TEXAS TECH LOOKING GOOD POST-LEACH
By mark rogers
January 31, 2010
The future looks bright in Lubbock for a variety of reasons.
1) - The Red Raiders' 2009 recruiting class had an emphasis on defense.
With names like Will Ford (Cooper), Pearlie Graves (Tulsa) and Myles Wade (Arizona), more than half the 2009 class was made up of defenders.
2) - Tech hired James Willis as Defensive Coordinator.
I wouldn't liken it to Dennis Erickson taking over Jimmy Johnson's Miami team in the late 80s (that talent base had no choice but to win it all a couple of times), but Willis has a plethora of big-time defensive talent in his tool box.
He's a no-nonsense guy who's played and coached his whole life in the SEC, and he's fresh off a national championship. I don't know of a better hire they could have made. If he can make Tech more than just "decent" on defense...look out.
3) - Tech hired Tommy Tuberville as Head Coach.
This, coupled with the two coordinator hires, was a big-time move. It could all fall apart and not be as great as it looks now, but on paper it's hard to argue that Tech should be very, very dangerous over the next few years.
Not only from a motivational or X's and O's standpoint, but hiring all these guys with SEC ties is HUGE in recruiting. Just look at the 2010 commitment list:
Kadron Boone (4-star WR): 6-1, 190 lbs from Ocala, FL (37.4 miles from Gainesville). That's like from Abilene to Sweetwater. And I know UF is probably stacked at WR, but they probably don't have anyone in this year's class that has more potential than Boone (UF has three 4-star WR commits on this year's list). Note - Boone is visiting LSU soon but the Raiders feel confident in his decision.
Shawn Corker (3-star WR): 6-1, 185 lbs from Fort Lauderdale, FL (35 miles from Miami). A solid commit since last summer, Corker is another one Tech stole out from SEC and Miami country.
I know what you're thinking: "but Leach and his staff got these guys to commit in the first place."
True.
These guys were committed to Leach and his crazy antics and offense, but if Tech administration doesn't bring in SEC-type guys to replace the old staff, Corker and Boone could have de-committed in half a second (and probably would have). Tuberville has "street credibility" in that part of the country.
Other 2010 commits from SEC country include DB Urell Johnson (New Orleans), OL Eric Lawson (Olive Branch, MS), Athlete Benjamin McRoy (Lakeland, FL) and DB Brandon Smith (Raceland, LA).
4) - Tech retained Benny Wiley.
The Strength and Conditioning coach at Tech for the last several years, Wiley's presence will keep some familiarity in the locker room and especially in the weight room (where the important off-season activities happen). That was a big move to keep the players happy.
5) - Tech hired Sonny Cumbie as Inside Receiver coach.
This goes along the same lines as keeping some familiarity in the program as Cumbie has been around the program in the media and most recently as a GA since he left the team as a player in 2004. It's also good in recruiting to have a younger guy (28) who is able to relate with players and recruits. And he's from Snyder so that's always good, too.
6) - Tech hired Neal Brown to take over the offense.
This is pretty much a given, but Brown won't make drastic changes to the offense which means you won't have a ton of "spread-offense" guys wanting to transfer or not come to Tech anymore because they won't fit in. It'll be business as usual on the offensive side of the ball for the Red Raiders.
Of course, all these things will have to transfer to the field, and if they don't, it will just validate the country's perception that you can't recruit to Tech and can't win at Tech.
But if the cards keep falling right, you never know what can happen. I'm not saying Tech is going to immediately and perennially start dominating the Big 12 South. I'm just saying you might see seasons like Tech's 2008, 1-loss season start popping their heads up with a little more frequency.
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