Tommy Tuberville to Texas Tech: The Right Choice

I made up my mind this was the right hire a year ago during the contract dispute with Mike Leach. 

Exactly 12 months prior to our administration.

Tommy Tuberville had just been forced out after a 5-7 season at Auburn.  Dickweed booster Bobby Lowder had it in for Tuberville ever since he orchestrated a backdoor interview with up-and-coming Bobby Petrino at Louisville in 2002.

A failed launch of Tony Franklin’s spread offense and blowout loss to Alabama was all Lowder needed.

A track record of consistent success and four losses by a combined 13 points in league play weren’t enough to save his job. 

In the eight seasons prior to that, Tuberville won an SEC title and completed a 13-0 season, won the SEC West division five times, finished second twice and third once.

My confidence in this hiring a year ago hinged on my opinion that the job Tuberville had done at an Auburn program was more impressive than the job Leach did at the Tech program over the same period of time.

I’ve always felt Tuberville was a better coach than Leach, and at a minimum, his equivalent with regards to defensive football.

This is a good day for Raider fans and I’ll utilize the remaining portion of this blog post to vouch for some pretty good coaches, and also try to take a stab at some changes we might see before the season kicks off.

There are several young coaching talents on the previous Leach staff that I feel are worth retaining, simply based on my feeling that I wouldn’t want to see them land on a division opponent’s campus.

Given the level of results of Tech football over the last decade and my gratitude to the coaches who made it happen, I’ll make a last plea for retaining the jobs of those involved, as I feel an obligation out of respect for all the joyous occasions they have provided me as a fan.

It won’t make a difference, but it will make me feel better.

S&C Coach Bennie Wylie

We are lucky to have this guy and our progress in this department under his tutelage over the last five years is nothing short of elite level results.

We’re not getting pushed around near as much up front, relative to the years prior to his arrival.  Wylie pushes players to the limit and the quitters are always weeded out in his program.

If they make it through Bennie, you can rest assured that the players are mentally tough enough to place on the field and effort won’t be an issue.

All Tuberville needs to do to give this guy serious consideration is ask him to take his shirt off.

OL Coach Matt Moore

Louis Vasquez wasn’t one of the bright, young stars of the NFL before Moore arrived on campus.  Granted, Louis was strong as an ox, but fundamentals were inconsistent.

Moore has a savvy eye for finding athletic big men at the high school level and every player leaves here better than when he arrived.  He possesses a natural feel for riding the line between intolerance of mental errors and patience with development.

I’ve learned a lot about the game of football from the personnel decisions Moore makes on a game-to-game, practice-to-practice, and play-to-play basis.

All Tuberville needs to do to give this guy serious consideration is watch game tape of Lonnie Edwards in the first half against Texas, and compare it to Edwards’ magnificent performance against All-American Gerald McCoy of OU.

WR Coach Lincoln Riley

Watch every game Leach called this season and the Alamo Bowl.  Same offense with an astronomically more balanced play calling.

He’s a Tech guy that Gil Brandt has proclaimed as the next Mack Brown.  I think that’s a stretch at this point, but there’s no question he’s a talent worth developing just in case.

He knows the offense inside and out, and Riley’s unit takes a tremendous amount of pride in performing the dirty work.  A home grown guy with familiarity of personnel requirements and crackerjack recruiting ability.

RB Coach Clay McGuire

Running back is the easiest position to coach on the football field.

Just don’t recruit a bad one.

McGuire has been successful on the recruiting trail for each of his first two seasons.  The best young talent on this roster was reeled in by this guy from the likes of Oklahoma: That’s the level we should aspire throughout our staff.

Understands the dynamics of the region and knows how to sell Lubbock.  Call me if this doesn’t work out.

WR Coach Dennis Simmons

I probably know less about Simmons than any other coach.  The fact that a dude from El Paso who no one ever heard of turned out to be one of the best offensive weapons on this team makes him worth the risk alone.

ST Coach Eric Russell

The seasonal improvement in his inaugural year should speak for itself.  I have a feeling Tuberville is going to be a fan of his intense and demanding style.

We’re headed in the right direction under this guy.

DC Ruffin McNeill

Just like everyone else, I love Ruff too.

Experience was my biggest hesitation and he’s too good of a guy to deserve what would happen, even if things didn’t get off on the right foot.

We can roast Tuberville with no reservations.

Ruffin McNeill can only be described as an asset to a football program.  The ability to inspire is the most important asset for a coach and young men rally around this guy.

I’m not sure where he will fit in, but my recommendation will come as the DT coach.  Ruff has personally identified and recruited most of the DT talent on our roster, whose improvement as a unit was one of the more impressive accomplishments during his tenure.

Guys will run through a brick wall for Ruff and that trait fits perfectly in DT development.  

CB Coach Brian Mitchell

The biggest testament I can give for this guy is that nobody knows exactly how fast the Tech CBs are.

I’m not sure how his previous experience will bond with Tuberville’s philosophy, but our CB play has been at a top third of the conference level. 

DE Coach Charlie Sadler

Significant improvement has been achieved in the last two seasons: I primarily attribute this to Ruff’s efforts on the recruiting trail and motivational abilities.

I’ve had mixed feeling about Sadler, and given his nominal effect on the recruiting trail, I’m fearful his job is in jeopardy the most.  

Safeties Coach Carlos Mainord

Duh.  He might not be required to interview.

I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do and I appreciate each and everyone of you for working here.

Now to some changes we might see.

A lot of this depends on what we do for an OC, but I can guarantee Tuberville took notice of what kind of football team Tech can be with Steven Sheffield at QB.

The win against a salty No. 14 Nebraska team on the road looked a little better as the season rolled along.  Not to mention the home blowout of a better than expected Kansas State team. 

Defensive Philosophy

I’ve seen TT roll with a lot of multiple front defenses, but I’m guessing he’ll mostly employ a four-man down front with nickel personnel based on our existing roster.  This is subject to change based on recruiting, but he’ll commit to stopping the run and is willing to sacrifice size in lieu of speed.

Tuberville is the kind of coach who more than likely recognizes the symbiotic relationship between our offense and the liberal style of defense it allows you to play.  I predict he will utilize a series of stunts with the faster personnel our front seven has to offer in an effort to play the run in the backfield.

I’ve always had an appreciation for Tuberville’s natural feel for balance between risk and reward.  Offensive tendencies play a significant factor in his game planning and he’ll do his homework on 1st and 2nd down.  3rd-and-long is where he’s built his reputation and look for significant improvement in this area on the stat sheet.

TE Personnel

I’ll be surprised if TT doesn’t make a strong push between now and signing day to add a couple of traditional TE prospects to this class.

I’m not suggesting we’ll be taking the majority of snaps under center and playing a FB; I’m simply implying one of his philosophical influences on the Air Raid might be to insist on creating harmonious run/pass mismatches in this capacity.

RB Involvement

I promise you, Baron Batch is the biggest Tuberville fan on the planet.

He’s the best weapon on our offense and TT will demand his services be utilized appropriately.

And shut your damn trap if you’re fearful of that.

I see no less than 300 carries next year, and after TT gets a look at Stephens and Jeffers in the spring, expect more situational plays to take advantage of their skill set.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Stephens employed as our Wildcat QB with Batch as RB and a TE, given we find one. 

Will Ford

My intuition lends me to believe Tuberville will never take this guy off the field.

Ford is one of the fastest players in our program and his competency level as a run defender will provide a high degree of versatility for the new regime.  Tuberville will implement zone blitzes and Ford is a loaded gun in that capacity.

LB Play

Our entire LB corps is luckier than a two-peckered billy goat for the opportunity to expand their respective football knowledge.

History indicates the chances of the Raider Nation being disappointed in the results of a Tuberville hire are slim and none if LB activity is the sole measuring stick.  He’s going to play the most talented players regardless of classification.

Nobody’s job is secure here, but he’ll fall quickly in love with Duncan’s physical nature.

This is my sole interest for attending the spring game.  We’re going to look a lot different here.

DB Personnel

Laron Moore is safe and D.J. Johnson will more than likely secure a CB spot, unless we receive a recruiting class gift.

One of Tuberville’s primary goals will be to get faster in the secondary.  I’ll be curious as to his assessment of starting safeties Cody Davis and Frank Mitchem.  Mainord does a magnificent job of masking range issues, but the aggressive schemes TT has historically preferred requires more range at the position.

Look for a true freshman to have a significant impact in the secondary.

Run Blocking Principles

The most serious concern I’m experiencing with a Tommy Tuberville hire is what his long-term philosophy will be for our run game.

Retaining the effectiveness of our run game hinges largely on whether TT sticks to our more veer dictated schemes, or shifts to the fad of zone blocking.

I don’t believe we have the OL personnel across the board to successfully execute zone principles for four quarters.  I’m watching closely to assure that you are aware if the new coaching staff starts doing something stupid here.

I’m all over that shit for you since I backed this guy.

Steven Sheffield

If Tuberville has any sense at all, he won’t jack with this guy too much, and I expect him to be the starter when spring football commences. 

I could keep going, but I’m tired of writing.  Let’s play ball, gentlemen.

This was written by dedfischer at The Tortilla Retort.