On behalf the entire staff, we would like to welcome you to The Gridiron Palace; empire of the football world. There are many great benefits to registration that include, but are not limited to:
Access to Team/Conference Skins
Use of our shout box
Access to our arcade
Ability to apply to the No Holds Barred board.
Of course, registration also gives you the ability to post, and have your opinion heard. If you would like to sign up today, what are you waiting for?
This topic will be posted in every NCAA thread with teams corresponding to that conference. So go vote for your team. It will be interesting to see how large your teams fan base is on TFP. Do not vote unless its your team. That way we can get an accurate depiction of a teams fan base.
Tech acknowledges Tuberville hiring Posted by John Taylor on January 9, 2010 5:38 PM ET CFT
Multiple media outlets reported this afternoon that Tommy Tuberville will be named as Texas Tech's new head coach.
A short while ago, the school confirmed as much.
According to a press release issued by Tech, a news conference has been scheduled for 2 p.m. CT Sunday to formally introduce Tuberville as the Red Raiders' new coach. Tuberville, who has been a candidate for the position ever since it came open -- in part because he publicly campaigned for the job -- will replace Mike Leach, who was fired last month for his alleged mistreatment of wide receiver Adam James.
President Guy Bailey and athletic director Gerald Myers will be in attendance for the announcement. There's no word yet on whether Craig James will be on the dais.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Kansas coach Mark Mangino has resigned amid an investigation into his treatment of his players, stepping down just two years after leading the Jayhawks to the greatest season in their checkered football history.
The university made the announcement Thursday as athletic director Lew Perkins met with players to give them the news.
The school said last month it would probe Mangino's treatment of his team. In the following days, many former players described insensitive, humiliating remarks they claim he made to them in the heat of games or practice, often in front of others.
But next came a wave of support by former and current players who remained loyal, insisting Mangino had strengthened the long-struggling program with structure and discipline, crediting the rotund 53-year-old with making them better players and men.
Mangino said he had done nothing wrong and intended to return for a ninth season. He and his supporters said his trouble with Perkins, who arrived at Kansas after Mangino was hired, stemmed mostly from the season-ending, seven-game skid.
After winning their first five games this year and rising to No. 16 in the rankings, the Jayhawks were favored by many to win the Big 12 North. But instead they failed to win another game, finishing the season with a 41-39 last-second loss to archrival Missouri. That final, hard-fought defeat kept them from becoming bowl eligible for what would have been a school-record third straight year.
The investigation into Mangino was conducted by Lori Williams, Kansas' assistant athletic director for risk management.
Mangino leaves with an eight-year log of 50-48, two victories short of A.R. Kennedy's school record of 52 from 1904-10.
Yesterday, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said that he thought "everybody had given up" hope that Dez Bryant would be able to return this season.
As it turns out, Gundy and everyone else was right in giving up said hope.
According to the Daily Oklahoman, Bryant has been suspended for the remainder of the 2009 season for lying to NCAA officials about a meeting with Deion Sanders.
Barring a successful appeal by the Cowboys -- the school has already started the appeals process and should have a decision by next week -- Bryant will see his 2009 season come to an end.
And, given the fact that there was a very high likelihood that Bryant would be an early entrant for the 2010 NFL draft before his NCAA issues, it's highly likely that Bryant has played his last down ever for OSU.
Neither the school nor the NCAA have made an official statement on Bryant's season-ending suspension. --------------------------------
My initial response was "**** the NCAA" and their ridiculous rules, which almost goes without saying now-a-days, but then I realized that seemingly everyone associated with Deion Sanders lately is getting nothing but trouble and bad luck.
Will the Big 12 North continue to be kicked around by the Southern part of the Conference? In a word, yes, but someone has to win the North, so here goes:
1. Kansas. This is a real tight race, but Kansas may have the edge, due largely to a successful coach, and eveyone returining in the skill positions on offense. The OL will need work. Kansas uses a 4-2-5 defensive allignment and that is good, because while the LB's need replacing, the DL and secondary are solid. The schedule hurts, going to Colorado, Texas Tech, Texas, and hosting OU.
2. Nebraska. BoPelini proved that he belonged last year. Unfortunately, he only gets 4 returners on offense. It appears that Nebraska will have to depend on their gound attack, as projected Starter Lee has thrown just 2 passes in his career. The defense returns a solid secondary, but must replace 3 LB's. The schedule see them getting Texas Tech and OU at home an going to Baylor, but their games against Kansas and Colorado are on the road.
The rest: Missouri loses some very good players in Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin, and Mizzour has to hope that the offense, plus an improve defense, can make up for that loss. Colorado just can't seem to find themselves. QB Hawkins just has not produced, and Colorado has had major problems winning conference games. The offense had better wake up, because the defense loses 6 out of it's front 7. Kansas State has turned back to aging Bill Snyder in hopes of returning to the glory days. To show any improvement, he must replace his backfield, that includid QB Freeman. The defense returns 8 starters, but was one of the worst in the nation last year. Going to UCLA, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Nebraska will be major tests. At Iowa State,new coach Rhoads should be able to put some points up on the borad, with 9 starters including his skill position players returning. The problem will be on defense. The secedule is attractive, so there is room for improvment.
Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant has been ruled ineligible for violating an NCAA bylaw, the school announced Wednesday.
Bryant, an All-American who is ranked ninth overall on Mel Kiper Jr.'s most recent Big Board, was ruled ineligible after lying to the NCAA when he was asked if he had visited Deion Sanders' home and had worked out with him.
Oklahoma State is expected to file a formal appeal as soon as Thursday.
"We are certainly disappointed, but we are moving forward as we would with any challenge during the season," coach Mike Gundy said, according to the university.
A person close to the situation said Bryant will tell the NCAA in seeking an appeal of his ineligibility that he did in fact visit Sanders' home in Texas in May, that he jogged with him at a training facility and that they had lunch, for which he paid.
Bryant is planning to fly or drive to Indianapolis to tell the NCAA his story as soon as Monday, the source said. Sanders, with whom Bryant will say he had a personal relationship, told the NCAA that he had visited with Bryant.
The NCAA interviewed Bryant before the season and also on Sept. 11, the day before a game against Houston, asking if he had visited Sanders' home, if he had worked out with Sanders and also if he had had any interaction with agents.
Bryant was asked specifically by NCAA investigators if he had ever met agents who have represented Sanders and he told them he hadn't.
Bryant told them no to all questions. Bryant is expected to say that he wasn't sure if it was a violation to visit with Sanders. Bryant has been told he has been suspended because he lied about the answers to the first two questions.
In a prepared statement, the school released the following comment from Bryant: "I made a mistake by not being entirely truthful when meeting with the NCAA. I sincerely regret my mistake and apologize to my teammates, coaches, OSU fans and the NCAA."
Bryant, a junior, has 17 receptions for 323 yards and four touchdowns this season. He caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.
Bryant first met Sanders at a restaurant in Dallas and they exchanged phone numbers. Sanders sends Bryant inspirational text messages nearly every day, according to a person close to the situation.
The ex-NFL player was not affiliated with Oklahoma State and the incident does not involve anyone associated with the university, the athletic program or the school's alumni, donors or boosters, the school said. The school did not provide additional details of the incident, citing an ongoing investigation into the matter.
According to the school, Bryant violated NCAA Bylaw 10.1, which addresses "unethical conduct" and includes "Knowingly furnishing the NCAA or the individual's institution false or misleading information concerning the individual's involvement in or knowledge of matters relevant to a possible violation of an NCAA regulation."
That's after one of his linebacker's dissed Leach for showing up late to a meeting a day after the Red Raiders' 29-28 loss to No. 12 Houston.
Leach announced the ban during Monday's Big 12 Conference coaches call.
According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, linebacker Marlon Williams asked on his Kos39 Twitter account Sunday evening why he was still in a meeting room when "the head coach can't even be on time." That tweet has since been deleted.
Offensive lineman Brandon Carter, whom Leach suspended indefinitely Sunday for violation of team rules, also had a page on Twitter but as of late Sunday it no longer existed.
After Saturday night's loss to the Cougars, Carter tweeted: "This is not how I saw our season."
Oklahoma's All-American tight end, Jermaine Gresham, underwent surgery on his injured right knee today and, according to head coach Bob Stoops, will be lost for the rest of the 2009 season.
An arthroscopic procedure performed this afternoon determined that surgery was necessary to repair the damaged cartilage; that surgery was performed this afternoon.
The recovery period from the type of damage that was repaired is five months, meaning there's no chance he could return to the field for OU this season.
The loss to the Sooners, still reeling from the loss to BYU and injury to quarterback Sam Bradford, is huge on the field. Simply put, the Sooners do not have anyone even remotely capable of replacing Gresham's production.
Certainly, they have players who can take his spot -- run-blocker Jody Eldridge chief among them -- but they won't be able to fill his role in the Sooners' record-setting offense.
All in all, this has been a craptistic start to the '09 season for the Sooners. And, pending the fate of Bradford, could get a helluva lot worse.
Texas Tech wide receiver Todd Walker has decided to give up football, his position coach Dennis Simmons said Wednesday.
“He’s going to finish out the semester and graduate early and go to dental school,’’ Simmons said.
Walker has one year of football eligibility remaining. He battled injuries that often kept him off the field for the Red Raiders.
Walker’s best season was in 2006, when he caught 21 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
In the season just completed, he had seven catches for 37 yards.
Walker’s top two performances came in dramatic comeback victories in 2006. In a 38-35 overtime win at Texas El-Paso, he made five catches for 47 yards. His 12-yard reception set up Alex Trlica’s game-winning 49-yard field goal.
In Tech’s historic, 44-41 overtime win over Minnesota at the Insight Bowl, he caught five passes for 68 yards. Tech’s NCAA record comeback started with the Red Raiders trailing the Golden Gophers 38-7 in the second half. On Tech’s first scoring drive of the third quarter, Walker caught a 20-yard pass on third-and-6. To set up the next touchdown, he made a 14-yard catch on fourth-and-11.
There is a vey good chance that the winner of the Big 12 South wins it all this year. Here are my picks:
1. Texas. It is all up to McCoy. He is the entire offense. Stop him and you stop Texas. the WR are experienced. The line should be solid. The RB's lack experience. On defense, 8 return including the entire secondary. It's real simple for Texas. Beat the Oklahoma Teams and go to the Big game.
2. Oklahoma. San Bradford has a ton of talent surrounding him in the backfield. His WR's need experience. The big problem with OU is it's offensive line, which is not deep nor experience. The defense returns 9, and only has questions at Safety. If OU takes care of business against Texas, and guards against upsets, they go to the Big Dance.
3. Oklahoma State. Another very talented Big 12 offense is led by QB Robinson, RB Hunter, and WR Bryant. The offensive line will be experienced enough to overcome some losses. The defense is the huge question mark, and will determine the Cowbows fate. If the defense, led by 3 returning LB's can stop the opposition at all, Okie State has a punchers chance at the Big 12 Title.
4. Texas Tech. Mike Leach is happy with his new contract, but not with only 5 returning starters on offense. Tech will score, but the numbers will not equal last years output. The defense is full of holes, and must improve. With the lack of offensive output, Tech will give up more than it scores in key games.
5. Tie. Baylor and Texas A&M. First Baylor. Baylor returns key players at the skilled positions but must get better play from the offensive line, and must be able to stop someone on defense. They are the "it" team in the Big 12 this year. A&M faces the same problems as Baylor, and must choose a starting QB. Again, the defense will have to stop people. They should fly under the radar this season, and that could help.
we headed to gator bowl. we taught colorado a ***** ass lesson about how we roll in town. now they can watch us rape the seminoles(i think thats who we will be playing) it wont be the match of yesteryear but we gonna destroy them. pelini will be 2-0 in bowl games for us.
While most of the talk in the past few weeks has been about the renewal of the Miami vs. Notre Dame series, this note in the Miami Herald about the Hurricanes future schedules, also mentioned by ESPN.com blogger Tim Griffin, was an interesting peek into the philosophies of current (and past) Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder.
According to the Miami Herald, Kansas State is trying to back out of the two-game series they have scheduled with Miami for 2011 and 2012. Presumably, Snyder wants to get back to the nonconference scheduling that helped create the gaudy win-loss record of his first tenure in Manhattan, when Snyder notoriously scheduled cupcakes before embarking on his Big 12 schedule.
With politicking and finessing the BCS now mandatory work for major conference football programs, it’s too bad that moves like this are more the norm than the exception. But after seeing the Wildcats in person last year, maybe a date with Southwest Missouri State is in order.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy paid a visit to former Miami, Fla., quarterback Robert Marve last week, according to a report in the Miami Herald.
The report said Marve, who was released from his scholarship at Miami late last month, is considering the Cowboys and Purdue, among others.
Marve, 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, played in 11 of the Hurricanes’ 13 games in his redshirt freshman season in 2008, before being benched in favor of Jacory Harris. Marve threw for 1,293 yards on 116-of-213 passing (54.5 percent) with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
He’s more of a pro-style quarterback than Gundy typically targets, rushing 59 times for 119 yards last season.
Marve originally chose Miami over Alabama, when he came out of Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., where as a senior, he broke the Florida state single-season records for passing yards (4,380) and touchdowns (48), both previously held by Florida’s Tim Tebow.
If he transferred to OSU, Marve would have to sit out the 2009 season and would then have two years of eligibility remaining.
Doesn't Marve's ailing dad live in Florida? Aren't OSU and Purdue in Oklahoma and Indiana?
Texas A&M is scheduled to play Texas Tech on Oct. 24 in Lubbock. If the teams' respective coaches keep up their current exchange, that game could be the grudge match of the year in the Big 12.
Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman was not amused when Texas Tech coach Mike Leach brought up ex-Aggies QB Stephen McGee's draft selection in the midst of questioning NFL teams' draft decisions on the Red Raiders' star players.
And he was still not happy when Leach, despite saying he didn't intend to offend his in-state rivals, wondered aloud where Sherman would have drafted McGee -- who sat much of his senior season -- if he were still an NFL coach.
On Monday, Leach, upset that wide receiver Michael Crabtree slipped to 10th in the draft and quarterback Graham Harrell wasn't chosen at all, noted that McGee was chosen in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys.
"I'm happy for Stephen McGee," Leach said. "The Dallas Cowboys like him more than his coaches at A&M did."
That didn't go over so well with Sherman or McGee.
"I don't understand Coach Leach's comments about Stephen McGee," Sherman replied on Monday. "He was named our starter until he got injured. ... Coach Leach is in no position to comment about my relationship with Stephen McGee."
"I don't know where that comment came from or who it was directed at," McGee added. "But I am shocked because my time at A&M was very special to me. Obviously, I got injured, and many people think that Coach Sherman benched me. That's just not true."
I'm with Leach here. The Cowboys got a low draft grade for a reason and drafting McGee certainly didn't help. I think picking up Harrell would have done them more justice. His numbers are spectacular and he isn't a victim to injury. But that just may be my preference.. I'm not for drafting players taken out in their senior year. That's just more that a program has to build up so they can be on the NFL level. Although I think Leach is correct I don't really see it as his business honestly. I understand the media is going to stir up stuff and ask these questions but Harrell isn't his QB anymore. He should be focusing on bringing up his next gunslinger and working on continuing the success he's brought to Texas Tech.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Colorado sophomore quarterback Tyler Hansen broke his right thumb on his throwing hand in the Buffaloes' annual spring game Saturday.
Hansen was injured when he slammed his thumb into the helmet of defensive end Marquez Herrod in the third quarter when he was attempting a pass to fullback Jake Behrens in the flat.
Team spokesman David Plati said Hansen was scheduled for surgery at Boulder Community Hospital and is expected to be out until mid-June.
Hansen split snaps last season with junior quarterback Cody Hawkins.
"At first I figured I just jammed it, but then we figured it out later when they X-rayed it," said Hansen.
Hansen stayed in the game but said he had trouble taking the snaps and after one more pass, he just kept handing off to running backs.
"I came to the sideline and it was killing me and I got it looked at by the medical staff. They taped it up and I thought it was all right and I got the ball and said, 'No, I can't go,"' Hansen said.
Hawkins is now the only healthy quarterback on the Buffaloes' roster. -- cbssports.com
This will allow Hawkins to step up and show his true colors. Good luck to him.
$500??!!! Wow, sad to see players at big time colleges fall off like this...sad story.
QUOTE
BOULDER, Colo. — The enduring image in my mind of Bernard Jackson's time in the Colorado football program was taken by longtime Camera photographer Cliff Grassmick on Oct. 14, 2006, when the former CU quarterback was held high above hundreds of CU fans in Folsom Field after leading the Buffs to the first win of that long 2-10 season.
Jackson is smiling and thrusting his gold helmet high. The victory over Texas Tech that day was his first as the Buffs' starting quarterback. He had been in the program for 3½ years, but still seemed to have so much potential.
It was a triumphant day for him. He had faced down many personal challenges throughout a difficult childhood. He had earned the respect of doubting coaches and fans and was doing his best to help his young son beat cancer.
I remember CU coach Dan Hawkins giving him a big bear hug afterward. It was a rich, heartwarming story, the kind you just can't wait to get back to the laptop to write. That will probably always be among my most vivid memories of Jackson as a player.
The enduring image in my mind of Jackson as a man might have come Thursday morning in Courtroom Q in the Boulder County Justice Center as he was sentenced to more than five years in prison along with former teammate Lionel Harris.
Flanked by his public defender with just two supporters in the room, Jackson wiped away tears as he plead guilty to breaking into a Boulder home last summer with Harris and threatening the occupants with a gun while demanding money and access to a safe.
"This is definitely something I never expected or imagined," Jackson said.
No doubt.
Such a shame these two young men spent five years at one of the best colleges in the nation and end up here. Less than a year after each should have graduated with a degree paid for by sweat and the donations of others, here they are just a few miles from the stadium they called home with heads held low, talking in hushed voices having thrown it all away for less than $500.
Jackson and Harris already have spent more than 200 days in jail and have hundreds more remaining to stare at the walls and think things over.You know what? They're lucky.
This all could have turned out so much worse.
Somebody could have done something stupid when the pair broke into the home in the 1000 block of University Avenue last summer wearing masks. When I say someone could have done something stupid, I mean something dumber than what was already taking place.
The victims could have challenged the pair, or a nervous hand could have accidentally pulled the trigger and someone could have been killed. At that point, there would have been little hope for Jackson or Harris to redeem themselves and make something of their lives again.
They are truly fortunate to still have that opportunity, even if it remains months or maybe years away right now.
"It's definitely changed my life," Jackson said. "I'll do whatever it takes to better myself."
What is something of a mystery is whether they will have each other to lean on over the coming weeks and months. They sat far apart in the courtroom and didn't acknowledge each other, seemingly former teammates in every sense.
Boulder District Court Judge James C. Klein listened to both players apologize to the victims, the community and their families for their deed. He acknowledged having followed them during their athletic careers at CU and admitted he was dumbfounded by their decision-making.
"We all make bad decisions at some point in our lives," Klein said when addressing Harris. "Unfortunately, you guys made some really bad decisions."
Jackson and Harris made choices over weeks and months that eventually led to them landing behind bars, but throughout their time at CU, few would have guessed this would be their fate. Kim Moss became close friends with Jackson and an acquaintance to Harris through her family's support of the football program. She was one of the two people who came to see them through their sentencing Thursday.
She had prepared herself but still left the courtroom in tears.
"In the past seven months, I have seen in Bernard a new appreciation for the opportunities that he had and blew and a kid who wants another chance," she said. "Bernard is full of regret and wants everyone in this community to know how sorry he is.
"He is reading a lot. He is working hard at the jobs he is given. He is a little kid who is scared to death to go to prison. He is appreciative of the love in his life and desperate for the connections he had. He writes me the sweetest letters of appreciation for my support. He is starving for the day-to-day contact with the outside world -- he is constantly asking for any information about CU football and how everyone is doing. He wants to share his smile again."
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -The University of Missouri has reached a settlement in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of a former reserve linebacker who collapsed on the field during a 2005 preseason workout.
A Boone County judge still must approve the undisclosed settlement, referred to in court records filed this week in the lawsuit over the death of Aaron O'Neal.
James Bartimus, a lawyer for O'Neal's mother, Deborah O'Neal, said he could not discuss the details until the court approves the agreement. A hearing is set for later this month.
"This obviously has been a tragic time in her life," Bartimus said. "Fortunately we were able to bring the litigation to an end and get some degree of closure. We're looking forward to putting this behind us."
An athletic department spokesman and other university officials declined to discuss the settlement Tuesday, citing the upcoming hearing. O'Neal's parents have consistently declined comment since his death.
O'Neal was a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from suburban St. Louis who collapsed on the Memorial Stadium field during a voluntary workout in July 2005. He died less than two hours later.
The lawsuit alleged that school employees failed to take medical precautions required by O'Neal's carrying of the sickle cell trait. The hereditary condition has been linked to heat stroke and exercise-induced collapse.
In the four seasons since his death, Missouri coaches and players rallied around their fallen teammate. They shouted his name after each practice. His game-day locker - never used - remained intact. And in 2008, seniors who entered school with O'Neal as freshmen took turns wearing his No. 25 during home games.
O'Neal, who was 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, started to struggle with conditioning drills about 45 minutes into the hourlong workout on July 12, 2005. Players wore shorts, T-shirts and cleats but no helmets or pads.
The former Boone County medical examiner cited viral meningitis as the cause of death. But the chairman of the university's pathology department and several outside experts suggested the sickle cell trait contributed.
It's really sad on both parts, the family's and the university's.
I really found what the team did to remember O'Neal by as heart-warming. I've heard of not touching someone's locker but for four years? Amazing. The Seniors rotating turns on wearing his number during home games is also respectful. I don't really hate Missouri so bad anymore, although I'll never forget getting slaughtered in the Cotton Bowl.
AMES, Iowa – Current ISU students interested in trying out for the Cyclone football team can meet with the football staff about that opportunity at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Hunziker Auditorium of the Jacobson Athletic Building. Each individual must bring a copy of their current physical and insurance card.
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech and coach Mike Leach agreed Thursday on a new contract after months of contentious negotiations.
Leach signed the contract shortly after he and Kent Hance, the university's chancellor, met for about two hours Thursday afternoon to hammer out an agreement. Hance said the negotiating part lasted only about 15 minutes.
"Me and my family are thrilled to death that we're going to be in Lubbock for another five years," Leach said at an evening news conference. "I appreciate Chancellor Hance and Gerald [Myers'] efforts to allow us to stay here and the opportunity to be here to coach the Red Raiders for many years to come."
Texas hold 'em: Tech keeps Leach Mike Leach isn't going anywhere. Leach turned over the winning hand in his public poker game with Texas Tech and will stay in Lubbock. Tim Griffin • Complete coverage | Big 12 blog Weeks ago, Leach and Tech essentially settled on the financial terms of a five-year, $12.7 million deal. But Leach took issue with several clauses the school added when the sides were trading proposals. The provision that bothered Leach the most would have triggered his firing and a $1.5 million penalty if he interviewed for another job without getting permission from Myers, the athletic director. Leach's existing contract had no such restriction.
He was prepared to keep coaching under the remaining two years of a five-year, $10 million contract.
In the new contract that keeps Leach at Tech through 2013, 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.
Hance said he is confident in Leach will stick around for many years.
[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Matt Slocum Mike Leach is 76-39 and has taken Texas Tech to a bowl game every season."We'll just make that zero on the buyout," Hance said, recalling his conversation with Leach earlier in the day. "I know he's not leaving."
Myers said he has always wanted Leach to be Tech's coach.
"I think that got lost with all the rhetoric and speculation," Myers said. "To put it mildly this has been a tough negotiation, and it's good to get it behind us."
On Tuesday, the school's Board of Regents scheduled a special meeting hours before a second deadline passed without Leach accepting Tech's "last and final" offer. The board planned to meet Friday but that meeting was canceled once the deal was sealed.
The meeting was to have been in private to discuss Leach's status, but the coach requested a public hearing late Wednesday. Under state law, the board had to grant his request. Leach then met with Hance to discuss his contract.
The termination clause that led to the stalemate had been added after Leach flew to Seattle to interview for the Washington job in December. Myers wrote to Leach's agents that he didn't want the coach interviewing elsewhere, then returning to Lubbock without commenting to reporters. He said he didn't want to unreasonably withhold permission for Leach to talk to other schools, just that he wanted to know when Leach was doing it.
In their ninth season under Leach, the Red Raiders reached unprecedented heights in 2008. They went 10-0 for the first time and beat top-ranked Texas to secure the highest ranking in school history at No. 2. Texas Tech was knocked out of BCS contention with a blowout loss to Oklahoma, then fell to Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl to finish 11-2.
Public opinion seemed to favor Leach as the drama unfolded. A few dozen supporters rallied on his behalf Tuesday, the day before a Texas Tech alumnus and another fan took out a full-page ad in the Lubbock newspaper blasting the Texas Tech administration for its stance.
Leach was never fazed by the hoopla, even when it was suggested that Friday's planned board meeting could lead to his firing.
Architect of the nation's most prolific offense the past decade, Leach is 76-39 and has taken Texas Tech to a bowl game every season. He's six victories shy of Spike Dykes' school record of 82.
Good move, it would have been terrible if they fired him which it seemed as if they were going to because Leach disliked a few clauses in the contract.
The father of former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar, on Bob Stoops: "He and I both know that Oklahoma got off light and [Rhett] didn't. "He's never sold them out and he wouldn't. They're not innocent in this deal, trust me. ... Bob Stoops comes across as 'Mr. I Did The Right Thing' and there's stuff about Bob Stoops that if right now I told people, everybody would be saying, 'What?' " But we're not gonna do that. We're not gonna go that way, and you can't win those battles anyway. It's in the past, it's gone, this is America, everybody deserves a second chance."
NORMAN, Okla -- Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford wasn't ready to give up the life of a college quarterback -- not without a national championship.
The third-year sophomore quarterback will return to Oklahoma next season, passing on a chance to be a high NFL Draft pick.
"I've dreamed about playing at Oklahoma since I was little, and my three years here have been probably three of the best years of my life, and I really feel that there's no need to cut this experience short," Bradford said Wednesday at a news conference.
"I'm really looking forward to coming back and competing for a fourth straight Big 12 championship and another opportunity at a national championship."
Bradford led the nation with 50 touchdown passes and a quarterback rating of 180.8. He likely would have been one of the first quarterbacks taken in April's draft.
Instead, Bradford will take another run at a national championship with Oklahoma. The record-breaking quarterback led the Sooners to the BCS championship game this season, but they lost 24-14 to Florida.
"Obviously its frustrating to end with a loss and I want to come back and finish my career the right way: on a win," Bradford said. "I would say it had a little bit of an influence on my decision, but I really tried to keep that out of my mind because that could have limited myself to making the best decision for me."
Bradford also let it slip that tight end Jermaine Gresham and offensive lineman Trent Williams also decided not to enter the draft early. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has also said he'll be back for another season with the Sooners.
Looks like the Sooners are going to try to make up for last season. If they do and Bradford is sent to New York for the Heisman ceremonies, does he become one of the greatest college football players too?
I think Oklahoma might want to be a little more to the vest or Tebow could have a big game...
"I think our quarterbacks are better. Just the way they conduct themselves -- how they play on the field. playing against those guys, it's a lot harder to prepare for the those guys than it is Tebow."
"From my position, the way they throw the ball, going into a game, you know the quarterback is going to throw the ball 40 times a game versus going into a game, knowing he's only going to throw it 15 or 20. It makes it a lot harder to prepare for those guys."
Franks would go on to say that Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Graham Harrell are all better than Tebow and the best receivers are in the Big 12. This was in response to a question about if Oklahoma's pass defense is as bad as their 98th national rank. Apparently, if you play in a pitch and catch league, you automatically have a crummy pass defense. And Franks would appreciate it if you stop mentioning it.
"We're sick of hearing it," Franks said. "We're going to prove everybody wrong."
This would be huge for Texas Tech, but I bet his mind changes if Leach leaves. With his QB graduating and a new coach, it would be tough for him
Michael Crabtree was interviewed today by RedRaiderSports.com and was asked about his future at Texas Tech. When he was asked if he had any consideration at all for the NFL, Crabtree replied "No, not at all". He then was asked if that meant he was returning for next season he replied, "Yeah".
Crabtree's father told a reporter for the Dallas Morning News that he was shocked to learn that his son, told RedRaiderSports.com that he planned to return to Tech for his junior season.
"He hasn't told me that," Crabtree's father said. "We're pretty much leaning toward coming out. But it's up to him. If he wants to come back and win championships, I won't be mad at him."
1 2 >
Big Twelve
New Replies
Hot Topic (New)
Poll (New)
Locked Topic
Moved Topic
