Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe | 2011-02-25

There are a couple of things early this morning.  Late yesterday, it was made public that current Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt was officially offered the Texas Tech athletic director position (LAJ's Matthew McGowan | DMN's Mike Jones | Miami Herald's Susan Miller Degnan).  Here's a bit from the LAJ, which also references the Miami Herald:

"As far as I know, Texas Tech is pursuing him, but I know no other details — whether he has been offered or anything like that," said LaTonya Sadler, associate communications director in the Miami athletic department.

The Miami Herald quoted a UM official saying it was clear Tech wanted Hocutt, but the situation was unresolved Thursday morning.

"I’m hoping we’re not going to lose him," a UM trustee told the Herald. "We’re going to do everything in our power to keep him. That’s all I can say."

What role finances might have in Hocutt’s decision are difficult to gauge.

Myers, who retires in May, is making $379,600 annually, according to a response to an open-records request the Avalanche-Journal obtained this month. Miami, as a private institution, does not release salaries.

That's a helluva salary.  And late last night, Sports By Brooks tweeted the following two tweets (in chronological order):

Hocutt called Friday staff meeting.. LBK Walmart better stock up on Go Phones asap. So how many minutes will #tubs get?

Snip

The 'meeting' I referenced earlier was Kirby Hocutt calling a meeting tomorrow AM w/ Univ of Miami staffers.

It seems unlikely that an offer was made without there being some sort of acceptance in the near future.  SB Nations' Miami Hurricanes blog, The 7th Floor, has some more detail, mainly an Associated Press writer dropping hints about Hocutt looking at Texas Tech.  Your favorite radio host, Ryan Hyatt, talked with Don Williams on the Williams and Hyatt Show yesterday and discuss the possible athletic director hire as well a little bit of football. 

Since there was no practice yesterday there's not much news out there this morning so all you get are miscellaneous links . . . Phil Steele names his 2011 top incoming freshmen and TE Jace Amaro is named the #7 tight end in this year's recruiting class . . . ESPN's David Ubben looks at how explosive the Big 12 offenses are and how well defenses can stop the explosive offense . . . SB Nation's Spencer Hall explains how to cheat in college football recruiting . . .

Yesterday, SF Mike Singletary and PG John Roberson apologized for their remarks about the lack of crowd after the Colorado loss.  Per DMN's Mike Graham, here's the official statement:

"We would like to take this opportunity to apologize for the comments we made following last night's game against Colorado. It was a tough, emotional and hard-fought game that did not go our way in the end. Our post-game comments were made purely out of frustration. We have great fans here at Texas Tech and we appreciate the support they have provided us. There is one final home game left on the schedule against Oklahoma and we hope that the fans will come out and support this team and our senior class."

This was the right thing to do, although I wish they would have read the statement, but I think that's me just being petty, so I'm fine with this.  If head coach Pat Knight isn't going to be back, this really puts everyone in a tough situation, including the players and I'm guessing that Singletary and Roberson's comments after the Colorado game were probably more of a release for how the season has turned out rather than this particular game. 

The Red Raiders are now 5-0 and took down the hated Cougars of BYU.  Game two of the Brooks Wallace Memorial Classic is this evening.  Starting pitcher Ben Flora (4.0 IP; 4 H; 2 ER; 1 BB; 4 SO) didn't make it to the 5th inning, but he threw 61 pitches, which may have been his limit this early in the season.  The bullpen was pretty good, except for a tough outing by Jerad McCrummen (1.1 IP; 3 H; 2 ER; 0 BB; 0 SO), but the rest of the bullpen didn't allow a run, didn't walk a batter and struck out 6.  I'll take that.  Zach Fowler (1.0 IP; 2 H; 0 ER; 0 BB; 2 SO) got the win and John Neely (1.2 IP; 2 H; 0 ER; 0 BB; 2 SO) got his second save of the season.  

3B Reid Redman led the offense (2-3; 3 RBI), but it was 2B Nick Popescu (2-5; 1 R; 1 RBI) who had the game-winning hit in the 7th inning, putting Texas Tech up for good. LF Jamodrick McGruder and C Kevin Whitehead both had an RBI, while everyone in the lineup registered a hit, except for DH Mason Randolph, but Randolph did score a run.

KLBK has the video highlights as does the official site.  LAJ's George Watson and DT's Jose Rodriguez file their game stories from yesterday and head coach Dan Spencer was pleased with the pitching:

"If you go out and give up four runs when the wind’s blowing out 30 (mph), you’ll take that every time," Tech head coach Dan Spencer said. "I’m not concerned with the hits as much as when you add them all up at the end of the day. I told the guys before the game that one-run innings aren’t going to beat us. So four ones, I’ll take that, and that’s (against) a good offensive team."

And Spencer talks about Redman:

"He plays because he can really defend, and then when you add in the fact that he is really swinging the bat well and he is doing a very good job with runners on base, it makes it an easy one to write in. In the five games we have played Reid is our offensive MVP because he does a lot of things. We have some other guys playing well, but he gives you an older guy, a stabilizing presence, late in the batting order. He has done a great job of creating runners for the top of our lineup."