If Cumbie is Gone, How Should Texas Tech Improve Their Coaching Staff?

With the thought that Sonny Cumbie is off to TCU and we're left scratching our heads as to why, I took a very informal poll on Twitter yesterday morning to ask what type of coach. I left it open-ended, in part because it's Twitter, but also because I think questions are better left with letting you tell me what you think.

I try to stay positive and although I really like Cumbie as a human being, I think as Texas Tech fans, we need to think about how we can use this to get better. When the news of Cumbie was spreading, I couldn't help but think about how Texas Tech sure could use a true special teams coach. Safeties coach Trey Haverty had his hands full this year, but it was his first year to coach special teams and for my money, it was incredibly tough to watch some aspects of the special teams. This isn't to entirely blame it on Haverty. That's not it at all. Some of it was having a relatively inexperienced group of players, but I think there were some coaching rough edges.

I'm not all that worried about coordinating the offense. I'm comfortable with having the best in the business also be the head coach. But if Cumbie leaves, then that leaves only Eric Morris, Lee Hays and Mike Jinks as the only offensive assistant coaches. There's going to have to be someone there that coaches receivers, right?

My initial thought was to hire a special teams only guy, one that just focuses on that mythical third side of the ball, but now, I don't know how realistic that is. I think it also helps to have a guy like Stephen Hamby continuing work as a graduate assistant, especially, since he's played under a couple of different coaches for Texas Tech and "systems", if you will.

A handful of Twitter responders said that whoever is hired, recruiting must be the main focus. They essentially want a hired gun, a guy that just recruits and that's all he does.

One quick aside is a wild-card of a guy for the spot, which is Scott Parr, who coached recievers and tight ends at Tarleton State and was the offensive coordinator at West Texas A&M for a couple of high-flying offenses, averaging over 544 yards a game and 48 points a game. I'm like a lot of you, I'd love for this to be a more high profile hire, but Parr is pretty talented and he's been real good at what he does and he's been the director of player personnel for the past three years (yes, that includes two under Tuberville) and I'm guessing he has a pretty decent relationship with most high school coaches.

One other option would be to hire a guy similar to Mike Jinks. A guy that's been a highly successful high school head coach that has personal relationships with a handful of players and other coaches and can help recruit, especially in the 2014 class. Although, Jinks real value is coming in his first full season.

So let’s hear it. How can Texas Tech get better at that position and how can this hire make this team better? What would be your biggest focus as a head coach and if you have any names, I’d love to hear them.