The Leach Effect

With the UCLA job opening up, we are hearing Leach-talk again. And I am again hearing from the ignorant masses that what Leach did at Texas Tech wasn't all that impressive - e.g., he may have scored a lot of points, but he never won a conference championship. This view is the result of ignorance and bias, and I hope to do my part to relieve that.

1) Tech was more than a quick strike offense. Leach was consistently winning 9 games against a very difficult schedule, and that takes more than a high-flying offense. People forget that Tech was playing in the best offensive division in the country and they gave up a few points as a result, but the Tech D was getting better. Since Tubberville's arrival, the opponent's numbers on the scoreboard have gotten bigger, not smaller. 

2) Have you ever been to Lubbock? To criticize Leach for not winning a Big 12 title is missing the point. That he was competing for a Big 12 South title against OU and Texas in less than a decade after arriving is remarkable - west Texas has more cows than people, let alone D1 talent. Leach was worth at least 2 wins a season during his stay and the program was on its way up.