Wednesday Night Dawg Bites: Mike Leach/Gene Stallings/Romeo Crennel/Billy Bob Thornton Edition

by T Kyle King on Dec 30, 2009 9:31 PM EST in Football

We're now into the thick of bowl season and there are a lot of stories swirling around the world of college football, both locally and nationally. Here, for whatever they might be worth, are a few random observations regarding events this week:

Prior to the Independence Bowl, I mentioned the fact that the Georgia Bulldogs had been the lone victims of the Texas A&M Aggies in Bear Bryant's first season in College Station. What you may not know about that 1954 game is that Coach Bryant brought just 31 players with him to Athens, Red and Black quarterback Jimmy Harper did not complete a pass until the game was deep into the fourth quarter, and the game's only touchdown was scored on a 16-yard reception by Texas A&M end Gene Stallings, who would later coach both the Aggies and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
I know many prominent figures in the blogosphere are openly rooting for Mike Leach, who was fired earlier today as the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Personally, I am torn. On the one hand, I have always viewed Coach Leach as rude rather than colorful, but it is equally tough for me to side with Craig James, who comes across as a smarmy character and who played for the SMU Mustangs during the scandal-riddled era that ultimately earned Southern Methodist the death penalty. I feel badly for Adam James, but, beyond that, I throw up my hands.
Earlier today, I received an e-mail that once again raised the name Romeo Crennel as a possibility to be Georgia's next defensive coordinator. I can't represent with anything approaching certainty that there is anything to the rumor at all, and I certainly would not tell you I have inside information or anything of the sort, but I can't help noticing that a candidate whose name is off the radar keeps being mentioned as a possibility. (Incidentally, the first guy who mentioned the name Romeo Crennel to me did so after first mentioning the name Bud Foster, shortly before Coach Foster's name surfaced publicly as the recipient of an offer.)
Is it just me, or did Idaho Vandals head coach Robb Akey sound like Billy Bob Thornton's character from "Sling Blade" in his postgame interview following the Humanitarian Bowl?
Although the Aggies still lead the all-time series with Georgia with a 3-2 record, the 'Dawgs lead the overall scoring by a cumulative margin of 118-80. That translates to an average score of 24-16 over the course of the series, but the Red and Black have won the last two meetings by an average margin of 43-10. The five series games have been played in four different cities, but the Bulldogs have never faced Texas A&M in College Station at "The Home of the Illegal Participation Penalty," Kyle Field.

Look for the latest installment of my "Don't Bet On It!" postseason picks to be coming your way sometime tomorrow, but bear in mind that I jumped out to an impressively awful 1-7 start before the USC Trojans got me back on the winning track in the Emerald Bowl. Perhaps this reflects poorly on me, but, hey, I do warn you not to bet on it, so lighten up, slafa.

Go 'Dawgs!

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I think the ESPN coverage of the Leach

situation is terrible. Completely one-sided. Considering the James family relationship to ESPN and Texas Tech, I expected coverage to be more restrained, and most definitely did not expect to see so much commentary and analysis from James’ ESPN colleagues, which seems to be nearly unanimous against the former coach.

As far as the search for the D/C goes, it appears that the focus is on a well-known name to plug into this slot. Are there any lesser-known but quality young up and coming defensive coaches that are not house-hold names that we may be considering?

by Farsider on Dec 31, 2009 2:09 AM EST reply actions

I agree, Farsider

Listening to Holtz and May last night told me all I needed to know. Whether or not this is the case it seems to me that the ESPN brass have given the directive “we support our own” and told the on-airs to run with it. I think it’s safe to say that blame can be placed on all involved parties, but on the face of it Leach has not gotten a fair shake from the powers that be at TTU. The entire situation reeks of a poorly handled mess from the outset.

I’m no TTU fan and from based upon my own personal encounters their fan base leaves a bit to be desired. That said I feel for them. At this point in the game who can the athletic department possibly lure to Lubbock who will bring the kind of success that Leach has brought? Especially in light of the events which have transpired this week. In my eyes their football program at present has moved from relevant to muddled and stagnant at best. Time will tell the tale here, but for the immediate future I think they’re in a world of hurt.

by Texan_Dawg on Dec 31, 2009 10:21 AM EST reply actions

Well, at first glance...

… June Jones seems like he would be right up Tech’s alley… and he’s at a school just a few hours down the road.

by vineyarddawg on Dec 31, 2009 11:01 AM EST up reply actions

That's a possibility,

but apart from stepping up to a BCS conference I don’t see the draw. JJ has a pretty cushy situation at SMU and he’s earning pretty decent coin ($2MM per annum) in the process. Dallas >>> Lubbock and it’s not even close.

Given their proclivity for hiring coaches with left of center personalities I can envision TTU going after Art Briles at Baylor.

by Texan_Dawg on Dec 31, 2009 12:06 PM EST up reply actions

IF

the cell phone video by Adam James and the video shown on ESPN is to be believed, then Leach was wrong. I have coached for 10+ years with much less of a facility, and can’t see how putting a kid in any of these places could be considered appropriate.

Look, did Adam James bring some of this on himself, and did his family help to bring scrutiny to him? YES.

I know that today a report I heard was that it was a snap decision because TTU REQUIRES that if a player can’t practice, they must do something. Well, that leads TTU into being culpable as well, at least in my mind. BUT Leach could have simply sent him to the training room and had him rest on a training table while allowing trainers to “practice” wrapping ankles or something.

Who can TTU bring to help keep the program moving, well, I can think of two guys who could be named, one from just down the road the other from a few states over, but that would put a damper on the possibility of hiring either as a DC at UGA.

by EricBDawg on Dec 31, 2009 10:49 AM EST reply actions

Now

that the statement has been made that Adam James had ice, was sitting and even sleeping at times while confined, and that he was never put in the electrical closet, from a trainer who was charged with taking care of him, well, that sheds new light on the subject.

I still believe, just like I think most do, that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, has yet to come out. There are always three sides to a story, side A, side B, and somewhere in the middle is the truth. I still think Leach could have had trainers take James to the training room, and when big daddy Craig called about playing time, Leach could say, “Look, the kid had a concussion, we take this seriously, he hasn’t felt like practicing and we don’t want to push the issue with a brain injury. When he feels ready to practice, he can earn his playing time. See, Craig, it’s like this, and you should know from your playing days, coaches don’t determine playing time, players do.” Now, who could argue with that?

by EricBDawg on Jan 1, 2010 8:45 AM EST up reply actions

Ok, now that we have Leach's statement

he at least comes across as believable. IF he wanted to keep the kid near the team, I understand that. IF he let the trainer take the kid to a spot that was dark and had access to ice and that sort of thing to avoid dehydration, I understand that.

Here’s where I feel like the truth lies: I think James was a pain to deal with (both of them) and when Coach Leach saw the kid walking around with a better than the rest attitude, he decided he should help to bring the kid back down to earth a bit, and by using his injury, which the kid appeared to be using to his advantage, he had the trainer take the kid to a spot that wasn’t “nice” but wasn’t an inhospitible place either. I think Leach was looking for a place to prove a point and not make it a cake walk for the kid, a place that was “safe” for the kid, and a place that put the kid “with” the team so that not only could they see he wasn’t practicing but he was not getting a spa treatment either.

Obviously, this irritated the James crew, and they reported it to TTU and ESPN. ESPN runs with it, TTU and it’s leadership along with prominent boosters see this as a way to rid themselves of Leach and his contract, regardless of what he had done on the field, for whatever reason ,they didn’t like him, maybe he’s too Texan (sort of maverick).

It’s just a bad situation that could have been prevented with sending James to the training room and telling big daddy Craig that when the kid could practice, he could earn playing time.

by EricBDawg on Jan 1, 2010 8:03 PM EST reply actions