February 10, 2009

Tom Dienhart
Rivals.com College Football Senior Writer

Leach's agents at IMG wanted a contract extension before this past season but were rebuffed and told to wait. So Leach dutifully waited and turned in one of the greatest seasons in Texas Tech history ? an 11-2 record and a share of the school's first Big 12 South title.

Leach's reward? A contract that includes several provisions that Leach's agents find unacceptable. He has until Feb. 17 to accept or decline a contract he was presented in early January. Count on Leach's agents likely rejecting the deal, with Leach coaching out the final two years of a current contract that pays around $2 million per season.

After that, who knows where Leach will be coaching?

There are no issues with the financial terms of Tech's offer, which is a five-year, $12.7 million contract; that averages around $2.5 million per season, which would give Leach the third-highest salary in the Big 12, behind Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Texas' Mack Brown.

Instead, the clause causing the most consternation is one that would require Leach to receive permission from Tech before talking to other schools about jobs. If Leach didn't comply, he could be terminated and forced to pay $1.5 million.

Texas Tech officials have questioned Leach's loyalty to the school, claiming he has had a wandering eye. But IMG sources say that when Tennessee officials wanted to fly to west Texas this past season to interview Leach during Tech's off week following the Nov. 8 game against Oklahoma State, Leach refused, instead wanting to prepare for a big game with Oklahoma. That same week, Washington wanted to interview Leach in Dallas, but he refused for the same reasons. Leach eventually did interview with Washington after the season.

Leach also showed that Tech came first in 2007, when UCLA wanted to interview Leach before the Red Raiders' Gator Bowl game against Virginia. Leach didn't want the distraction and refused.

Tech also has taken issue with how IMG has negotiated, stating that IMG has sent information to the Texas Tech Board of Regents and not copied Tech athletic director Gerald Myers or the university's president and chancellor. IMG sources said the message was sent to the Board of Regents in response to several board members, alumni and boosters contacting Leach directly with questions and comments about the process, and to clarify that the issues were not about compensation. IMG also says Myers, the president and chancellor received the same email shortly after it was delivered to the board.

This is no way to treat a coach who will go down as the greatest in Tech history. Leach's success has elevated the profile of the program. His next victory will make him the school's career leader, and he has had the program in a bowl each season since taking over in 2000. During his eight seasons at Tech, the school has averaged 48,454 fans. In the six years before Leach arrived, Tech averaged 38,266.

Even better, Leach graduates his players. An NCAA report released last fall showed that Tech players graduated at a 79 percent clip from 1998-2001, which was tops in the Big 12 and the best among public Football Bowl Subdivision (i.e., Division I-A) schools.

What Tech is trying to do to Leach is shameful.

Is Tar Heels' assistant top Hurricanes target?
Miami still is in the market for a defensive coordinator after Bill Young left to become the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. It looks as if North Carolina assistant John Lovett could be the top contender. He is the special teams coach for the Tar Heels and also helps with the defense. Lovett has been a defensive coordinator at Auburn, Clemson, Ole Miss, Bowling Green and Maine.

Pitt needs a coordinator
Pittsburgh is in the market for an offensive coordinator with Matt Cavanaugh's departure to the New York Jets as a quarterbacks coach. Don't be shocked it Pitt targets Georgia State offensive coordinator John Bond. Other possibilities are former Miami University coach Shane Montgomery and Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements.

Utah's Whittingham still looking
Utah's staff is nearing completion. Rice running game coordinator/offensive line coach Blake Miller was hired as the Utes' offensive line coach Monday. And there's a chance former Utah quarterback Scott Mitchell will join coach Kyle Whittingham's staff as quarterbacks coach. Mitchell is coach at Springville (Utah) High.

More coaching buzz
Former Washington offensive coordinator Tim Lappano has taken a job coaching tight ends with the Detroit Lions. He is a former assistant with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. ? One name circulating to fill the Notre Dame defensive line job is former Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel. But an ex-Browns staffer tells me he would be shocked if Crennel took the post. Former Michigan defensive line coach Steve Stripling is another possibility. ? Former Eastern Michigan coach Jeff Genyk could be a top target to fill the special teams job at Maryland. ? Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says he's close to completing his first staff, needing to hire a linebackers and receivers coach. ? Auburn coach Gene Chizik still needs to fill out his staff, needing to hire two assistants on defense.

Tom Dienhart is a national senior writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dienhart@yahoo-inc.com.