What Texas Tech Basketball Fans Can Learn From the Blue Bloods While Building a Blue-Collar Program

Texas Tech Basketball fans, it’s been a few weeks since the team lost the National Championship. And while losses at this level are an experience that’s new to the University, as a lifelong USC fan, I have some words to share.

Back in 2008, I became a Texas Tech fan while watching a football game against my alma mater, the University of Nevada. By halftime, I was wishing I had applied to Tech. I had been raised on USC and grew up in Los Angeles, so those in my inner circle thought this was a fad, and that it would pass. After all, despite being a “Power 5” university, Tech wasn’t on the same level as USC football, which had just experienced a golden era under Pete Carroll. Eleven years and an entire sports career later (even as editor-in-chief for a Texas Tech news site), I’m more invested in Texas Tech basketball and football than ever before.

When USC football lost the National Championship to Texas in 2006, it was a heartbreaking loss, but we still had trophies to look at. Perhaps, this is why USC fans have such a bad reputation of being spoiled and entitled just because of the “brand.” I certainly don’t argue with others over this because everyone is entitled to an opinion, but what fans can’t deny is that our standards of excellence have made for some very rough years. It’s hard to perform as a gritty and scrappy team when you’re used to preseason recognition despite not having to earn it.

I’ve definitely given Texas a fair share of criticism for this same issue, but have been checked more times than I’m willing to admit because of USC’s turbulence. It’s a reality I’ve grown to deal with, but accepting it has been cruel and unusual punishment, especially considering the national recognition and funding available to the USC brand.

For Texas Tech, however, competing against in-conference teams with national brand recognition such as UT has put Tech in a position where they’ve had to grapple for recruits, funding, and respect.

Chris Beard Has Changed Things For Texas Tech

I remember in the not-so-distant past, I was researching an article comparing how underfunded the Texas Tech athletics department was. The most shocking discovery was how low on the totem pole Tech’s assistant football coaches were making compared to the rest of the conference. Despite the differentials, Texas Tech was still able to compete with (and beat) teams with bigger budgets and greater “brand recognition.” I had a realization that it wasn’t a reduced budget or the inability to attract good coaches to Lubbock; Texas Tech had plenty of gritty players willing to put in the work to excel in every sport. This was truly an anomaly, as Tech just didn’t fit into any of the typical boxes.

What the past decade has taught me is that Texas Tech has some of the most incredible and loyal fans. They’re not cocky; they’re humble, gritty, and will go to war for their team. In recent years, Tech’s athletic teams have all taken that same position–and it’s recognizable at the national level. The heightened standard was put on full display last November when Kirby Hocutt decided the football program needed new direction, and while that decision wasn’t easy on anyone involved, Kliff Kingsbury’s name catapulted to the top of every college program with an offensive coordinator vacancy position, and eventually, an NFL head coaching job just weeks later.

Of the 32 NFL coaching positions available, Texas Tech claims two of them in Kingsbury and Anthony Lynn. That’s incredible, and a testament to how much the brand has grown.

NCAA Tournament Brought Respect

Throughout this year’s NCAA Tournament, fans and players were being praised by casual fans and media alike. Texas Tech had the most Tournament wins in the past two seasons at eight, followed by Michigan (7), Villanova (7), Duke (6), and Virginia (6). Hocutt recognized this cultural shift and before the championship, rumors started that Tech was already working on a new deal for head coach Chris Beard.

From the Pom and Co-Ed Cheer squads bringing National Titles to Lubbock before hopping on another flight to go cheer the basketball team on in the National Championship, to the success of the Men’s Track & Field team, Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Tennis… all the way down to the meat judging teams, Texas Tech is building a dynasty on grit that will be able to compete–and beat–the Blue Bloods in the future. They’re already doing it.

In the last week, Chris Beard’s name has been thrown around discussions as far reaching as the Los Angeles Lakers. Assistant coach Mark Adams’ name was thrown into the coaching loop–and rightfully so. But with how the staff has been able to develop transfer players, to the unprecedented NBA Draft expectations set by Texas Tech in recent seasons, the sunsets over West Texas aren’t the only things illuminating the landscape.

Chris Beard’s Extension

It’s still unsure just what Hocutt is planning in terms of Beard’s extension. He has an annual salary of just north of $3 million, and considering the success he’s had in every zig-zagging turn in his coaching career, it’s not entirely crazy to speculate that his base plus bonus restructuring could even rival that of Kansas’ head coach Bill Self, who makes a little over $4 million a year.

Regardless of his contract, Beard and his staff have a “dog mentality” that’s difficult to ignore. They find players such as Jarrett Culver, Zhaire Smith, Matt Mooney, Davide Moretti, and others, and turn them into nationally recognized players who have clawed their way up the NBA Draft discussion ranks. And what’s more, the entire coaching staff has a blast doing it; they go to war with their players and the respect they show each other is contagious.

In an era where coaches and programs are getting themselves entangled in scandal, Chris Beard is reminding people that determination, humility, class, and pride are how you earn respect. And while the National Championship loss might sting for some time time to come, know that for Texas Tech itself, that respect is being built by a blue-collar work ethic that’s impossible to overlook now.

UCF: CFB Playoffs Can Never Be Better than March Madness Until Cinderella Gets In

The College Football Playoffs committee’s failure to pick the University of Central Florida (UCF) for the second year in a row is proof that the tournament will never be as exciting as March Madness. Every year when March Madness begins fans are at the edge of their seats waiting to see what likely championship contender will fall prey to the tournament’s “Cinderella” team. For example, in last years tournament, the very unlikely University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) knocked off the University of Virginia. The emergence of a “Cinderella” team is a major part of what makes March Madness so exciting.  However, the College Football Playoffs (CFP) is unlikely to ever experience the excitement of a  “Cinderella” team. The committee’s failure to give UCF a bid in the tournament for two years is proof of this.

For the last two seasons, UCF has been unstoppable. UCF finished their 2017 and 2018 seasons undefeated for a combined 25-0 record. Despite having two perfect seasons and knocking off Auburn after they beat Alabama, UCF was not extended the opportunity to be the possible “Cinderella” team in the College Football Playoffs (CFP) either year. If UCF beats LSU in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30 they would have defeated the SEC elite in back to back seasons. With two perfect seasons, why is UCF being overlooked? The structure of the CFP is to blame.

Participants in the college football playoffs are chosen by the CFP committee.  The committee considers a number of factors. Those factors are not favorable to teams, like UCF, who are not in Power Five conferences. Accordingly, the CFP structure does not allow a team such as UCF to be eligible for the tournament no matter how perfect their season. Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that the CFP will ever experience the excitement of a “Cinderella” team swooping through the tournament and upsetting the most likely championship contender. This is precisely why the College Football Playoffs needs to be expanded to include more teams.

College Football Playoffs Structure Neglects Non-Power Five Schools

General success during the football season does not equate to automatic CFP eligibility – obviously. The CFP committee considers several factors in addition to on-field performance.  The committee considers the number of games lost, the point spread in games, and the strength of each schools schedule. The strength of the schedule is judged based on the teams each school faces. Schools with tougher schedules are given more weight during CFP selections.

In most cases, schools in the Power Five conferences are considered to be the tougher schools. Due to this, schools that are not in Power Five conferences, like UCF,  are unlikely to get a real chance at the CFP. Group of Five schools, such as UCF,  find it difficult to schedule games with Power Five schools.  The lack of such games on the schedule makes it extremely difficult for Group of Five schools to clinch a spot in the CFP. This is exactly where UCF fell short in the CFP considerations.  A substantial amount of UCF’s victories were not against what is considered a “strong” school.

Group of Five Schools Must Face the “Right” Power Five School

It is not sufficient for a Group of Five School to face just any Power Five school. The school must face the “right” Power Five school.  This is also evidenced by UCF.  Over their last two seasons, UCF successfully faced the University of Maryland of the Big 10 and the University of Pittsburgh of the ACC.  However, these games were not enough to give UCF a leg up in the strength of schedule category.

Some may argue that UCF should have been given serious consideration by the CFP committee for the 2018 CFP based on their win against Auburn in last year’s Peach Bowl.  Auburn beat Alabama in last year’s SEC championship.  Alabama went on to win the CFP last year. Accordingly, some argued that UCF could possibly be defending the CFP title this year. Unfortunately, the fact that UCF defeated Auburn in last year’s Peach Bowl had no bearing on the CFP committee’s considerations in 2018.

However, that did not stop fans from fantasizing about what would have happened if UCF had been given their due. Some fans made the logical leap that UCF may have defeated Alabama in the CFP if given the opportunity. Some UCF fans went as far as to attempt to bait Alabama into facing UCF to settle the debate regarding who is the true national champion. As exciting as that game would be, it will probably never happen.

Since Such a Match-up is Unlikely to Happen, the CFP will Never be as Exciting as March Madness

Since the CFP structure does not favor “underdog” teams, the tournament will always have a certain level of predictability. A tournament that is too predictable simply is not exciting. That is the beauty of the March Madness tournament, its unpredictable nature.  Yes, there are teams that are in it every year. Teams such as North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky are almost certain to make an appearance every year.  At the same time, any of those teams could get knocked off by the most unlikely opponent.

For example, in 2012 the underdog Norfolk State University beat Missouri.  Missouri was heavily slated to go to the Final Four and was unpredictably knocked off by the most unlikely opponent. Games like that are the excitement of the March Madness Tournament. The CFP is unlikely to ever know that excitement as long as underdogs like UCF are never given a chance to play on the CFP stage. For this reason, the CFP should be expanded to give more teams an opportunity to play on college football’s grandest stage. As long as the qualifications for CFP consideration remain, the CFP will never be as exciting as March Madness.

NFL Draft: Why a Team May Take a Chance and Draft Kyler Murray

Don’t be surprised if you see an NFL team take a chance and draft Kyler Murray in the 2019 NFL Draft. Would an NFL team really draft a player who was a top-ten pick in the most recent MLB Draft and got a cool $4.66 million signing bonus? Why would a franchise use a draft pick on a player who may not be playing for them?

The entire NFL Draft is one big gamble

The entire process is a crap-shoot. Each pick is a lotto ticket; you’ve got a chance to hit on a franchise changing player. You could either get a complete bust, hit for a solid player, or you could hit the jackpot and win an All-Pro Hall or Hall of Famer.

NFL teams have been preparing for the 2019 NFL draft since the last pick was announced in 2018, if not sooner than that. Most, if not all, of them, are looking for the best player available in this draft not playing this sport right now. Like Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham who were college basketball players.  It’d be unconventional for an NFL team to draft Kyler Murray who will be playing in an MLB team’s minor league system. But unconventional thinking is what often leads to brilliance.

When/if a team does take Murray, he’d be under contract with the A’s. So he would need clearance to sign with an NFL team. Next, if a team drafted Kyler Murray and wanted to hang onto him in the hopes of a return to football, they’d have to sign him to a rookie contract. If Murray didn’t sign by the 2020 Draft, his rights would become draft-eligible once again.

Like Bo, Kyler Knows

Look at Kyler Murray’s lone season as the starting quarterback of the Sooners, and you’ve seen a TON of brilliance. He led Lincoln Riley’s Oklahoma offense, which ranked #1 overall in the nation. Murray showed he is arguably the most electrifying athlete in all of college football. He did all of this on the gridiron AFTER hitting .296 for the Sooners baseball team, adding 10 HR, 47 RBI, and ten stolen bases. He can hit, play solid defense, absolutely fly, and he’s got a cannon for an arm. He’s an ideal fit in center field while batting at the top of the order. Think Mookie Betts for the Boston Red Sox.

Kyler Murray Wouldn’t Be the First

This situation played out in 1986-87 with Auburn legend, running back Bo Jackson. Like Murray is now, Jackson was a top baseball prospect while also a top football prospect. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held the first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft and wanted Jackson. But, Jackson told Tampa Bay he didn’t want to play for them, wouldn’t sign with them. Jackson believed they intentionally got him to break NCAA rules which made him ineligible to play football at Auburn. So, he said he would play pro baseball if they selected him. Tampa Bay still went ahead and gambled on Jackson changing his mind, only to see him do exactly what he said he would, which was not sign and play pro baseball. The Buccaneers had nothing to show for their first overall pick in 1986, and the Raiders ended up drafting Bo Jackson in the seventh round of the 1987 Draft.

Another similar gamble would occur about a decade and a half later with Drew Henson. In 2001, he left college before his senior season, to sign a 6-year $17 million contract with the New York Yankees. Henson was most likely going to be a first-round pick if he were in the 2002 Draft, with there even being serious talk of him being a potential number one overall pick. In 2003, the Houston Texans used a sixth-round pick on the former Michigan quarterback and current struggling New York Yankees third base prospect. The Texans later flipped Henson for a third-round pick in a deal the following year, sending Henson to the Dallas Cowboys, who were searching for Troy Aikman’s replacement still three years after his retirement. That gamble, unlike for the Bucs, paid off for the Texans.

On the flip side, there’s one gamble that followed the same model just in reverse order. That would be Jeff Samardzija, a current major league pitcher and former two-time All-American wide receiver for Notre Dame. He was on track to be a first or second-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. But before any team in the NFL had a shot at a selecting Samardzija, he pulled his name from the Draft after signing with the Cubs in January of 2007. Today, Jeff Samardzija is in his eleventh season in the major leagues and according to Spotrac, has made approximately $88.6 million.

The predicament Kyler Murray finds himself in is a difficult one. There are guaranteed contracts in baseball and less wear on the body. Would he give up baseball for a chance to be ‘the next Russell Wilson,’? Wilson still gets the best of both worlds. Every offseason he attends spring training for the team that owns his right. This year, after having his rights traded to the New York Yankees he even played in a few games.

Kyler Murray is electrifying on the football field, and he’s good enough at baseball for a team to bet almost $5 million on him. The Oakland A’s have said they drafted Murray and signed him to the contract they did with the understanding that he’d play one last season of college football before turning his attention to baseball full-time. In a recent piece by Julian Williams of The Athletic, Murray was, when asked about his future in baseball and football, quoted as saying his “future is already decided as of now” but that he “would love to play (both professionally) if that was possible.”

We Know What Kyler Wants, as of Now

Teams have four months or so to decide whether or not to spend a pick on Kyler Murray. Murray, if selected in the fourth round, he’d be looking at a four-year deal worth (approx) $3-4 million and about a $700k signing bonus. In comparison, his signing bonus in baseball would be close to seven times as much as it would be in football. That’s a lot less money for a lot more damage to your body. But an NFL team could strike gold in Murray, and the possibility of gold could be too much for a team to pass up. Murray’s immediate future seems to be on the baseball diamond. But that is, in the words of Kyler Murray himself, “as of now.”

College Football Players Are Not Obligated to Play in Bowl Games

Will Grier Bowl Games Sitting West Virginia

Why do fans expect an “amateur” football player to put his career and livelihood on the line for what amounts to an exhibition game? On Saturday, West Virginia University announced that starting quarterback Will Grier will not be participating in the Camping World Bowl game against Syracuse. His decision not to participate in bowl games to focus on preparation for the NFL Draft did not sit well with some college football fans. He joined the list of more than a dozen players who will skip their teams’ bowl games.

Grier made the following statement informing fans of his decision.

Fans have no right to be upset with unpaid “amateur” athletes for choosing to further their professional careers.  After all is that not what a major part of the college experience is all about, learning to make tactical business decisions to be better professionally.  Grier did just that.  He made a tactical business decision to protect his potential professional career by not subjecting himself to injury in the bowl game.

Furthermore, Grier is slated to be a first or second-round draft pick. Would it really make sense for Grier to jeopardize his NFL draft potential by playing in a bowl game? The answer is simple. No, it would not make sense.

The Minimal Reward is Not Worth the Risk

The risk of injury in bowl games simply is not worth it for a college football player with a high NFL Draft potential. Bowl participants receive what amounts to very little for their participation. Participants receive a bowl gift and bragging rights for a year. Bowl gifts are nice and fun. However, they are minuscule when compared to the salaries and bonuses that coaches receive for bowl participation. This is especially true for a player like Will Grier who has already accomplished the pinnacle of what college sports and “amateurism” is supposed to be about – degree completion.

A degree is extremely valuable and can lead to a better life. Receipt of scholarship money to acquire a degree is very valuable as well.  However, a scholarship often does not equate to a college athlete’s full market value. Why should a player with the potential to finally receive their full fair market value for their athletic prowess risk a potential career ending injury in a game that is not going to compensate him up to his full value? Again, the answer is simple. No athlete should take that risk.  No fan should expect them to.

College Football Players Should not be Vilified for Opting Out of Bowl Games

Suiting up for any game carries a risk of injury. However, dissenting fans argue that it is only one more game, so the players should play. While it may only be one more game, the risk of injury is ever-present. In fact, the risk of injury is so prevalent that Grier is not the only player sitting out of a bowl game this year. In the past, players like Jaylon Smith and Jake Butt have suffered a serious injury which impacted their draft position.  Specifically, Ed Oliver, Rashan Gary, N’Keal Harry, Greedy Williams, and Grier’s teammate Yodny Cajuste are among those that have opted out of their respective bowl games this year to prepare for the NFL.

Some fans are equally upset by these decisions.  They argue that such players are being selfish and are quitting on their teams. However, that is not true. The players who opt out are not doing it to quit on their team. They are doing it to protect their future career prospects so that they may finally receive market value for their talents.  Despite what fans may think, college football players are not obligated to risk a career-ending injury for their viewing pleasure. Accordingly, players who opt out should not be vilified for their decision.

Players are not the Only Ones who Opt Out; Coaches do Too

Players are not the only ones who opt out of bowl games.  Coaches opt out as well.  Every year, several coaches leave their teams to take jobs at other schools in the midst of bowl game preparation.  Coaches are allowed to make business decisions for the betterment of their careers, just as players should be.

Whether people want to acknowledge it or not, college football is a business.  Therefore, all parties involved should be allowed to make decisions that are in the best interest of their careers. This freedom of movement may upset some fans. However, players and coaches should be able to make whatever decision is best for their career.

Kyler Murray is a Perfect Example of Why the Teenage Twitter Police are Predators

Kyler Murray Tweets Heisman

If you wait to bring people down in their in their shining moment, you are a predator.

Kyler Murray wins the Heisman, and on a night he is celebrated, the teenage twitter police wanted to tear him down. Y’all are going to have to stop trying to hold people’s feet to the fire for things they tweeted while 14-15 years old. People evolve and grow from stupid teens. Kyler Murray is now 21 years old. Consider the things did and believed to be true at 14 versus the things you did and believed at 21. Now stack that on top of the things you believe and do now. There was likely a ton of evolution of thought and maturity there.

Our need in society to tear people down in their greatest moments is sickening. Whoever unearthed Kyler Murray’s tweets from when he was 14 and waited to bring them out publicly should be embarrassed. The first click bait article about it 10 minutes after the Heisman ceremony was over. When somebody makes statements, tweets, or remarks that may be perceived as racist, sexist, or disparaging against someone’s sexuality it is fair for people to ask them about it. However, for someone to screenshot deleted tweets and hold on to them until your moment in the sun is wrong. Lying in wait to attack is predatory behavior. This is no different than showing up at someone’s housewarming and asking them about the time they got arrested for shoplifting or asking someone at their wedding reception about the time their child died.

After I said this on Twitter and Facebook a few people asked me would I feel differently if Murray’s tweets had been racist by a white person. I said no. In fact, this did happen multiple times in 2018. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen had racist tweets surface right before the NFL draft. Also, Milwaukee Bucks guard Donte DiVincenzo had tweets come out immediately after he was named NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. I don’t know if either one of them is racist, but I realize that even if they were things could have changed from 14-21. They must be judged by their actions and character now. We cannot reasonably expect teenagers to tweet responsibly when adults find it a tough task.

Change Happens

When I was at  Oregon, I played with a guy who grew up with the skinheads and Aryan Nation crowd. I knew him for years, and even though we weren’t particularly close, his racist perspective wasn’t obvious. During my redshirt sophomore year, we sat down and had a very real conversation. He told me about his past and how coming to college was the best thing for him. He saw how wrong the people were who taught him falsehoods about people of other races. His college experience with friends and teammates showed him there were two kinds of people: good and bad. He learned that character was most important, not skin color. I’m not sure if that moment was where his epiphany happened or whether he just wanted to share it.

So, I hate to give him the only true test of racism. I asked him would he have a problem is one of the “good Black guys” married his daughter would he be ok with it. His honesty was, and vulnerability was admirable. He said it would be hard because an interracial marriage would cause so much tension within his family and community. However, if he treated her great, I would be happy and accept him and defend him.

The entire time I was sitting there in shock at what I was hearing. At 20 years old, I would have expected to hear this from a kid from the south or middle America, but not a kid from the melting pot that is southern California. My conversation with him did teach me a valuable lesson. We have to allow people room to grow, mature, and change. Everyone must be accountable for their words and actions, but we cannot be shortsighted enough to permanently label them racist, sexist, and homophobic. Imagine if there were social media and smartphones around to capture the ridiculous things you did and said as a kid. I can raise my hand and honestly say I would have a lot of questions to answer. So why on earth would people try and hold someone’s teenage tweets against them?

Let’s be wary not to tear people down in their golden moments. We have to judge people for who they are, not who they were.

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley named as Eddie Robinson Award finalist

Lincoln Riley

Oklahoma Sooners’ head coach Lincoln Riley has been named as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.

Just two seasons into his first head coaching job, and Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley has certainly had an impressive run. And now, on the cusp of a back-to-back trip to the College Football Playoffs, Riley has been named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. The award is presented by the Football Writers Association of America in conjunction with the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Lincoln Riley was one of eight finalists announced on Wednesday. The entire list includes Josh Heupel (UCF), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Jeff Monken (Army), Nick Saban (Alabama), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), and Jeff Tedford (Fresno State). Brian Kelly and Nick Saban are the only finalists named to have won the award in previous seasons.

Riley has taken the Sooners to back-to-back 12-1 seasons with back-to-back Playoff berths. Oklahoma has one of the nation’s top offenses behind quarterback and Heisman hopeful, Kyler Murray. Finishing at No. 4 in the College Football Playoffs final rankings, the Sooners had been a fringe team throughout the second half of the season. With a Texas Longhorns team that had been improving throughout the season, Oklahoma’s playoff implications rode on the Big 12 Championship.

In the Red River Rivalry–the Sooners’ only loss on the season–Oklahoma didn’t play as physically on defense, which raised some red flags as to whether the second year of the Lincoln Riley era was about to unravel. With the firing of defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, the defense was still an issue under interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill. With the Longhorns on the schedule again for the Big 12 Championship, this was a must-win game for the Sooners for a Playoff berth, and the game to catapult Murray into the top of the Heisman discussion.

Not only did the Sooners, win, they became the first Power Five team to win four Conference Championships outright in a row for the first time since Florida in the mid-’90s. Moreover, the win showed that Oklahoma is capable of applying some defensive grit, as the Sooners shut UT out of the endzone throughout the entire fourth quarter.

Oklahoma is still 108th in the nation in total defense, but offensively, the Sooners are the No. 1 team in the country through 13 games. In 859 plays this season, Oklahoma has amassed 7,513 total yards of offense, averaging 8.75 yards-per-play. An even more impressive statistic is that the Sooners are averaging 577.9 yards-per-game. To draw contrast from other Eddie Robinson finalists, UCF is third in total offense, while Clemson is 5th, followed by Alabama at 7th, Notre Dame at 28th, Fresno State at 49th, and Army at 81st.

The No. 4 ranked Sooners will face Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Saturday, December 29th. With back-to-back seasons where Lincoln Riley’s quarterbacks are turning pro, it will be interesting to see how he develops the Sooners’ new gunslingers in the future, which have helped Riley create a fluid identity during his head coaching career.

The 2018 Eddie Robinson Award will be announced on Thursday, December, 13, with the official presentation reception on January 5, 2019, in San Jose, Calif.

Want More? Check Out: College Football: Before You Fire Your Head Coach Take the US Coaching Test

College Football: Before You Fire Your Head Coach Take the US Coaching Test

Coaching Test

Tis’ Firing Season

It is abundantly clear that many schools do not make good decisions when it comes to deciding whether to retain or fire their head coaches. So I am here to help. I have come up with a simple, absolutely genius, and foolproof Coaching Test to determine whether or not your head coach needs to be fired.
Thanks to social media, fans, and boosters that scream about wanting their coaches fired are now heard. More often than not get their wish granted. As of November 29th, there have been 12 FBS head coaching jobs that have come open. None of these coaching changes were unexpected, but sometimes coaches are fired prematurely. Often, coaches are on an extremely short leash and are expected to win now despite the dysfunction they inherited. Fans and boosters want Clay Helton, and Gus Malzahn fired at USC and Auburn. But should they be gone as well?

2019 Coaching Changes

Coaching Test
With some coaches having large buyouts, there are obvious financial ramifications to firing a head coach. In addition to financial ramifications of firing the coach, there is often a lot of uncertainty when you don’t know who the next head coach is going to be. Many fan bases that have called for their coaches to be fired are learning a hard lesson. You may get your wish with your coach being fired, but your new coach may be from the “scratch and dent bin.” There are good coaches in the scratch and dent bin, but they aren’t perfect and have some unsuccessful times in their history. But you got what you wanted, a new coach. Take Kliff Kingsbury for example. After Texas Tech fired him, his phone started ringing off the hook with job opportunities. Tell me if you think Kingsbury should have been fired after you take the test.

Unafraid Show Coaching Test

Every head coach needs to be reevaluated every season. It does not matter whether the coach went undefeated and won the championship or went defeated and zero games. You only need to answer two questions two know whether your coach needs to be fired or not.

Number one:

Is there a coach that is guaranteed to take your job that is better than your current coach? Example: James Franklin is the head coach at Penn State. He seems to be doing a good job, but anyone clearly would fire him if Dabo Swinney or Nick Saban would replace him. Often coaches are fired, and the schools have no clue who will replace him.
I believe that is part of the reason USC did not fire Clay Helton. How many established, and winning head coaches would be willing to leave a successful program to go to USC. Coaches are more often valuing the stability at a top 11-25 job rather than jumping at the chance to coach a top 10 team.

Number Two:

Is there still hope? Can your current coach go into the living rooms of 17-21-year-old kids and sell them and their parents on the fact that the future of your program is brighter than the past? Can you make them buy in, believe, and go all in with you?
If you can’t answer both of these questions in the affirmative, then you need a head coaching change. The Unafraid Coaching Test is a simple and foolproof test. If Athletic Directors and administrators answered these two simple questions every season, they wouldn’t consistently mess up their programs. This method of determining whether to keep or fire your coach is an easy explanation to the boosters and other influential people around your program. It will keep the waters from being muddied by people with personal agendas and faulty reasoning. When Athletic Directors and administrations listen to the mob of angry fans, they mess up their programs by firing a coach too prematurely, or they rely on their gut/pride and keep the coach too long.
The angry mob of fans and boosters change their minds like the wind; their opinions cannot be trusted in the short term. Think about this.  Last year Florida State fans couldn’t wait to get Jimbo Fisher out and Willie Taggart in. Now, they would happily take Jimbo back. Texas fans were unsure about Tom Herman’s prospects as head coach. Now the Longhorns fanbase is smiling.
Here are a couple of common questions I got when I explained this on #UnafraidShow:

What if the coach is winning, but he can’t recruit?

If your coach can’t recruit, then he can’t win long term. If he can’t win, there will be a loss of hope. When the loss of hope happens, fire your coach. Don’t fire a winning coach!

What if the coach recruits well, constantly goes 8-5 or 9-4, and can never get you “over the hump”?

This is clearly referring to Kevin Sumlin at Texas A &M last year. TAMU was able to get Jimbo Fisher who has won a national championship. So, firing Sumlin was a good move. If they had missed on Jimbo, the Aggies would have ROYALLY screwed up. A coach who recruits well and consistently stays in those win totals is really close to breaking through. If you miss on the big fish, you will wish for him back two years from now.
Next time you get into a discussion about whether or not the coach of your favorite team needs to be fired refer to the Unafraid Coaching Test.

Kliff Kingsbury to USC? Here’s what we know about Texas Tech’s former HC

Kliff Kingsbury

Former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury could be headed to Los Angeles as the USC Trojans’ offensive coordinator, but other teams could also be in the mix.

When former Texas Tech head football coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired following the Red Raiders’ loss against Baylor to close the season, it was pretty much guaranteed he would not be returning to Lubbock as its head coach in 2019. The following day, in a somber tone, Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt made the official announcement, and shortly thereafter, rumors of Kliff Kingsbury sightings in Los Angeles started to emerge. What’s more interesting is that despite the up and down news cycle in the past five days, there have been no other rumored sightings of Kingsbury elsewhere.

A USC Annenberg Associate Professor of Professional Practices, Jeff Fellenzer dropped this bomb on Twitter earlier today:

The news began Thursday afternoon when this started making the rounds:

This source has been wrong in the past, and in any event, we should always take caution when news breaks, especially if it’s not a primary source or corroborated by secondary outlets. Moreover, While the NFL season is still ongoing, according to many sources, Kingsbury has “firm offers” from several NFL teams, and NFL analysts such as Ian Rappoport have cautioned against any conclusive moves involving USC and Kingsbury.

In a Tweet by Bruce Feldman, Kingsbury’s agent said this in response to the news, “Pump the brakes on the Kliff Kingsbury to USC talk. His agent Erik Burkhardt just told me. ‘It’s premature to say that any decision (by Kliff) has been made.'” This could mean a number of things. It could very well mean that the in-principle deal outlets are reporting as factual are not true, or parties are still negotiating. It could also be a method agents employ when they want to drum up more leverage, considering Kingsbury will take a pay cut by going from making just north of $3 million a year at Texas Tech, to somewhere in the ballpark of $1.5 million. When former USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin was signed to an extension this past February, the details of his contract weren’t disclosed, but considering USC just wiped most of its staff, I’m sure Kingsbury and Burkhardt are being very meticulous about this.

Regardless of if or when terms are met, it’s important for USC to find its next coaching staff, especially with early National Signing Day on December 19.

We’ll be sure to update this as more information becomes available.

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Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 13: Unleash The Chaos

Big 12 Football Week 13 Power Rankings

With just two weeks left on the Big 12 Football schedule, it’s safe to say the finale is going to be pure chaos.

This weekend, Texas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia will decide their own fate as they’re all competing for a spot in the Big 12 Football Championship. With Kansas announcing a new head coach, and quarterback issues plaguing Texas Tech (a first), there’s plenty of chaos throughout the conference, and from every angle.

10. Kansas

40-55 loss at Oklahoma

With Les Miles-to-Kansas momentum in the Jayhawks’ favor, they actually put together a valiant effort against Oklahoma. Kansas put up 524 total yards of offense and committed zero turnovers. Meanwhile, the Kansas defense did what it’s been good at all season, and came up with two turnovers. With a more defense-minded mechanism in place, Miles could already have a built-in identity come next Fall.

9. Baylor

9-16 loss against TCU

Baylor special teams blocking a TCU punt was a highlight in an otherwise flat game. With just a solo touchdown by quarterback Charlie Brewer, the Bears just couldn’t get a lot going on offense, which could suffer even more against Texas Tech this weekend. Baylor’s special teams have had seven block kicks throughout this season, which is a PR since 1984, so look for that against Texas Tech this weekend.

8. TCU

19-6 win at Baylor

TCU has a severely depleted roster. But third-string string quarterback, Grayson Muehlstein, got the job done. He finished the day 11 of 15 with 137 passing yards and a touchdown. Additionally, running back Jalen Reagor put up rushing and receiving touchdowns. The Horned Frogs’ defense also held a struggling Baylor to just one rushing touchdown by Charlie Brewer and a field goal. TCU faces an Oklahoma State team this weekend that defeated West Virginia down to the wire. Momentum is with both teams, but TCU’s depth issues could become a major factor.

7. Texas Tech

6-21 loss at Kansas State

There’s no reason to sugar coat it, last Saturday against the Wildcats was a disaster for Texas Tech. On what started as such a promising run for Tech has fallen flat. Unfortunately, it’s in an area where Kliff Kingsbury has never had a problem: quarterbacks. When Alan Bowman was in, the offense looked like an entirely different unit, one that had the talent and momentum to compete for the title. Unfortunately, Jett Duffey’s turnover problems continue, which resulted in 6 points for K-State. It could have been worse, which speaks for the drive of the defense, but when you have the second-highest rated wide receiver in the nation in Antoine Wesley, the quarterbacking mistakes significantly minimize the effectiveness of Kingsbury’s play-calling style. Tech could be on its 4th string quarterback for Baylor. That is less than ideal, but with Bowl eligibility and a potential for a seven-win season on the line, Tech has to find a way to win.

6. Iowa State

10-24 loss at Texas

There isn’t a lot to write home about for Iowa State for this game. Quarterback Brock Purty averaged just 5.9 yards-per-pass and finished the day with a quarterback rating of just 17.1 percent. The Cyclones were without top offensive weapon David Washington for the first half. However, he only finished the day with 10 carries for 33 yards and a single touchdown. Defensively, Iowa State prevented a complete meltdown, which was assisted slightly with Texas’ backup quarterback Shane Buechele coming in for the second-half. Iowa State faces a Kansas State team that just beat Texas Tech, but a night game at Jack Trice should help add another tick to the win column.

5. Kansas State

21-6 win against Texas Tech

Like Texas Tech, Kansas State’s season hasn’t panned out as expected. But the Wildcats still found a way to get the win in a similar way that Texas was able to: quarterback exploitation. In a low scoring game, every point mattered. Kansas State struggled to get the football in the end zone, but they did put up points on turnovers and a safety on a blocked punt. Kansas State needs another win to become Bowl eligible. However, with Iowa State on the schedule for this weekend, that might be harder said than done, as ISU is looking for revenge, and 6:00 pm kickoffs at Jack Trice Stadium is a tough venue for anyone.

4. Oklahoma State

45-41 win over West Virginia

Oklahoma State managed to get the job done against West Virginia and might have disrupted the Mountaineers’ shot at a Big 12 title. In the Cowboys’ win last weekend, quarterback Taylor Cornelius had two turnovers but managed to connect with Tylan Wallace on a touchdown with just: 42 seconds in regulation. Cornelius put up five touchdowns in his final home game, which lifted the Cowboys to Bowl eligibility. With a TCU team that’s a little banged up and the Cowboys riding high having taken out the No. 7 team in the nation, Mike Gundy could still pull off an 8-win season–including a Bowl win.

3. West Virginia

41-45 loss at Oklahoma State

I know, “how can West Virginia be ahead of Oklahoma State when Oklahoma State beat West Virginia?” Easy. The Mountaineers might not be considered for the College Football Playoff, but if they beat Oklahoma, they play for the Big 12 title. A bigger picture to look at, however, is that in a came as crazy as last weekend’s game against Oklahoma State was, quarterback Will Grier managed to not throw a single interception. The West Virginia defense (which is one of the best in the conference) allowed 604 total yards of offense. But I guess by NFL standards now (see: Chiefs-Rams on Monday Night Football) that’s okay. The good news is, West Virginia’s defense is better, statistically than Oklahoma, so that could be the edge this weekend.

2. Texas

24-10 win over Iowa State

With Texas taking down Iowa State last weekend, they’re now second in the Big 12, with the only losses of the year against West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Maryland. I think we can agree that Texas is back, but more importantly, the Longhorns’ defense only allowed 10 points against Iowa State. Moving forward, the issues lie in Sam Ehlinger’s shoulder, which was diagnosed as an AC contusion. In Monday’s teleconference, head coach Tom Herman said, “No broken bones, no separation, no ridiculous amount of damage, but it’s angry. It’s upset. The joint… the shoulder is inflamed.” Ehlinger missed the second half of play against Iowa State, and there’s no word on whether he’ll play against Kansas. But Shane Buechele was perfect, throwing 10/10 for 89 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, Texas receivers averaged 10.3 yards-per-play, so offensively, Texas should be fine the rest of the way.

1. Oklahoma

55-40 win against Kansas

Oklahoma might still be in control of its destiny on not just a trip to the Big 12 Championship, but as a fringe team to the College Football Playoffs. However, just as the defense was an issue against Georgia last year, the problem continues. It could ultimately work against the Sooners when the Selection Committee makes its mind up. Against Kansas, the Oklahoma defense allowed 524 total yards of offense, allowing 25 first downs and 40 points. As for the Heisman race, quarterback Kyler Murray was 21 of 32 for 272 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception against Kansas. The expectations of him against Kansas were much higher. But thankfully for the Sooners, they have one more regular season game against West Virginia to bolster its standings.

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Big 12 Championship: Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia emerge as contenders

Big 12 Championship

In a weekend where the potential teams competing for the Big 12 Championship was supposed to emerge, they did, and it’s now a three-way race between the Oklahoma Sooners, West Virginia Mountaineers, and Texas Longhorns.

While some conferences have grown used to one or two teams vaulting to the top of the conference for a bid at a National Championship, the Big 12 has owned up to its moniker: Every Game Matters. With the Iowa State Cyclones knocking on the door last weekend in Austin at hopes for an upset over the Longhorns, that made things even more interesting, as the Cyclones had a pretty rocky start to the season. Now that Iowa State is out of the equation, a number of other things have to happen for each team to carve a path to the December 1 title game, and potentially a trip to the College Football Playoffs.

Texas did itself a huge favor in its dominant 24-10 victory over the Cyclones. Although, the bigger issue now is in the health of quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who sustained an AC contusion against Iowa State. Head coach Tom Herman said in the post-game that Ehlinger’s X-rays tested negative for breaks and that it wasn’t related to the injury he sustained against Baylor. Herman also revealed that backup quarterback Shane Buechele was the most involved backup, so the confidence shouldn’t be disrupted regardless of who’s a go come game time.

As for the three-way race? Texas defeated Oklahoma; Oklahoma plays West Virginia this week, and West Virginia has defeated Texas. Follow? Peak Big 12, I know. This is where transitive wins apply. West Virginia lost to Oklahoma State last weekend, so, therefore, all Texas needs to head to Dallas is a win over Kansas. Will Grier could use a championship game to bolster his Heisman standings… then again, so could Sooners’ quarterback Kyler Murray. In any event, if Texas wins, they play either Oklahoma or West Virginia for the Big 12 Championship.

I suppose you could say Texas is back and continues to control its destiny.

As for Oklahoma and West Virginia, both teams have had their share of defensive issues, which only seem to be getting worse. Since OU fired defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, few things seem to be clicking. For the Mountaineers, which have had a fairly stout defense all season, allowing 604 total yards of offense against an Oklahoma State team that has struggled this season isn’t a good look either.

Big 12 teams have earned bids in two of the four years since the Playoff took place of the BCS. And while it isn’t intangible for the winner of the Big 12 Championship to have a spot in the Playoff, several dominos will have to fall throughout college football in the next two weeks.

Most oddsmakers still have the No. 6 ranked Sooners as the fringe team for the Big 12 in the Playoffs if they were to win out. If Texas wins out, it’s hard to see a scenario where they play in any game outside the New Years 6.

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