g$$
07-26-2007, 06:47 AM
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Notebook: Leach calls out coach
A&M still basking in victory over Texas.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
SAN ANTONIO — Texas Tech's Mike Leach wouldn't name the coach specifically, but he was adamant Tuesday about the poor job that his staff did on kick returns last year.
"I'm here to tell you that we were worse than the four teams we statistically finished in front of," Leach said of last year's kick returns. "Quite honestly, I think the guys who coached that team last year did an awful job. I don't think there's any way else to slice it. I think they did the 119th-best job in America."
Leach refused to say whom he was calling out, though many guessed he was talking about himself.
"As a result of that, Ruffin McNeill will be taking control of the special teams," Leach said.
McGee downplays win at Texas
The Aggie faithful continue to bask in the glory of their 12-7 victory over the Longhorns last fall. Stephen McGee says he understands the maroon-tinged euphoria but says it shouldn't be overemphasized.
"It was just one of 12 (regular-season) games," the A&M quarterback said. "The last time I checked, you only get one win for beating Texas, just like you got one win for beating Louisiana Tech. They all count for one, and they're all important."
Heard's hit still illegal
Aggie and Longhorn fans have debated throughout the winter about Kellen Heard's hit on Colt McCoy after the Texas quarterback threw an interception during the Aggies' victory in Austin. Heard was ejected from the game.
Big 12 officials, in a seminar for the media on officiating, used that play as an example of a flagrant hit. "These three plays were plays that were flagrant in nature and the players were correctly ejected from the game," the officiating video said.
(Note from g$$: Not Michael Bennett's hit on Colt McCoy as some media outlets are erroneously reporting; it was a legal form tackle leading with the facemask not crown of the helmet. Heard's was declared illegal for obvious reasons & he was ejected.)
Chizik haunted by K-State
Gene Chizik hasn't forgotten Texas' 45-42 loss to Kansas State and the Longhorns' defensive collapse. And he doesn't plan to.
"Absolutely," the former Texas defensive coordinator said when asked if the loss that knocked the Longhorns from BCS contention still bothers him. "That was a gut-wrencher. Games like that will haunt you the rest of your life. That one will haunt me when I get done 10 years from now."
Tech-A&M game in Dallas?
Leach remains noncommital when asked whether he would prefer playing the Texas Tech-Texas A&M football game with a home-and-home arrangement or at a neutral site, such as the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium going up in Arlington.
He called it "kind of a wash," but does love the atmosphere at A&M's Kyle Field.
"One thing about A&M, there's all this screaming and yelling, and people standing," the Red Raiders coach said. "It's a cool place to play, but a hard place. I've always said there are 200,000 people at that school. There are about 125 in the military, and they keep marching 'em through and marching 'em through."
Notebook: Leach calls out coach
A&M still basking in victory over Texas.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
SAN ANTONIO — Texas Tech's Mike Leach wouldn't name the coach specifically, but he was adamant Tuesday about the poor job that his staff did on kick returns last year.
"I'm here to tell you that we were worse than the four teams we statistically finished in front of," Leach said of last year's kick returns. "Quite honestly, I think the guys who coached that team last year did an awful job. I don't think there's any way else to slice it. I think they did the 119th-best job in America."
Leach refused to say whom he was calling out, though many guessed he was talking about himself.
"As a result of that, Ruffin McNeill will be taking control of the special teams," Leach said.
McGee downplays win at Texas
The Aggie faithful continue to bask in the glory of their 12-7 victory over the Longhorns last fall. Stephen McGee says he understands the maroon-tinged euphoria but says it shouldn't be overemphasized.
"It was just one of 12 (regular-season) games," the A&M quarterback said. "The last time I checked, you only get one win for beating Texas, just like you got one win for beating Louisiana Tech. They all count for one, and they're all important."
Heard's hit still illegal
Aggie and Longhorn fans have debated throughout the winter about Kellen Heard's hit on Colt McCoy after the Texas quarterback threw an interception during the Aggies' victory in Austin. Heard was ejected from the game.
Big 12 officials, in a seminar for the media on officiating, used that play as an example of a flagrant hit. "These three plays were plays that were flagrant in nature and the players were correctly ejected from the game," the officiating video said.
(Note from g$$: Not Michael Bennett's hit on Colt McCoy as some media outlets are erroneously reporting; it was a legal form tackle leading with the facemask not crown of the helmet. Heard's was declared illegal for obvious reasons & he was ejected.)
Chizik haunted by K-State
Gene Chizik hasn't forgotten Texas' 45-42 loss to Kansas State and the Longhorns' defensive collapse. And he doesn't plan to.
"Absolutely," the former Texas defensive coordinator said when asked if the loss that knocked the Longhorns from BCS contention still bothers him. "That was a gut-wrencher. Games like that will haunt you the rest of your life. That one will haunt me when I get done 10 years from now."
Tech-A&M game in Dallas?
Leach remains noncommital when asked whether he would prefer playing the Texas Tech-Texas A&M football game with a home-and-home arrangement or at a neutral site, such as the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium going up in Arlington.
He called it "kind of a wash," but does love the atmosphere at A&M's Kyle Field.
"One thing about A&M, there's all this screaming and yelling, and people standing," the Red Raiders coach said. "It's a cool place to play, but a hard place. I've always said there are 200,000 people at that school. There are about 125 in the military, and they keep marching 'em through and marching 'em through."