COMMENTARY | The Texas Tech football team finished 5-7 last season, near the bottom of the Big 12. Last year was Tech’s first losing season since it went 5-6 in 1992 under then-head coach Spike Dykes. Last season also marked the end of one of the longest bowl streaks in the country when Tech failed to qualify for a postseason appearance. The team was riddled with injuries last season including season-ending injuries to standout running backs Eric Stephens and DeAndre Washington. The injuries exposed a lack of depth on both sides of the ball. The defense was the worst in recent memory which is notable considering that previous head coach Mike Leach was often criticized for his lack of focus on defense and Tuberville earned notoriety as a defensive guru during his tenures with Ole Miss, Texas A&M; and Auburn. The offense finished the season ranked 29th nationally, but fell short of the lofty expectations that were established during the Leach years when Tech offenses routinely ranked in the top 10.
Tuberville took over as head coach in 2010 following the controversial firing of Mike Leach, the all time wins leader in school history. Alumni and students alike were, and some still are, disillusioned with the Leach firing and didn’t embrace Tuberville despite his strong record with previous teams including an undefeated season with Auburn in 2004. After two disappointing seasons, Tuberville hasn’t done much to endear himself to the Tech faithful. Another sub-par season this year would certainly fuel the anti-Tuberville movement in Lubbock, but will an embattled administration and new AD, Kirby Hocutt, consider firing Tuberville during or following the 2012 season?
Signs seem to point that it is highly unlikely that Texas Tech will fire Tommy Tuberville this season regardless of the club’s record. Even Tuberville’s detractors have to admit that he’s put together two of the best recruiting classes in Tech history. The fact that Leach’s system was unconventional gives additional credence to the classic explanation of the coach’s early failures: “He needs time to recruit and develop players that fit his system.” While critics have accused Tuberville of failing to supply the necessary depth to survive a Big 12 season, it’s impossible to ignore that a perfect storm of injuries played a huge roll in last season’s 5-7 record.
Following the conclusion of spring practices,Tuberville told ESPN’s David Ubben, “We’ve just been a disaster in terms of depth. The parts hadn’t been there to work with.” He was also quoted as saying, “Are we ready for a championship? No, not really, just because of the inexperience.” That comment was a bit concerning for Tech fans especially coming from the man that raised a few eyebrows in 2010 when he told a Fox Sports Southwest reporter, “We want to win it all” shortly after being hired two years ago. While it’s unlikely that Tuberville will be fired this year, anything less that seven or eight wins this season will bring the growing calls for his ouster to a fever pitch and his job will almost certainly be on the line entering the fourth year of his tenure at Tech.
