Mike Leach expects to be coaching in 2011

Mike Leach, who is Texas Tech’s all-time winningest coach with an 84-43 record and 10 bowl appearances in 10 seasons, is optimistic about being back on the sideline for the 2011 season. “I don’t have a crystal ball on that,” Leach said. “But I don’t guess they’ve heard the last of me.” – Star-Telegram

Pac-10 to explore expansion; could add six teams

The Pac-10 concluded its meetings Sunday by giving commissioner Larry Scott the authority to pursue any possible expansion, while not committing the conference to adding any more schools. Scott addressed the chancellors and presidents on the final day of the weekend meeting about possible expansion scenarios and was given permission to move ahead with the process without having to go back to the board for approval. “What direction that process takes still could go in different directions,” Scott said. “Everything from remaining as we are as a Pac-10 that has some very bright days ahead of it, to a bigger conference foot print. I have the authority to take it different directions depending on various scenarios and discussions we will have.” The conference will decide its future plans by the end of the year before negotiating a new television contract for the 2012-13 academic year. The Pac-10 administrators arrived in San Francisco this weekend to a report that the conference was ready to invite Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado from the Big 12 to create a 16-team megaconference. There has also been a report that Baylor could replace Colorado in that scenario or the Pac-10 could choose to keep the status quo or add only two teams in a smaller move. – AP

Tuberville to start new tradition at Texas Tech

Texas Tech football is set to host its annual spring game April 17 at 1 p.m. on campus at Jones AT&T Stadium, the University announced in a release. The Red Raiders hope to simulate a “real-gameday” atmosphere, and Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville hopes to set the tone with a new tradition he wants to instill called the “Red Raider Walk.” Tuberville has said he hopes to have the Red Raider football team walk through tailgates on their way to the stadium on gamedays later this fall. The new tradition will kick off before the spring game. – Dallas Morning News

Texas Tech reports recruiting violations

Texas Tech filed a report with the NCAA in the summer of 2009, acknowledging violations in three sports, including football, of the NCAA’s ban on text-messaging recruits. Tech has already self-imposed penalties in football that included giving up one scholarship for 2010 and reducing the number of campus visits to four fewer recruits than the program’s average over the last four years. New Tech coach Tommy Tuberville recruited under those restrictions in the month leading up to Wednesday’s national signing day. – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

ECU hires Ruffin McNeill

East Carolina University chose someone from its past to lead the school into its football future. A week-long search by the university for a new head football coach ended Thursday with the hiring of 51-year-old ECU alum Ruffin McNeill as the next man to lead the Pirates and the 20th football coach in school history. McNeill most recently was the interim head coach at Texas Tech, where he guided the Red Raiders to a victory over Michigan State at the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2. Before that, McNeill served as Tech’s defensive coordinator under head coach Mike Leach. McNeill replaces Skip Holtz, who announced he was leaving ECU last week to become the next head coach at South Florida. – Daily Reflector

Texas Tech AD denies interest in Alabama DC Kirby Smart

Tech athletic director Gerald Myers denied reports Thursday afternoon and again Thursday evening that Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart had joined the mix. Citing unnamed sources, Dallas ESPN radio affiliate 103.3 FM reported Tech planned to talk to Smart after Alabama’s season ended with Thursday night’s BCS national championship game. “That’s something that I’m not aware of,” Myers said Thursday afternoon. “I know he’s a good young coach and a good young prospective coach, but at this point we haven’t made any plans to contact him.” – Avalanche-Journal

DC Ruffin McNeil getting second Texas Tech interview

Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers met again with interim coach/defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill for an hour Thursday about the school’s vacant head coaching job. McNeill interviewed for about three hours Monday in his quest to become Mike Leach’s successor, and former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville had a seven-hour interview Tuesday. McNeill said Thursday’s interview consisted of more talk about his philosophy and what he believes in concerning the players’ activities on and off the field. “I told him what I think is important is the current players - recruiting, somebody that knows the university, somebody that knows the alumni, the donors,” McNeill said. – Dallas Morning News

Tuberville, Bowden Surface at Texas Tech

Texas Tech’s hunt to replace Mike Leach could include two Tommys, both of whom have a resume item that’s hard to come by: an undefeated season. Tommy Tuberville, who guided Auburn to a 13-0 campaign in 2004, and Tommy Bowden, who led Tulane to a 12-0 record in 1998, are on Tech’s list of four to five candidates to replace Leach. Tuberville will get an interview with Tech on Wednesday, Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said. Tuberville declined to comment Monday, but he told The Avalanche-Journal on Sunday he’d keep the wide-open Leach offense in place. “He expressed some interest in the job, and we talked and we’re going to talk to him,” Myers said. “That’s about all I can comment on.” It’s unknown whether Tech will offer the job before the search process winds around to Bowden, who is another of the four or five candidates under consideration. – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Ruffin McNeill interviews for Texas Tech job

What started as an informal interview Monday for Texas Tech interim coach Ruffin McNeill quickly turned into three separate formal interviews. McNeill met for an hour each with Tech president Guy Bailey, chancellor Kent Hance and athletic director Gerald Myers in his bid to become the next Red Raiders head coach. Because the interview process was sped up, Myers said there’s no need to bring McNeill back for another interview. “It was pretty thorough today, and I would say it was more than informal,” Myers said. “He had a chance to talk about his program and his plan and what he wants to do, and he did a good job of that.” McNeill, 51, hopes to succeed Mike Leach, who was fired Wednesday. Others who are expected to get a shot at the job include TCU coach Gary Patterson, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin, and former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville. Myers said he has no timetable in mind. – Dallas Morning News

Tuberville says still no contact from Texas Tech

Former Mississippi and Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said last week he is interested in the Texas Tech job, but there’s no indication that Tech is reciprocating the interest. Tuberville said Sunday he hasn’t heard anything from Tech. “I’d love to talk to them,” he said. “In our business, you never know what people are looking for.” Tuberville, 55, was head coach from 1995 through 1998 at Ole Miss, where he went 25-20. He was head coach from 1999 through 2008 at Auburn, where his record was 85-40, including a 13-0 season in 2004. – Avalanche-Journal

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