• The KillerFrogs

Coaching Carousel- 2018

TechAdvisor

Active Member
This is a solid hire for Tech.

I tend to agree, not a home run or a complete bust but a solid hire.

"There are five coaches in Mountain West history who have won MWC coach of the year multiple times: Urban Meyer, Gary Patterson, Rocky Long, Sonny Lubick and new Texas Tech coach Matt Wells"

It certainly was a wild few days in Lubbock with a lot of drama but ultimately, I believe Kirby Hocutt landed his first choice.

In a statement last night Hocutt stated that he was on the phone with Wells on Sunday and interviewed Wells in Salt Lake City on Monday. Kliff was fired Sunday morning, meaning Wells was most likely Hocutt's first call. Hocutt knew exactly who he wanted and landed him.

As for the rest of the drama, the Holgerson interest was 100% real. I get the popular thing is going to be to disbelieve anything remotely positive about Texas Tech. However, multiple sources within the athletic department and two prominent boosters confirmed that the boosters were in contact with Holgerson. Holgerson agreed to meet with the boosters and Hocutt in Atlanta and contingent on an offer, Holgerson was ready to hold a press conference in Lubbock on Thursday, with Hocutt the boosters and Holgerson flying back to Lubbock on their jet.

This move was led by two prominent Texas Tech boosters that played for Leach and Holgerson, still keep in contact with Holgerson on a regular basis. They set this meeting up and told Hocutt that if he hires Holgerson, Kliff's buyout will be covered as well as all the funds needed to renovate the football stadium.

Hocutt balked on Thursday morning and declined to meet with Holgerson, stating that he's already gotten approval from the President to hire Wells and Wells was his guy.

This pissed the boosters off and they pulled their donation to renovate the football stadium.

Huge risky move by Hocutt as Holgerson would have been the splash hire and power move within the conference. Every Tech fan would have signed off on it, recruiting would have ticked up and ticket sales would have been good.

No one except Hocutt knows exactly why but my suspicion is that he's tired of the Leach coaching tree and the Tech boosters who are living in the past. Wants a clean slate to move forward on and he really likes Matt Wells.

Hocutt also interviewed Jim Leavitt, his former coach at KSU but the interview did not go well.

As far as Littrell, we don't know for sure if he got an interview but as he's part of the Leach tree, it would make sense not to hire him if you don't want Holgerson for that reason. I've also heard that Littrell makes it clear to everyone that his priority is the OU job and he will leave as soon as it becomes available.

I would have liked Holgerson, Littrell or Neal Brown. All good coaches but Hocutt has his reasons and he's made two home run hires in Tim Tadlock and Chris Beard, Tech fans really have no choice but to trust him here.
 
Denton Record Chronicle reporter indicating Littrell would be a candidate for the job. Family has a vacation home in Oklahoma and he was an grad assistant at Kansas. And those reasons are just as worthy as anything else reporters use these days. :rolleyes:

https://www.dentonrc.com/sports/rep...cle_8869c107-98fb-5134-897d-8749178484ce.html

I'm hearing the North Dakota State head coach.
 

TX_Krötenechse

Active Member
Littrell would be an interesting hire for KSU. Would bring Texas recruiting ties but a change in philosophy.

Also, if it’s true that Littrell is waiting for the OU job, that’s a dumb reason not to pursue him since it’s perfectly possible that Riley keeps that job for the next thirty years.

I get that most Tech fans wanted Holgerson but I just don’t see why Holgorsen would take the job. I seriously doubt Tech could or would pay more than WVU.

A random thought: with the hires we’ve seen so far, there are six schools with coaches who have won the national championship: Bama, Ohio State, Clemson, Texas A&M, freakin UNC and Kansas.
 

TechAdvisor

Active Member
I get that most Tech fans wanted Holgerson but I just don’t see why Holgorsen would take the job. I seriously doubt Tech could or would pay more than WVU.

Texas Tech was already paying Kliff Kingsbury more than Holgerson.
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Holgerson would have gotten a significant raise to come to Lubbock had Hocutt made the offer. One of the reasons he was willing to come.
 

Chongo94

Active Member
Littrell would be an interesting hire for KSU. Would bring Texas recruiting ties but a change in philosophy.

Also, if it’s true that Littrell is waiting for the OU job, that’s a dumb reason not to pursue him since it’s perfectly possible that Riley keeps that job for the next thirty years.

I get that most Tech fans wanted Holgerson but I just don’t see why Holgorsen would take the job. I seriously doubt Tech could or would pay more than WVU.

A random thought: with the hires we’ve seen so far, there are six schools with coaches who have won the national championship: Bama, Ohio State, Clemson, Texas A&M, freakin UNC and goddamn Kansas.

If it’s true the Double Eagle guys were willing to pony up, Holgo would’ve seen the money easy.
 

netty2424

Full Member
I tend to agree, not a home run or a complete bust but a solid hire.



It certainly was a wild few days in Lubbock with a lot of drama but ultimately, I believe Kirby Hocutt landed his first choice.

In a statement last night Hocutt stated that he was on the phone with Wells on Sunday and interviewed Wells in Salt Lake City on Monday. Kliff was fired Sunday morning, meaning Wells was most likely Hocutt's first call. Hocutt knew exactly who he wanted and landed him.

As for the rest of the drama, the Holgerson interest was 100% real. I get the popular thing is going to be to disbelieve anything remotely positive about Texas Tech. However, multiple sources within the athletic department and two prominent boosters confirmed that the boosters were in contact with Holgerson. Holgerson agreed to meet with the boosters and Hocutt in Atlanta and contingent on an offer, Holgerson was ready to hold a press conference in Lubbock on Thursday, with Hocutt the boosters and Holgerson flying back to Lubbock on their jet.

This move was led by two prominent Texas Tech boosters that played for Leach and Holgerson, still keep in contact with Holgerson on a regular basis. They set this meeting up and told Hocutt that if he hires Holgerson, Kliff's buyout will be covered as well as all the funds needed to renovate the football stadium.

Hocutt balked on Thursday morning and declined to meet with Holgerson, stating that he's already gotten approval from the President to hire Wells and Wells was his guy.

This pissed the boosters off and they pulled their donation to renovate the football stadium.

Huge risky move by Hocutt as Holgerson would have been the splash hire and power move within the conference. Every Tech fan would have signed off on it, recruiting would have ticked up and ticket sales would have been good.

No one except Hocutt knows exactly why but my suspicion is that he's tired of the Leach coaching tree and the Tech boosters who are living in the past. Wants a clean slate to move forward on and he really likes Matt Wells.

Hocutt also interviewed Jim Leavitt, his former coach at KSU but the interview did not go well.

As far as Littrell, we don't know for sure if he got an interview but as he's part of the Leach tree, it would make sense not to hire him if you don't want Holgerson for that reason. I've also heard that Littrell makes it clear to everyone that his priority is the OU job and he will leave as soon as it becomes available.

I would have liked Holgerson, Littrell or Neal Brown. All good coaches but Hocutt has his reasons and he's made two home run hires in Tim Tadlock and Chris Beard, Tech fans really have no choice but to trust him here.
All this sounds kick ass, but what does Hocutt care if there’s a Leach disciple in place as long as he’s doing his job?

Sounds like Hocutt has a bone to pick with some boosters if they handed him a blank check and he said no.

My guess is rumor.
 

Ron Swanson

Full Member
All this sounds kick ass, but what does Hocutt care if there’s a Leach disciple in place as long as he’s doing his job?

Sounds like Hocutt has a bone to pick with some boosters if they handed him a blank check and he said no.

My guess is rumor.
I understand trying to get away from the no-defense air raid style of football.

That is fun and great for schools who can’t recruit at the level necessary, but it can only get you so far.
 

TechAdvisor

Active Member
If it’s true the Double Eagle guys were willing to pony up, Holgo would’ve seen the money easy.

It's true, the Double Eagle guys confirmed it on a Tech board.

All this sounds kick ass, but what does Hocutt care if there’s a Leach disciple in place as long as he’s doing his job?

Sounds like Hocutt has a bone to pick with some boosters if they handed him a blank check and he said no.

My guess is rumor.

I completely agree with moving past Leach and all his disciples(if that's what Hocutt is doing here). It's time to move forward, Tech doesn't have first mover advantage on the Air Raid anymore.

Or maybe I'm completely wrong and it's not really about that. Hocutt just believes Matt Wells is the best coach for the job.

I understand trying to get away from the no-defense air raid style of football.

That is fun and great for schools who can’t recruit at the level necessary, but it can only get you so far.

Tech had first mover advantage back in 2000, was a great way to get lesser athletes in space and compete on scheme. It's great for fans, highly entertaining but scoring 50 and still losing gets old.

Now everyone(slight exaggeration) is running it, Tech has no schematic advantage. I'm okay with trying something else after 18 years running it.

*David Yost, Tech's new OC was a WR coach under Leach as Wazzou for a few years but he came up through the ranks at Toledo and Missouri under Gary Pinkel. While his offense does seem similar, I don't consider him a "Leach disciple", in the sense that Kingsbury, Cumbie, Holgerson, Littrell, Riley all are.
 

TechAdvisor

Active Member
Matt Wells is the first active head coach with 5+ years head coaching experience that Texas Tech has ever hired in program history, which kind of blows my mind.

Matt Wells is also the first active head coach(meaning a head coach when he was hired) hire that Texas Tech has had since Jerry Moore in 1981, which is also crazy to me.

All the others have been assistants promoted to head coach or Tommy Tuberville who Tech dug out of retirement.
 

Chongo94

Active Member
Matt Wells is the first active head coach with 5+ years head coaching experience that Texas Tech has ever hired in program history, which kind of blows my mind.

Matt Wells is also the first active head coach(meaning a head coach when he was hired) hire that Texas Tech has had since Jerry Moore in 1981, which is also crazy to me.

All the others have been assistants promoted to head coach or Tommy Tuberville who Tech dug out of retirement.

Advisor, remind my memory, was Wells the head coach or OC at Utah State when Chuckie Keaton was there?

Also, are the DC and strength coach coming as well? Thanks.
 

TechAdvisor

Active Member
Advisor, remind my memory, was Wells the head coach or OC at Utah State when Chuckie Keaton was there?

Sorry, I have no clue who that is.

Also, are the DC and strength coach coming as well? Thanks.

Yes, Keith Patterson the DC is coming and the S&C coach is coming, which Tech fans have mixed feelings about.

While Patterson's defensive stats at Utah State look good, not great, his stops as DC at WVU and ASU leave a lot to be desired.

Hate to lose Tech's current S&C Rusty Whitt, he was a hardass Marine and Tech has physically looked a lot bigger, haven't been pushed around as much these last two years. However, that comes with the territory with a coaching change.
 

Chongo94

Active Member
Sorry, I have no clue who that is.



Yes, Keith Patterson the DC is coming and the S&C coach is coming, which Tech fans have mixed feelings about.

While Patterson's defensive stats at Utah State look good, not great, his stops as DC at WVU and ASU leave a lot to be desired.

Hate to lose Tech's current S&C Rusty Whitt, he was a hardass Marine and Tech has physically looked a lot bigger, haven't been pushed around as much these last two years. However, that comes with the territory with a coaching change.

Gotcha, gracias. Did not know that about the DC.

Chuckie Keaton, by the way, was USU’s quarterback during one of their great seasons a few years ago. He was electric. Very much a mobile qb that could sling it. Just can’t remember if Wells was his head coach or OC during that time.
 

Ron Swanson

Full Member
Gotcha, gracias. Did not know that about the DC.

Chuckie Keaton, by the way, was USU’s quarterback during one of their great seasons a few years ago. He was electric. Very much a mobile qb that could sling it. Just can’t remember if Wells was his head coach or OC during that time.
Chuckie was fun to watch
 

MTfrog5

Active Member
Had a buddy that went to Snow JC and the Utah State. He was pretty excited for Wells. Will be interesting to see what he tries to change immediately
 
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