Tommy Tuberville's Challenge Is To Top Mike Leach's Record at Texas Tech

Texas Tech hired a good coach in signing Tommy Tuberville to a contract in Lubbock, Tex.

However, it is unlikely that Tuberville will be able to surpass the record of Mike Leach at Tech.

Over the decade that Leach coached in Lubbock, he averaged three wins against two losses in the Big 12 South division.

For Tuberville to top Leach's performance at Tech he will need to win four games yearly against Big 12 South opponents.

To do that, he will need to consistently beat the University of Texas, the University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, and Oklahoma State University. 

These teams all have a significant financial advantages over Texas Tech University. Financial revenues play a key role in how well a team can compete against their conference rivals.

Texas Tech had football revenue in 2008 of $24 million. This seems substantial until you compare it against the revenues for the Big 12 teams Tuberville will face.

2008 football revenue for the University of Texas was $87 million, for the University of Oklahoma $47 million, for Texas A & M $38 million, and for Oklahoma State University $26 million.

Oklahoma State also has the financial backing of Texan T. Boone Pickens who has already ponied up nearly $200 million for the OSU football program.

I hope Tommy Tuberville has success at Texas Tech University.  

But he will be battling programs with greater financial resources to hire the best coaches, build the best facilities, and recruit the best athletes.

Mike Leach did remarkably well against the strong Big 12 South Division opponents despite the financial handicaps at Texas Tech.

For Tommy Tuberville to better Leach's record, he will need be a really great coach.

And if he is a really great coach, he also must be willing to turn down lucrative financial offers from programs with the money to hire him away from Texas Tech.