These are the coaches Texas Tech should avoid

In the search for Kliff Kingsbury’s replacement, plenty of names have been thrown out there. Dana Holgerson, Brent Venables, and Neil Brown are some good names that have connections to Texas Tech and would be good hires for this progam. There are however, some names that for one reason or another, shouldn’t be considered for this position and here they are!

Oregon Defensive Coordinator Jim Leavitt

This was an interesting one when I saw that he was being considered for the job, but the more I look into it, the more I think he might be on Kirby Hocutt’s short list for the job. Leavitt was Hocutt’s linebackers coach while he was in college.

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He does however, have a pretty huge piece of baggage with Leavitt as he was fired from his job as Head Coach of South Florida for striking a player and lying about it. There’s more about that here in this article by AP in 2010.

With the history of alleged player abuse with Mike Leach, I didn’t think that the University would want anyone that has any prior history with this kind of thing.

Former Baylor Head Coach Art Briles

Speaking of prior history. NEXT!

Houston Head Coach Major Applewhite

An awesome name is about the only thing that is awesome about Major Applewhite. He appears to be a fringe candidate for the job at the moment, but if everyone that Hocutt has on his short list says no or gets hired elsewhere, then Hocutt might have to look elsewhere including down south to Houston.

Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Applewhite is no way a bad coach and has no prior history, but that being said, I see some of the same things that I saw with Kliff Kingsbury. His team has kind of run out of gas at the end of the season, losing three of their last four games, Sound familiar?

Washington State Head Coach Mike Leach

Rumors are that there are a ton of donors that want Leach back. Even going as far as paying for Leach’s buyout, and paying for the 2009 season that the Red Raiders never paid Leach for. For some reason, I don’t want Leach back.

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Look Leach is a generational coach, but I don’t think he’s right for Texas Tech. This program needs someone that is going to work with Hocutt to make this program great, not someone that will go rogue whenever he wants. Don’t get me wrong, I am appreciative for what Mike Leach did for this school, but I don’t think Kirby Hocutt wants someone that will refuse to work with him and most likely hold 2009 over everyone’s head.