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

Briles, McNeil, Tuberville, Dykes, Fedora Lead Texas Tech’s List

With Baylor head coach Art Briles mentioned as possibly the leading candidate to replace Mike Leach at Texas Tech, Baylor is trying to quell speculation that Briles might be enticed to leave Waco after only two seasons. Briles has affirmed his commitment to leading the Bears’ football program, school officials announced Friday. “I am proud to be a Baylor Bear and remain committed to making this program a source of pride for the Baylor family,” Briles said in a statement. Texas Tech already has said that interim head coach Ruffin McNeill is under consideration. Other candidates could be Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes, Southern Mississippi coach Larry Fedora and former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville. Dykes is the son of former Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes. – San Antonio Express-News

Texas Tech Fires Mike Leach

Texas Tech fired coach Mike Leach on Wednesday, two days after he was suspended by the school as it investigated his treatment of a player with a concussion. “I’m very sad to say there’s only one person to blame for this and it’s Mike Leach,” Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance told The Associated Press. Jerry Turner, vice chairman of the university system’s board of regents, said “other things” came to light during an investigation of Leach’s treatment of receiver Adam James. Turner declined to elaborate about the other issues. Later, in a telephone interview with ESPN’s Rece Davis, Hance said: “I like him and I wanted him to be my coach, but insubordination and this type of activity just cannot be permitted.” Leach was in San Antonio with his team, which is preparing for the Alamo Bowl against Michigan State on Saturday, when he learned of his firing. Later Wednesday, he issued a statement to the media. Saying he was proud of turning the program around and upping the school’s graduation rate, Leach then blasted groups related to the university. “Over the past several months there have been individuals in the Texas Tech administration, Board of Regents and booster groups who have dealt in lies and continue to do so,” the statement read. “These lies have led to my firing [Wednesday]. I steadfastly refuse to deal in any lies and am disappointed that I have not been afforded the opportunity for the truth to be known. “Texas Tech’s decision to deal in lies and fabricate a story which led to my firing includes, but is not limited by, the animosity remaining from last year’s contract negotiations. I will not tolerate such retaliatory action. Additionally, we will pursue all available legal remedies.” In the statement, Leach did not explain how he felt the school was lying. He said his reputation had been damaged but that “there will be time to answer questions about this issue in the future, but the serious legal nature of this situation prevents me from going into further detail at this time.” – ESPN

Craig James hounded Mike Leach to play son more

Texas Tech continues to investigate a complaint from Adam James and his family, but Mike Leach backers wonder why he was suspended before the investigation was complete. “They never even told him why he was suspended,” a source said. “There’s nothing more to investigate. The source said Craig James has been “hounding these coaches at Texas Tech - not just Mike - all year” for more playing time for Adam James. “They suspended him because a family is upset about the kid’s playing time,” the source said. “That’s what it is. [Leach] didn’t do anything wrong with this kid. “James wanted Mike, No. 1, to promise that his son would be a starter next year, which you can’t do.” Craig James did not return a telephone call seeking comment. – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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