Settle Down Guys, Leach Will Stay

by Blitzburgh @ Double-T Nation on Dec 4, 2007 12:37 AM CST

First, let me say I thought your most recent post Seth was outstanding. I've read for a couple of seasons now, and I've really enjoyed the evolution of your writing and coverage. Has always been great, but just outstanding this past year. I hope the hoops coverage remainss that way. I'm a somewhat long-time reader, and just recently an occasional poster, so obviously I have less credibility (deservedly so) than most of you (I do write the Steelers blog for SBN, so at least know I watch a lot of football and think about these kinds of things a lot. I also speak with Red Blooded (a DTN regular) in person quite frequently about Leach and the program, so I'm not a total outsider here.

Anyway, it just doesn't make sense for Leach to leave Tech for UCLA at this particular juncture. Real quick: great Gladwell reference Seth, and I too am a firm believer in Gladwell's tipping point theory. So while I respect your gut feeling Seth, I gotta say mine leads me in another direction and there are two simple reasons why:

Everybody is returning next year for Tech. Sure, OU will return loaded and the favorite for the crown, and yes Missouri will be a national contender, but Texas isn't heading anywhere, A&M will still be beatable, Kansas should fall off some significantly, and OSU will be OSU - dangerous but predictably inconsistent. Forget all that though, and focus instead on my original, pre-rambling point. Leach returns a full stock of talent next year on both sides of the ball. His two prized recruits, Harrel and Crabtree, finally made it onto the national radar for their talent and ability, not merely their gawdy 'system-generated' numbers. Leach has something special in these two, and it'd be foolish to A)think he doesn't realize this and B) not at least consider wanting to enjoy their talents for one more year. I guess I just think if there's ever a year for Tech to make some serious noise in the Big 12, and perhaps even the national title picture given how crazy things have been this year, it's next year. Not saying I'm confident Tech will win 10 or 11 games and be in the mix, I just think next year presents the very best possibility since Leach arrived in Lubbock.

That leads me to my other thought: why run off to UCLA when he could achieve bigger and greater things next year, and hold off for better. Sorry, UCLA really isn't the elite job that fans over at Bruins Nation want to believe it is. It's an attractive job, no doubt, but it's not the mecca of college football by any means and it's much harder to get kids into school than it is at Tech. Great jobs are opening up every year in college football. Why rush off to the first available opportunity? It's not like money will play a huge factor if UCLA is involved. Texas Tech has certainly been been miserly with Leach, and Dorrell makes only a fraction of what leach makes despite UCLA's healthy financial situation and large athletic department.

It just doesn't add up in my mind. Even if the opportunity was great (which I don't think UCLA is at the moment), my money would still be on Leach wanting to at least want one more crack at finishing what he set off to accomplish: win a Big 12 championship and national title. The odds have always been loooong, and they still are next year, don't get me wrong, but damned if you don't think Leach wants a crack at one more run with his most talented senior QB ever, a reasonably talented line that gained valuable experience this year, an improving defense that has the potential to perhaps even be better than it was in the second half of the season, not to mention his first blue-chip NFL prospect at WR?

Next year Leach, Harrel and Crabtree get noticed in a way they never have before. I'd guess Leach would want to stick around for that party.

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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Texas Tech has certainly been been miserly with Leach, and Dorrell makes only a fraction of what leach makes despite UCLA's healthy financial situation and large athletic department.

That should read, Texas Tech HAS CERTAINLY NOT been miserly. Leach makes good scratch at Tech. It'd take an SEC school to throw him the kind of money that might actually play a significant factor. Unless the money's absurdly generous, I don't think Leach considers money all that important at all in his decision. Does he seem extravagant to you? Does he even know how to spend 2 million bucks a year? Doubt it, so why would $3.2 million really be all that much of a determinant.

Hope I'm right. I really respect how much you guys love and appreciate this coach.

by Blitzburgh @ Double-T Nation on Dec 4, 2007 12:42 AM CST reply actions

Thank you, Blitzburgh!

I was beginning to think that I was the only one who had the faith that Leach would stay! That was a refreshing post. I totally agree with you.

liquidsmoke

by liquidsmoke on Dec 4, 2007 1:05 AM CST reply actions

thanks

Also worth remembering that Leach is an odd-dude. Everyone needs their ego massaged, and I doubt Leach is any different - he'll probably head elsewhere at some point. But maybe not, you just don't know with him. I would say though that knowing him, it would be a change of behavior for him to leave at this juncture for that job. I don't buy that Alabama stuff. Maybe he sniffed, but whatever, Leach wasn't born yesterday. He had to have known that 'Bama wouldn't roll the dice with a guy like himself given their sad state of affairs in the Shula era. Too conservative there. Maybe with their coordinators, but 'Bama's not ready for a renegade head coach like Leach.

by Blitzburgh @ Double-T Nation on Dec 4, 2007 1:30 AM CST reply actions

Thank You!

For pointing out that UCLA is not that much of a step up from TECH.

My question for you is how long does it take a coach to develop a program from scratch? From Spike's system to Mike's system was a long journey. My guess is eight years to get the recruits that fit you game plan. Lets face the fact that TECH had to take players of some what less mental ability during the Spike era to get the physical talent they needed. Mike had to over come this during the first four years of his tenure and is just now filing his roster with athletes that have the mental capacity to fully exploit his system. (Hell man, Joe Garcia is an Engineering Student and he is on defense!)
My guess is USC gets who they want UCLA get the the less than smart guys.

But then again it might be the soup.

by bmaxw on Dec 4, 2007 1:37 AM CST reply actions

Joe Garcia

CS student... technically, we're engineering, but not really. (had senior project with him last year)

by kayakyakr on Dec 4, 2007 9:32 AM CST up reply actions

Odd post

Bmaxw, I'm not sure I follow the logic of your post. The only semi-bright guy's needed on a team are the center, the middle linebacker, the strong safety and quarterback.

Here's a bit of info on how MANY teams run the spread...

Play called:
Ace Stack Even-39-Man-Tight Right-Flood.

Quarterback gets a number flashed to him that corresponds to his plays on the wrist sheet.

Ace is the formation (in this case, three receivers on the right).
39 is the play (let's say that in this case it means the QB fakes an inside run to three hole, and has his options to the WRs on the right)
Man is the blocking scheme
Tight right is the load (strong side TE)
Flood is the pattern group the receivers run

All the receivers know is it's a pass play to the right if any of the three guys are open. Their position is either X, Y or Z. In the Flood call, they all know what specific route they are to run. It's all very, very simple to remember.

You don't need to be in mensa to make this work - that's why 19-20 year olds can do it so easily (that, and they do this every day quite literally year round). The only variable is the check off the QB makes at the line. Again, it's very simple on the receiver. The QB calls out his audible number which changes the route to what he wants. In reality, most audibles only affect one WRs route, so he's talking to a specific player. The rest of the guys run their designated flood route. So one guy may run a slant vs. an out based on the technique the corner is showing, or based on the safety and lineback alignment. But it's not very complicated at all once you learn the lingo.

The pro play call, on the other hand, is a totally different animal with about 8 more variables spoken in the huddle. The audibles for that particular play are stated before they break the huddle, so there's much more to remember. An NFL playbook is scary.

by Tech92 on Dec 4, 2007 5:28 PM CST reply actions