Shooter Now: Mike Leach interested in coaching Gophers under the right conditions

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"Under right conditions"

That seems to prove the point Doogie made right when the search started. His sources said Leach was too much of a diva or Prima-donna for most schools.
 

His "right conditions" are 1, a place committed to winning 2, a commitment to academics and 3, an athletic director and president working together with the football coach. We can argue if that describes the U, but I don't think it describes Leach as a prima donna.
 

I have mixed feeling on Leach and whether or not he would be the right man for the job. I have questions about him... his public perception, style of play, etc...

BUT, I am very disappointed in the U to have a coach of this caliber willing to coach and we haven't gave him the time of day or even talk to him. Obviously, what he did was bad enough to get him fired. People change, not saying he did or not, but what does a conversation with him hurt?
 

MNfootballfan said:
I have mixed feeling on Leach and whether or not he would be the right man for the job. I have questions about him... his public perception, style of play, etc...

BUT, I am very disappointed in the U to have a coach of this caliber willing to coach and we haven't gave him the time of day or even talk to him. Obviously, what he did was bad enough to get him fired. People change, not saying he did or not, but what does a conversation with him hurt?
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+1

Explore all possibilites in my opinion, can't hurt.
 


MNfootballfan said:
I have mixed feeling on Leach and whether or not he would be the right man for the job. I have questions about him... his public perception, style of play, etc...

BUT, I am very disappointed in the U to have a coach of this caliber willing to coach and we haven't gave him the time of day or even talk to him. Obviously, what he did was bad enough to get him fired. People change, not saying he did or not, but what does a conversation with him hurt?
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Agree, but I think this is going to be Leach's schtick for at least the next few years. All of those conditions are extremely nebulous and can be crafted to fit the situation at hand. Number 3 is kind of laughable, as the coach works with the athletic director but both of them work for the university president. It sounds as though he's been spending a lot of time with Bobby Knight.

He's a good coach and we should look at him.
 

I couldn't get the link to work...
 

No one will hire him!

I am sure Leach won't find a coaching job anytime soon. His style and how he deals with the admin. takes him out of the picture. No school needs that kind of BS.
 

If I was to take a chance, this is the type of guy I would take a chance on. The Bobby Knight comparison may be right on.
 



gophergrad said:
His "right conditions" are 1, a place committed to winning 2, a commitment to academics and 3, an athletic director and president working together with the football coach. We can argue if that describes the U, but I don't think it describes Leach as a prima donna.
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You really think he is going to tell all his demands to the press? Those are some things that he is looking for, but not everything. At least I don't believe it is.
 

How bad do we really wanna win? Proven winning coach at the major BCS level. TT is very similar to MN. It seems lik the obvious and most logical choice. To not even consider him and go for a less proven mid-major coach is doing our program a huge disservice. We'll regret it in the future if we don't hire him, bank on it!
 

It might be 5-10 years before someone hires Leach again. It will a school, a la Georgia State, that is starting a program or upgrading to D1. This guy is more poison to a program's image than a plus...at least for 5-10 years. Time heals all.
 

After reading that, he is on my list of 4. Not that anyone will ask me, but why not show the guy some interest. All he does is win and graduate players.
 



dlw4gophers said:
After reading that, he is on my list of 4. Not that anyone will ask me, but why not show the guy some interest. All he does is win and graduate players.
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I agree with you D, but he is a pariah right now and no BCS school will touch him. He will not get a BCS job on his next go-around. Maybe the next-next one...
 

Gophers507 said:
How bad do we really wanna win? Proven winning coach at the major BCS level. TT is very similar to MN. It seems lik the obvious and most logical choice. To not even consider him and go for a less proven mid-major coach is doing our program a huge disservice. We'll regret it in the future if we don't hire him, bank on it!
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Hey man I wanna win just like everyone else.

I am a member of Hire Mike Leach on facebook and follow it on Twitter. Mike Leach is my number one choice.

However, it is obvious that the Gophers are not going to take the risk on him. That means I have to find reasons to rationalize the decision. His prima-dona attitude, somewhat sketchy past and other things must be enough to keep several schools away.
 

Just to make it clear, I wasn't comparing to Bobby Knight in a good way. Both these guys are good coaches. That much is clear. But they both seem to want to work things on their terms and their terms alone. Texas Tech was Leach's first big job and my guess is he is going to want to orchestrate where he goes and his terms of employment (and not accept criticism as part of the deal) at his next stop.
 

Gophers507 said:
How bad do we really wanna win? Proven winning coach at the major BCS level. TT is very similar to MN. It seems lik the obvious and most logical choice. To not even consider him and go for a less proven mid-major coach is doing our program a huge disservice. We'll regret it in the future if we don't hire him, bank on it!
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Pretty much.
 


Tx_Gopher said:
Honest question: How so?
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Well I just meant in our situations. TT pre-leach hiring and MN now (should have clarified that)

Both not really known as consistent winning programs. Haven't really won all that much in the last 20-25 years. Almost the same overall win % TT=.562 MN=.580

Both thought of as tougher places to coach and recruit. TT because all of the other (many elite) D-1 football programs in Texas and Ok. Tech hasn't historically been where a lot of the top recruits in Texas aim to go. From my understanding historically Tech gets most of the guys left over from Ok, Texas, LSU, and even A&M.

Minnesota is also thought of as tough place to coach and recruit due to location, weather, not many top recruits, not really on the radar of many big recruits, history of firing coaches, (in the past) facilities. etc etc.

We're both underdogs. Leach did it there. He can do it here.
 

OK. That makes sense.

The one thing I would note is that Leach took over a program that was decent--though not spectacular. Spike Dykes had taken the program from the old Southwest Conference to the Big 12. Dykes also had a winning record in the four years he coached in the Big 12.

It's a bit of post-hoc rationaiizing, but Tech also touts that this is the 18th straight year that it's been "bowl-eligible." That's seven years before Leach and this year with Tuberville (although two of those years Dykes).

Otherwise, I agree with your comparisons.
 

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