Mike Leach Texas Tech Coach Suspended
December 29th, 2009 | by |LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has been suspended while the school investigates complaints from receiver Adam James and his family about how the coach treated the player after a concussion.
James is the son of former NFL player and current television analyst Craig James.
The school said today in a news release that defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill will be the interim coach and lead the team in the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2 against Michigan State. Texas Tech officials declined to identify the player.
James’ family released a statement to the AP identifying Adam as the player involved.
“Mr. and Mrs. James took the step with great regret and after consideration and prayer to convey to the Texas Tech Administration that their son had been subjected to actions and treatment not consistent with common sense rules for safety and health,” the statement said.
A person familiar with James’ case said he suffered a concussion during a Dec. 16 scrimmage.
McNeil will remain in charge of the Red Raiders (8-4) until the investigation is complete.
Leach did not immediately returned a call nor a text message seeking comment. A message left on McNeill’s cell phone was not immediately returned.
There’s been internal strife this season with the Red Raiders, and Leach has resorted to some tongue-lashing.
He chastised players after a loss to Texas A&M in October for listening to “their fat little girlfriends,” and thinking the Aggies were a pushover. And after the Red Raiders lost at then-No. 12 Houston in September, Leach suspended indefinitely starting offensive lineman Brandon Carter for violating team rules.
The loss to the Cougars was the second straight for the Red Raiders, who had fallen, 34-24, at No. 2 Texas in an early Big 12 matchup. This season is the first since 2002 — Leach’s third season — that the Red Raiders dropped two of their first four games.
That same week, Leach banned his players from having Twitter pages after linebacker Marlon Williams asked on his account why he was still in a meeting room when “the head coach can’t even be on time.”
Leach, who was the Big 12 Coach of the Year last season, was forced to juggle quarterbacks this fall — a first for his program. Injuries gave him no option.
Starter Taylor Potts went out with a concussion in early October. He was replaced by former walk-on and backup Steven Sheffield, who led the team to two wins before injuring his left foot at 15th-ranked Nebraska.
Leach even went to third-stringer Seth Doege after Potts played poorly against the Aggies. Doege started the game against Kansas.
Leach and the university were at odds for months at the end of last year over negotiations for an extension to his contract following one of the program’s best season. The Red Raiders went 11-2 and beat then-No. 1 Texas and climbed to No. 2 in the nation.
At the end of the regular season, with contract talks stalled, Leach traveled to Washington to meet with university officials there who were looking for a new coach. Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers was not aware he had gone.
In February, Leach and Tech agreed to a five-year, $12.7-million deal that could keep him at the school through 2013.
In his extension, Leach only needs to notify Myers in writing to interview at another school.
The contract also includes a $250,000 bonus if Leach and Tech win the national championship, a $75,000 bonus if Tech participates in a BCS Bowl and a $50,000 bonus if Leach is picked as national coach of the year.
If Tech terminates the contract, the school must pay Leach $400,000 for each year remaining on the agreement. And there is no buyout amount.
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