Wells Fired at Texas Tech

T

TahoeLegend

Pretty much a regular
No surprise here. The surprise is why they ever hired him in the first place. But dumb decisions is nothing new for Texas Tech. They fired Mike Leach, the only successful coach in the history of the school because Craig James complained Leach was not being fair to his son (who had zero scholarship offers until James talked Leach into giving his son a chance as a personal favor).

Wells did a good job at Utah State and it's hard to win there, but he never did anything to indicate he was worth of a hire at Texas Tech.

Even worse, and I never understood this part at all, Tech gave up the only identity they ever had when they hired Wells. Tech has had a star player every now and then over the last century or so, a good team now and then, but the only time the public ever knew they existed was when they hired Leach and he instilled the system that put them on the map.

Even after Leach was fired they remained one of the highest scoring, most interesting teams in the country and still ran the Leach system. It was always worth watching them because no one could stop them and they could rarely stop anyone else. They never won a title, but at least they had an identity. Now they can't win AND have no identity

I don't know who they can hire to rekindle the fire. Tech is a place where it's almost impossible to win. They are in Texas, but way out in west Texas where there are very few prospects nearby. In Lubbock, which is mainly known for being windy and having cattle feed lots nearby. Maybe give Kevin Sumlin a shot although he failed miserable at Arizona another garden spot no one wants to live in

www.espn.com

Texas Tech coach Wells fired after 13-17 record

Texas Tech football coach Matt Wells has been fired after two-plus seasons in charge.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
Hear he was never really embraced down there. Kind of a square peg hire compared to what the alumni want.

I think if Cumbie can salvage the season, he is the leading candidate. Wasn't hiring him as OC kind of forced upon Wells? Think I heard something about that. Schedule brutal...OU, bye, ISU, Ok St, Baylor.
 
s--k said:
I think if Cumbie can salvage the season, he is the leading candidate. Wasn't hiring him as OC kind of forced upon Wells? Think I heard something about that. Schedule brutal...OU, bye, ISU, Ok St, Baylor.
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Losing to KState was probably the best thing to happen to Wells, he gets to leave without having a much worse record on his resume
 
TahoeLegend said:
No surprise here. The surprise is why they ever hired him in the first place. But dumb decisions is nothing new for Texas Tech. They fired Mike Leach, the only successful coach in the history of the school because Craig James complained Leach was not being fair to his son (who had zero scholarship offers until James talked Leach into giving his son a chance as a personal favor).
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Spike Dykes was successful, and his son will be as well,
 
I got a feeling that Tech will come out passing and attacking on offense aganst the Sooners, more than they had all year.
 
Wells was not a popular hire. Tech fans knew he was not likely to be successful and they were pissed. They loved Kingsbury and were happy to go 6-6 with him. Wanted him to finish his contract. If he was getting fired, they expected something better.

They are also not going to be happy with Traylor or Dykes. Those will be disappointments. Dykes they will give some time. Traylor they will be skeptical of. Fans will not mind Cumbie but he will be expected to deliver.

Cumbie got hired to replace Wells but he is kind of getting the knife here.

The thing to watch is for a possible Art Briles hire. The AD's job is on the line and he may not be too confident rolling the dice on Traylor. The school president could also get the boot over this if the donors want Briles and he is not delivered.
 
Texas Tech is in a really pivotal spot now with the conference change. They are on the verge of irrelevance. That is why a Briles hire is a strong possibility. They have lost their big rival with Texas A&M and now lost Texas which was not a big rival but big game. All they have now is a lukewarm rivalry with TCU which only exists because they hate each other over TCU being in the Big 12.

Briles is a lifer and will coach at Tech until he is 75. Then you get Kendall Briles. That is a pretty good investment and they don't give a damn about rapes in Lubbock. Tech girls will volunteer to get raped for Briles.
 
Instant Hole said:
Texas Tech is in a really pivotal spot now with the conference change. They are on the verge of irrelevance. That is why a Briles hire is a strong possibility. They have lost their big rival with Texas A&M and now lost Texas which was not a big rival but big game. All they have now is a lukewarm rivalry with TCU which only exists because they hate each other over TCU being in the Big 12.

Briles is a lifer and will coach at Tech until he is 75. Then you get Kendall Briles. That is a pretty good investment and they don't give a damn about rapes in Lubbock. Tech girls will volunteer to get raped for Briles.
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Interesting about rivalry, never really thought of TT and TCU as rivals but they need someone. Could become Ok State which begs another question, will Ok/Okie Lite still schedule Bedlam OOC every year?
 
KJ said:
Interesting about rivalry, never really thought of TT and TCU as rivals but they need someone. Could become Ok State which begs another question, will Ok/Okie Lite still schedule Bedlam OOC every year?
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They have only been rivals since TCU joined the conference. They were not before. It was just an automatic win. But there is a big tie between Tech and DFW. A lot of DFW kids go to school at Tech and lots of Tech big wigs in DFW. So TCU knows Tech does not respect them because they don't think they belong in the conference and that is true so Tech does not like TCU. So it is a pretty big game now. That is really all they have and not much. Getting stoned 35-7 at half was the end for Wells.
 
Also as a note of history, Leach did not get fired over James kid. That was one reason for it but minor. The reason he got fired was because the AD was a massive hot head. Tech was frustrated that Leach was always considering other jobs. You had the James incident and then Leach was rumored to be considering another job and the AD went through the roof and fired him. He then had to step down.

Because of that, they will probably not hire Traylor because they know he will not be committed to Tech and will just go somewhere else if he is successful. That is another reason Briles could get the job. Tech is actually kind of his dream job and he would not leave no matter how good he made them.
 
The whole Leach thing is a huge shadow over the Tech program. Tech fans were mad as hell that he got fired. They finally healed that wound with Kingsbury but it got opened up when Kingbury got fired. So if you are not a Tech guy, you are getting your ass fired quick if you do not win in that job. It is Leach or bust.
 
Instant Hole said:
That is why a Briles hire is a strong possibility.
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Hadn't thought of that, but he will win big if they hire him and win right away, especially now that the transfer portal is wide open.

I don't see why Sonny Dykes would take the job unless he has some nostalgic attraction to it or something. SMU is a better job than Tech, especially now that the Big 12 is somewhere between Power Five and Group of Five when Texas and OU leave.

Easier to win at SMU, better location, richer school, world capital of blonde coeds driving BMW convertibles. I can't think of one way Tech is as good a job as SMU
 
Only thing better would be the money in B12 v American, probably significantly more but trading in Dallas for Lubbock would be a tough pill to swallow for sure. Never know what drives people.
 
TahoeLegend said:
Hadn't thought of that, but he will win big if they hire him and win right away, especially now that the transfer portal is wide open.

I don't see why Sonny Dykes would take the job unless he has some nostalgic attraction to it or something. SMU is a better job than Tech, especially now that the Big 12 is somewhere between Power Five and Group of Five when Texas and OU leave.

Easier to win at SMU, better location, richer school, world capital of blonde coeds driving BMW convertibles. I can't think of one way Tech is as good a job as SMU
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No, he will take the job. Tech is a much better job than SMU. You can have a better record at SMU but Tech gets better players and will pay more money. Dykes is not considered a real top level coach so getting the Tech job is about the best he can do at this point. Coaches want to go as high up the chain as they can.
 
Instant Hole said:
No, he will take the job. Tech is a much better job than SMU. You can have a better record at SMU but Tech gets better players and will pay more money. Dykes is not considered a real top level coach so getting the Tech job is about the best he can do at this point. Coaches want to go as high up the chain as they can.
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Now this certainly isn't true. Some want the glory of prestige and pay, some love to stick around because of lifestyle.
 
KJ said:
Now this certainly isn't true. Some want the glory of prestige and pay, some love to stick around because of lifestyle.
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Depends on the coach. If they like a real challenge, they will stick around. Snyder liked coaching at K State. He did not want to win a national championship unless it was at K State. He liked being the underdog.

Dykes is a mercenary. He got fired at Cal because he was entertaining Baylor. If he was entertaining Baylor, he will take Tech.

Plus his Dad coached there. That is pretty irresistable.

Even if SMU offered their coach more money, there are very few that would not move unless they thought they could get another job better down the line and it might ruin their career. Both Dykes and Traylor need the Tech job.
 
twinkie13 said:
As far as ease? Quality at SMU gotta be better…yea you have to listen to them or pretend to but…
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Are you talking about the women or the job?

As far as women, you have more genetic diversity at Tech. Just rich girls at SMU.

As far as the job, SMU is a stepping stone job and so is Tech. Tech is not happy about being considered a stepping stone and they want no coaches that consider it one. The AD is not a Tech guy so he has different attitudes but he has to respond to the pressures.

There is just no coach in the country that will pass on Tech to stay at SMU. And it is sure not going to be Dykes.

Doesn't matter because Tech has basically zero interest in Dykes but they may have to resort to him.
 
The problem for the Tech AD is that he is a moron. That is why he fired Kingsbury and hired Wells. That is as dumb as it gets.

Now he has screwed it up again. He is firing Wells under pressure instead of letting him lose out. If he loses out, you can hire Cumbie. But when you put Cumbie in to go 0-4, you can't hire him. They may do it anyway if they play well but not likely.

So he is boxing himself into Traylor or Dykes and neither or those are going to be received much better than Wells. Traylor will be under the gun from Day 1.
 
Well you are not from Lubbock, Texas. I am pretty sure the AD and school prez feel the same way and will get fired before it happens. But there is a huge battle happening right now over it.
 
Ticketwindow said:
I would rather my school go 0-12 then to have Art Briles associated with it
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No doubt

There are a ton of schools I should despise more than Baylor in college sports but they are bar none the very bottom rung

Shouldn't even have an athletic program
 
Instant Hole said:
Texas Tech is in a really pivotal spot now with the conference change. They are on the verge of irrelevance. That is why a Briles hire is a strong possibility. They have lost their big rival with Texas A&M and now lost Texas which was not a big rival but big game. All they have now is a lukewarm rivalry with TCU which only exists because they hate each other over TCU being in the Big 12.

Briles is a lifer and will coach at Tech until he is 75. Then you get Kendall Briles. That is a pretty good investment and they don't give a damn about rapes in Lubbock. Tech girls will volunteer to get raped for Briles.
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giphy.webp
 
I have a lot of joy seeing what UTSA did last year and stepped up this year and Traylor is the reason for it.

One thing with him though, he inherited a pretty deep and experienced roster. He has only been a head coach for 2 years so there is no track record of how his recruits produce and how they develop them. The contributors and difference makers on UTSA are all upper classmen except for Ligon I think and a couple of the TEs who are playing. We have seen him do one hell of an outstanding coaching job with players he didn't recruit, which when taking over a program is the most important thing, to get belief and results with those guys. If Tech were to hire him, you say he'd be under pressure to get it done day 1, if he can improve the team his first year compared to before he came and then improve again in year two the way UTSA did, Tech people would be on board, because the results he has got with UTSA are pretty impressive - which again, almost none of which he recruited to run what he wants to run, they took the pieces that were there and made them All Conference caliber dudes.
 
s--k said:
I have a lot of joy seeing what UTSA did last year and stepped up this year and Traylor is the reason for it.

One thing with him though, he inherited a pretty deep and experienced roster. He has only been a head coach for 2 years so there is no track record of how his recruits produce and how they develop them. The contributors and difference makers on UTSA are all upper classmen except for Ligon I think and a couple of the TEs who are playing. We have seen him do one hell of an outstanding coaching job with players he didn't recruit, which when taking over a program is the most important thing, to get belief and results with those guys. If Tech were to hire him, you say he'd be under pressure to get it done day 1, if he can improve the team his first year compared to before he came and then improve again in year two the way UTSA did, Tech people would be on board, because the results he has got with UTSA are pretty impressive - which again, almost none of which he recruited to run what he wants to run, they took the pieces that were there and made them All Conference caliber dudes.
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Yes, Traylor is still an unknown. A lot of coaches do well with other coaches talent and then run into the ground.

Tech fans are smart enough to know that hiring a UTSA coach with two years experience is a high risk gambit. They will not be real excited about it. It is not what they think they need now.

He is also an East Texas guy and the other candidates are West Texas guys. That is pretty big at Tech. An East Texas guy wants the A&M job. No Aggies need apply.
 
Hocutt the AD doesn't care about any of this stuff though so he probably hires Traylor and then he and Traylor get fired.
 
Traylor signed a 10-year deal at UTSA for 3 million per year which probably means UTSA matched Tech. He knew he could get a better job out of UTSA than trying to win at Tech.
 
Good hire by Texas Tech. No successful coach was going to take that job and this guy is one of the most successful Texas high school coaches of all time, built a legendary high school program, and is good enough he is already in the Texas High School Hall of Fame.

Hired at Baylor by Rhule for his connections with Texas high school coach and for recruiting. He proved to be the best recruiter on the staff and one of the best in the Big 12, and has done an outstanding job of helping rebuild the Baylor defense

Tech is the worst job in the conference, worst location in the conference, but at least it's in Texas--although it's almost 400 miles from the nearest recruiting hot bed in Dallas--and they have loyal fans who will turn out

It's hard to win there, but maybe this guy can do it. They weren't getting a big time coach anyway. No top coach was going there. Grinch was certainly not leaving Oklahoma for that job when he has already turned down better schools.

I wish the guy luck. If he's as smart as I think he is he'll do what Bob Stoops die at Oklahoma, find the best offensive coach he can get to come to Lubbock, turn the offense over to him, and spend his time building a tough defense
 
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Instant Hole said:
Well we know it is not going to work.
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Well, you know it, but then you think Texas Tech has the most beautiful women of any college.

I don't know it won't work, and I do know what the women at Texas Tech look like. Even more important, I know what women in the rest of the country look like.
 
TahoeLegend said:
Well, you know it, but then you think Texas Tech has the most beautiful women of any college.

I don't know it won't work, and I do know what the women at Texas Tech look like. Even more important, I know what women in the rest of the country look like.
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I didn't say they were the most beautiful but certainly will give them a run. Definitely a match for SMU..

And as I said, Tech had zero interest in Dykes.

This is about as dumb as it gets but it could work. Anything can work.

Tech fans are going to be even more mad than they are now. He'd better average 7 wins or him and the AD are out.
 
I personally love the hire. This is an outside the box hire for a program that needs outside the box leadership. We all know it takes something/someone special to attract top talent to Lubbock. Coach McGuire seems like the best man do to just that. Coordinator hires will be key, but I like his chances on the recruiting trail with his relationships with the Texas HS Coaches.
 
RaiderRed said:
I personally love the hire. This is an outside the box hire for a program that needs outside the box leadership. We all know it takes something/someone special to attract top talent to Lubbock. Coach McGuire seems like the best man do to just that. Coordinator hires will be key, but I like his chances on the recruiting trail with his relationships with the Texas HS Coaches.
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Very good compared to the expected alternative, not sure how a fan/alumnus/booster can complain about it
 
RaiderRed said:
I personally love the hire. This is an outside the box hire for a program that needs outside the box leadership. We all know it takes something/someone special to attract top talent to Lubbock. Coach McGuire seems like the best man do to just that. Coordinator hires will be key, but I like his chances on the recruiting trail with his relationships with the Texas HS Coaches.
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Agree on the COs, but the last part of that sentence is key. Great hire I think. It’s an upswing place…they got an upswing guy
 
Would you make this hire at Texas? Probably not. If not, it is probably not a great hire. It is a hire you like fine for Texas Tech because you don't care if they go 0-12.

What I am interested to see is if he keeps Cumbie as OC. I suspect he might because he needs a Tech guy and he needs an offense Tech fans are going to like. So if that is the case, you basically have a co-head coach situation with McGuire as recruiting coordinator. That will work about as well as anything else.
 
I already have. It is a dim bulb.

He's probably not hiring his own coordinator here so I think Cumbie is going to be OC. They did not bring him in just to help Wells. That will go over barely.

I'm starting to kind of like this arrangement if it happens. Both Cumbie and McGuire are high risk plays but if you have them both it might work a little bit.
 
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