to avoid a short-term recruiting shortfall should not be a reason to pick a coach over a, perhaps, more qualified coach that is a better long-term solution. You don’t pick a coach based upon your players, rather you pick players based upon your coach.
Who is to say if Ruffin is named the new coach there wouldn’t be a drop in current recruits? Or the same with Dykes, who seems to be the early favorite unfortunately, and Briles? There will be, but both would also have the ability to help supplement the loss of recruits with players they recruited at their respective schools. The same goes for any other current coach. No, it wouldn’t necessarily be an even swap in terms of talent, but with a coaching change comes that type of recruiting instability, and that’s really the point.
FYI, I know there are differences between the spread offenses, but they are not so vastly different the current players on the Tech roster would be “worthless.” Nor would they be “worthless” if there is a system change.
Ruff over Briles/Dykes
Briles isn’t coming cause he has a$4M buyout and we sure can’t afford that and I don’t want him anyway and Dykes is Spikes son and that just goes to the “ole boys” but i fear that who it will be if not Ruff, so I like our staff now and Ruff isn’t my first, second, or third and not really in my top 10 but compared to others we might keep some continuity if Ruff can get a good young DC in and maybe bring in another AirRaid coach/qb. Just hate all this cause we are back to mediocraty. And Hance got to 30,000 in large part to the football promo which is Leach and now he has zero chance to 40,0000 students if we ever had one!
Nebraska smothers Dykes' offense
Holiday bowl showed how ineffective Dykes’ offense is against a good defense. He was clueless against Nebraska and Suh. Right now it’s painful to watch Holiday Bowl if you are an Arizona fan. It’s one thing when your players are not delivering, it’s another when your coach doesn’t have a clue.
Arizona's offense has been average all
during the Dykes tenure…avoid this guy like the effing plague!
I’m actually very curious what the ex-qb’s are going to do with this offense. Riley and Cumbie calling the shots might be the best playcalling duo after the captain himself.
It will be interesting to see how the game unfolds Saturday, for sure. I don’t know much about Riley at all…Cumbie, well, he’s still green. But I like that you are confident.
Riley’s had a sort of meteoric rise → walk on QB → grad assistant → wide receivers coach (crab’s freshman coach) → and then this last year he became the booth-man, the guy that talked in Mikes ear and told him 1) what he saw and 2) when Mike’s playcall was a really bad idea. I don’t think that you rise that fast if you don’t have some talent for coaching.
He’s also one hell of a recruiter. I don’t know that he’s much of a motivator, considering that he was adam’s positional coach.
Cumbie is green, but he has something to take from the offense that Leach never had: He actually played in it.
Dana right now is the top of generation 2 of the Air Raid coaches, but i think the QBs have the potential to be the best. (Mumme, Leach → Dana, Sonny → Riley, Cumbie?)
I've always said that great minds think alike.
I’ve been hiding this combo in the back of my mind in case the wheel’s fell off, which they obviously have. This would be my top choice in coaches. Not for an easy hire or a hard hire. This would be my top choice.
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
I like the sound of that.
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
I KNOW YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS BY SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS!
I’m a West Texas Farmer and Tech Grad that would like to see Kevin Sumlin as our next head coach. I have many friends that farm and everyone of my farmer friends and peers have a hell of a lot more commonsense than our Texas Tech Administration. He is a winner and has Houston on the right track. Damn I hate to loose Leach!
American farmers feed & clothe the world!
None of these options are very good...
I wish I could be more positive, but it will be an absolute miracle if we don’t take a significant step backward…
I still can’t conceive a scenario where this isn’t going to be painful for an indefinite (long) period of time…
Keep in mind, we’re probably going to get to watch Leach land somewhere and light it up there…
BTW, when that happens, what current Tech assistants will be asked to come along?
What does that do to the “safe” Ruffin McNeill coaching scenario?
I hope we can’t get or pay Briles… If we did, Baylor could just pick up Leach and we could essentially trade places with them…!!!
by Houston Raider on Dec 30, 2009 11:39 PM CST reply actions
KCBD
Stated that Dana Holgerson at Houston was in the running for the job. However, if I see a great showing Saturday , as I am expecting, I too will have tip my hat to Ruffin. I really like the idea of the Cumbie/Riley duo. Maybe we won’t quarter back sneak on 4th and 1 and give the ball to batch. Ruffin better not hesitate and the lose the “pirate edge” that is Texas Tech football. And however this game ends Michigan State owes us big time now that their player violations pale in comparisson to Barnum & Bailey’s three ringed circus in Lubbock.
Ring 1: The incompetent stuttering ’Gerald Meyers.
Ring 2: The Kent Hance Puppet Show staring the voices of Jim Sowell.
Ring 3: The Board of Regent Clown Show, & look here they come now huddled together in a Volkswagon Bug.
by ChumpForLeach on Dec 31, 2009 12:56 AM CST via mobile reply actions
No Good Ole' Boys
We need to give someone a shot who is excited to continue building up our program. These easy hires are all people who will be easily controlled and cowed by the BOR. Ruffin is the best easy hire. I don’t see how he couldn’t have the team fired up and ready to play on Saturday. Ruffin is not a long term solution – his resume is not good enough to warrant a shot as a head coach anywhere, let alone at TTU.
These up and coming outsiders at Boise, TCU, Houston, SMU, and even Tuberville all sound more promising. We need to maintain our identity as an offensively explosive football team, but I wouldn’t mind someone who cares about what happens on defense. Our next coach needs to be someone who is here to win games and maintain and improve our football program, not someone who is just here to kowtow to the administration and hold Craig James’ hand.
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