Texas Tech fires FB Coach Matt Wells

The prior Texas Tech coach (who was fired), Kliff Kingsbury (2013-2018), coaches the Arizona Cardinals. I don't follow the NFL that closely, but I see that they are currently 7-0.

It's gated, but it is such a good article I am going to link it. The Wall Street Journal had a really good feature article this last Friday (Oct. 22, print edition) on their QB Kyler Murray:


The article raises issues that are brought up on this board, it seems to me, about Purdy -- whether or how much he might be allowed to do his own thing.
They gave Kingsbury 6 years, and he topped out at 4-5 in the conference, including with Mahomes. Basically they could always score points, including a couple top 5 scoring offenses, but they were always pure trash on defense.

Some guys maybe are just cut out for the NFL and some are meant to coach in college. These are two very different worlds and jobs.
 
Thought it was a little crazy at first but the more I think about it the more sense it makes. You look at their schedule and 5-3 is a bit misleading. Beat some pretty bad non-conference teams. Got 70 hung on them by Texas. I do think there's some merit to the idea if you know it's not working cut bait and start working towards a solution.

This is about the only defensible rationale. If you have realized he isn't the guy, that he isn't up to the task, then yeah its time to move on. But even if that is the case, does it really do much good to fire him with 4 games left?

Maybe if you think Cumbie might be the guy, a la Ryan Day, and you want to give him a low-risk test drive; I suppose that might make sense. If he wins a game or two against the remaining schedule, you could maybe get the fan base to buy in.
 
On the surface, this firing looks hasty, arrogant, etc. But looking under the surface a bit, the program seems to be going backwards in most every area, as others have pointed out. Not a good look for year 3. The KSU loss last Saturday was brutal...PF penalty against TT on a 3rd-and-34 to extend the KSU game-winning drive...added to a bad loss to TCU, added to a bad, bad loss to UT. Recruiting is not good, and the coach seems to have almost open disdain for his community. On paper anyway, there is not much hope for things getting better.
 
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This is about the only defensible rationale. If you have realized he isn't the guy, that he isn't up to the task, then yeah its time to move on. But even if that is the case, does it really do much good to fire him with 4 games left?

Maybe if you think Cumbie might be the guy, a la Ryan Day, and you want to give him a low-risk test drive; I suppose that might make sense. If he wins a game or two against the remaining schedule, you could maybe get the fan base to buy in.

Yep. Cumbie has had success at TTU and TCU as an OC and is a former TTU QB. They can give him a test drive and see how the team responds to him.

I also wonder if the AD was butting heads a little with Wells. No one seemed to like him, even when he won a few games.
 
This is about the only defensible rationale. If you have realized he isn't the guy, that he isn't up to the task, then yeah its time to move on. But even if that is the case, does it really do much good to fire him with 4 games left?

Maybe if you think Cumbie might be the guy, a la Ryan Day, and you want to give him a low-risk test drive; I suppose that might make sense. If he wins a game or two against the remaining schedule, you could maybe get the fan base to buy in.
By firing Wells now, they are also getting a head start on other coaching candidates. There is some uncertainty now surrounding the Big 12 with the UT/OU defection, TV deal uncertainty, etc., so the conference is a harder sell. TT can get their sales pitch in a few ears now, ahead of the noise of the coaching change free-for-all at season's end.
 
Firing Mike Leach because he was a big meanie to a few players is going as well for Texas Tech as Kansas firing Mangino for being a big meanie to a few players.
Well he was being a meanie to an ESPN commentators son. We all know how ESPN's modus operandi, "**** them kids". I remember after the story broke it was just non-stop for ESPN. One could argue they've done as much damage to college sports as the NCAA.
 
Not sure why some of you are shocked....Texas Tech while yes, they are 5-3, will probably lose the remainder of their games and they've shown no improvement in the time he's been in Lubbock...Texas Tech fans know the insides of the program better than we do obviously and they've clearly seen enough. The rumored replacements are quality
 
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