Texas Tech needs to call Bobby Petrino or Butch Davis now

CINCINNATI, Ohio - Driving in and around The Queen City this morning it occured to me what a major slap in the face Tommy Tuberville just did to Texas Tech, to Lubbock and to all of Red Raider Nation.

Texas Tech gave the man a pretty good BCS caliber job and a ton of money when no other program would. Now he either figured he was this close to being fired, or he simply didn't like this job. Go with both.

His departure pretty much left everyone in Lubbock stunned. His arrival in Cincy was met with fanfare, and he said he is going to stay.

What a tremendous load of BS.

Tuberville never seemed like much of a fit for Red Raider nation, and despite some progress in the recruiting area it did not appear the Red Raiders were going to have one of those Mike Leach type of years under Tuberville.

This is such a slap to the entire program it's hard to fathom. TT left TT for an OK gig in whatever is left of The Big East. The facilities have been upgraded, but they're not like the ones he has in Texas. TT left to cash a fat check, and be comfortable for a program that is desperate to hang on to a winning head coach (the previous three all left for better jobs). 

Now is the time for Tech to make the right hire after the Leach fiasco.

The first call has to be to former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino. That or former University of Miami, North Carolina and Browns head coach Butch Davis.

UPDATE: PETRINO IS GOING TO BE THE NEW COACH AT WESTERN KENTUCKY.

Both come with a loooot of baggage, but both would be eager to get back into the game and grateful for an opportunity like this.

Tech may not be Texas, but it sure as hell should be better than Cincinnati.

Petrino may be a such and such and a real you know what, but the man wins football games on the football field. His arrival to Lubbock would cause a major bump in the Big 12. Before his personal life became a national punchline and forced his departure from Arkansas, he made that program nationally relevant in the brutal SEC West.

He has reportedly been talking to Arkansas State. Tech has to get in on this fast before he takes that job.

Davis did well at Miami and North Carolina before the recruiting disaster with assistant John Blake forced his departure. He is an assistant with the Tampa Bay Bucs right now. He reportedly has said he does not want to be a candidate for the Florida International job.

Enough time  has passed since these guys left Tech can spin the "Learned his lesson, second chance" line the alumni base should buy it.

Neither of these guys is clean and there is a certain risk element attached to both, but the upside could be significant for a program that just had its pride stepped on.

 

@MacEngelProf
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Comments

[Mike Burns]

So winning ball games trumps infidelity, dishonesty, gifting $25,000 from university funds to your mistress?
Petrino is a scumbag. Might want to rethink that one

[TAGZILLA]

Petrino could do a lot for Tech, and together they can heal their collectively poor national rep. Hire him and lock him in cheap.

[Mark]

Seriously... Tech should hire kliff kingsbury

[Jeff Cart]

Tuberville is a piece of human waste. I'm sorry to hear anyone is still giving him a coaching job. He is terrible.

[DougO]

Mac, your suggestion seems to be a return to the same model that just failed for Tech by hiring Tuberville. I'd go with Chad Morris.

[James]

Kingsbury would be perfect even without head coaching experience....

[TAGZILLA]

Kingsbury is gonna ride JFF for as long as possible. Then he can parlay that into a HC gig. Tech needs an experienced guy now, not a rookie. And yes, Tuberville is an over-rated clown.

[Carter Z.]

To call Tubberville a retard or maninmal would be to elevate him to a station he is not worthy of.

[Danny K.]

Way off base with this one. Google "Sam Fette" and Lawrenceburg High School. Not unlike Urban Meyer, I'm guessing that's a big reason why he left.

His wife is from greater Cincinnati and he has a budding young quarterback (his nephew) in the family. I think it's kind of cool, actually. He gets to work for a boss he's frendly with (the AD), he gets to be around family, probably gets to help coach up his nephew, AND still gets to keep his millions.

I'd take this gig in a minute.

[ridemi]

Tech should stay away from coaches with baggage they have had too many of them

[Scott Francesca]

can Tubberville be any more worthless?

[Ray Jae]

Tech is hurting bad. Leach was Leach. Tubberville was even worse. We need some real help real soon. I'm betting we hit the skids for the next 10 years or so. I love our guys but we have made some bad choices over the last couple of years.

[Blackie]

The Raider Nation wants Kliff, experience as HC or not. All HC's have to take that 'first job'. The reality is Kent Hance will not allow Kliff as he was a supporter of Leach. There were few players who stood up for Leach and Kliff was one of 'em. Hance is gonna figure a way to stick Tech Athletics one last time before he rides off into the sunset.

[Brent]

Patrino, are you our of your freakin mind. I don't want that jerk anywhere near my school or representing it. Have you seen how hot our women are. He wouldn't make it 2 minutes before he would have another wreck. Kingsbury in #1 Briles in a distant #2. NO ONE ELSE.

[James]

Have to admit I had not thought about either of these guys. Everyone seems so focused on Kliff. Tech really can not afford to discard any coach that could possibly make Tech relevant again on the future scene. If Petrino or Butch Davis would come, sign em quick. I guarantee the rest of the Big 12 would take notice if Petrino in particular came on board and I mean that in a way that is positive for the fear factor.

[RLCBugman]

As a Red Raider living in Chapel Hill, NC, I can tell you that Davis is a Hell of a Coach, as long as the Alums can raise unbelievable amounts of money, and give him a $500 k raise after a 5 / 6 season. Say good buy to Leaches offense, and hello to the Pro set drop back passer, and a good recruiting class of top defensive players. Proved to be some the best paid players in the NCAA.

[Greg H]

Big Mac- gotta get the real pic of Butch Davis up there. Who is the dude above. Come on man!