Loading ...Leach’s firing ends an offensive era that we won’t see again
When I first heard of Mike Leach’s firing, I shook my head in disgust. I don’t know if I’m mad at Leach, a.k.a the “Mad Scientist”, for putting himself into a situation where he could be fired or if I’m mad at Texas Tech for firing a man that had unbelievable success at a school that has never been regarded as a top notch football school without digging very deep into an investigation.
|
Mike Leach took Texas Tech to new heights, but was fired after allegations of player abuse. |
No matter which side you’re on; that of Adam James (ESPN analyst Craig James) or Leach’s, it’s easy as a football to mourn the end of one of the greatest passing offenses in NCAA history. While it’s possible Leach will return somewhere, run the same offense, and have some success, it’s very unlikely his offense will ever peak like it did at Texas Tech.
Friends of mine call it a video game offense because it’s quick, unstoppable, and it feels as if Leach is pushing buttons from the sideline to plug it all in to make it work.
Starting in 2000 Leach’s quarterbacks put crazy numbers up: 00-Kliff Kingsbury (3,412 yds, 21 TDs), 01-Kliff Kingsbury (3,502 yds, 25 TDs), 02-Kliff Kingsbury (5,017 yds, 45 TDs), 03-B. J. Symons (5,833 yds, 52 TDs), 04-Sonny Cumbie (4,742 yds, 32 TDs), 05-Cody Hodges (4,238 yds, 31 TDs), 06-Graham Harrell (4,555 yds, 38 TDs), 07-Graham Harrell (5,367 yds, 43 TDs), 08-Graham Harrell (5,111 yds, 45 TDs), 09-Taylor Potts/Stephen Sheffield (4,199 yds, 33 TDs).
I wasn’t at Texas Tech to see whether Leach handled James’ concussion properly, so I won’t defend a man that I can’t. I also won’t defend James or his father Craig, because something tells me that if it was my son it wouldn’t be as big of a deal. What if James was really just trying to get back at the coaching staff for lack of playing time, as a few coaches suggested? Is this the beginning of an era where student athletes have more power than their head coaches when it comes to treatment of “injuries” that may or may not be there.
Leach was never one to do things the conventional way. Texas Tech knew that from day one and that uniqueness caused him to be successful at the highest level of college football. His Red Raiders reached their peak during his stay last season when they knocked off Texas, a loss that eventually denied the Longhorns a chance to play for the national championship.
Leach went as far as to call the players distracted by their “fat, little girlfriends” after a humiliating loss to Texas A&M this season. It was that humor that made him different.
One of the most interesting things about Leach was that his offense was his baby. By that I mean a Steve Spurrier type of infatuation with X’s and O’s that led the Red Raiders head man to constantly tinker with how to make his offense more explosive. When things were working he was like a kid in a candy store, but when things were failing he was more like a southerner stuck in New York City traffic.
I will never forget watching Texas Tech just to watch unbelievable offense, even if the Red Raiders defense was only going to relinquish points just as fast half of the time.
No matter which side ends up in the right/wrong, hopefully both Leach and the school will move on from these allegations and find success.
