Deep in the heart of the Big Twelve Conference the Texas Tech Raiders – otherwise known as “Tech” have been playing hard-nosed football since the year 1925. Given the importance of football in Texas, this should come as no surprise to any football fan anywhere. The program has not been a powerhouse on the national stage, but it has had a great degree of success within its conference affiliation, winning 11 conference titles and remaining competitive over the course of its existence. Over its long history, there is one period that definitely stands out when it comes to success, and that period was from 2001 until 2009 – a series of consecutive seasons that saw the Red Raiders of Texas Tech garner a winning season in every year. The oddest part of that is that their coach during that period was one of the rare coaches who had no experience playing the game.

Mike Leach Arrives

Mike Leach’s hiring by the University was something of an aberration by most coaching standards. Football coaches almost uniformly have actual playing experience under their belt, but Leach had never donned a team uniform and lined up on scrimmage in his life. What Leach did have, however, was an ability to analyze the game, develop strategies and teaching methodologies, and get his team to buy into his concepts. Whatever reservations anyone might have had with respect to his hiring, it did not take long for Leach to put them to rest. He began his career by establishing a winning season, and continued that success every year he coached. While he was at Tech, the Red Raiders enjoyed one winning season after another, all of which saw them playing in postseason bowl games. Leach’s five and four record in those bowl games also makes him the most successful postseason coach the team has ever had.

His Secret

When evaluating the true secret to Leach’s success as the Texas Tech coach, it is important to look at this offensive history. As an offensive coach at several schools prior to his head coaching job at Tech, Leach built a reputation for developing explosive passing offenses that could quickly put points on the board. It was his personally unique style of the spread offense, and it caught fire with many other coaches across the nation – with varying degrees of success. He also established himself as a coach who knew what it took to help a raw talent quarterback such as Tim Couch and help them develop into players who could be drafted in the NFL’s first round.

The Insight Bowl

To get a picture of how quickly the Red Raiders could score under Leach’s leadership, one has to look no further than the 2006 Insight Bowl against the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. The Gophers led Tech by 31 points in the third quarter of that contest. Most coaches would have recognized just how untenable their team’s position was, and made a point of trying to get as many bench players into the game as possible – to ensure that they received playing time. Leach, however, regrouped his squad and inspired them to not only catch the Golden Gophers in regulation, but then beat them by three points in overtime.

Glory fades, however, and Leach’s relationship with Tech suffered a fatal blow in 2009 when he was accused of mistreating a player. Leach’s refusal to apologize resulted in his termination – a firing over which he is currently suing the school.

Author Bio: Ivan Jamison is a big sports fan. You can check out his Texas Tech Watch or his Chicago Cubs Watch or his Detroit Tigers Watch

Category: Sports
Keywords: Texas Tech