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11/7/2006, 07:27 PM
Leach tells his critics to get over it
By DAVE SITTLER Tulsa World Sports Columnist
11/7/2006
If you're offended by a coach who would run up the score on his mother, then you probably are not a real big fan of Texas Tech coach Mike Leach.
Leach, Oklahoma's former offensive coordinator, will return to Norman for Saturday's 6 p.m. contest against the Sooners. As usual, some controversy will accompany Leach on the trip.
The latest Leach flap occurred in Tech's 55-21 win last Saturday over Baylor. Some Bears fans were offended when Leach challenged a ruling on the field with two minutes, 5 seconds left, which resulted in the call being overturned and the Red Raiders awarded a fumble recovery.
After the game, Baylor coach Guy Morriss said he had no problem with the challenge, but then he added: "If the day ever comes, we're going to try to hang 75 (points) on their a--. I guarantee you that."
Tech's unpredictable and often eccentric coach was low-key on Monday's teleconference when asked about Morriss' goal to score 75 points on a Leach-coached team.
"I would just hope that we'd be lucky enough to score 76," Leach said.
Leach's high-powered, wide-open passing attack certainly is capable of hanging 76 points on an opponent. And some have taken offense to "Mad Mike's" thirst for wringing every point possible
out of every game.
To which Leach has replied: Get over it, or deal with it.
"This country in general has gotten to where everybody is a master at finding offense at anything," Leach said. "When I get older, I'm going to try to be very artful at being offended by everything.
"I don't have time now. But there's got to be something enjoyable about finding offense to everything, and hopefully some time in my life I'll have time to dwell on it long enough to enjoy it."
Leach, who has a law degree, is normally found defending his team's offense after another high-scoring contest. But he was also up to the task Monday when called on to explain why he stood up for his defense against the Bears.
While his critics felt Leach should have let the clock run out and get the blowout of the Bears over with, the Tech coach said his challenge on the fumble recovery shouldn't have created any controversy.
"If there is a controversy, it's really a stupid controversy," he said. "If there's a controversy on that (call), there's a starvation for controversy.
"Our defense worked real hard to get turnovers all week (in practice). Whoever caused the turnover, whoever got the turnover . . . they deserve credit for the turnover. They should be awarded accordingly for their efforts. Ain't nothing controversial about it."
Leach became only the second Big 12 coach to have a challenge overturned this season. And after he won it, he had his offense back on the move to score more points, but the clock ran out before the Raiders could put up another touchdown.
"People ask me all the time about when Mike puts a ton of points on people and other coaches start fussing," said Morriss. "I don't have a problem with that."
Perhaps Morriss is more tolerant with Leach because they worked together as assistants on staffs at Valdosta State and Kentucky.
"My job is to keep (opponents) out of the end zone," Morriss said. "That's what I need to be worrying about
"He (Leach) is just doing what he asks his kids to do. What are you going to do, send them out there and say, 'Hey guys, we don't want to score this time?' That's crazy."
Leach also said he understood Morriss' heated comments immediately after the game when he added, "Football's frustrating, and all teams want to play well."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Sittler 581-8312
[email protected]
By DAVE SITTLER Tulsa World Sports Columnist
11/7/2006
If you're offended by a coach who would run up the score on his mother, then you probably are not a real big fan of Texas Tech coach Mike Leach.
Leach, Oklahoma's former offensive coordinator, will return to Norman for Saturday's 6 p.m. contest against the Sooners. As usual, some controversy will accompany Leach on the trip.
The latest Leach flap occurred in Tech's 55-21 win last Saturday over Baylor. Some Bears fans were offended when Leach challenged a ruling on the field with two minutes, 5 seconds left, which resulted in the call being overturned and the Red Raiders awarded a fumble recovery.
After the game, Baylor coach Guy Morriss said he had no problem with the challenge, but then he added: "If the day ever comes, we're going to try to hang 75 (points) on their a--. I guarantee you that."
Tech's unpredictable and often eccentric coach was low-key on Monday's teleconference when asked about Morriss' goal to score 75 points on a Leach-coached team.
"I would just hope that we'd be lucky enough to score 76," Leach said.
Leach's high-powered, wide-open passing attack certainly is capable of hanging 76 points on an opponent. And some have taken offense to "Mad Mike's" thirst for wringing every point possible
out of every game.
To which Leach has replied: Get over it, or deal with it.
"This country in general has gotten to where everybody is a master at finding offense at anything," Leach said. "When I get older, I'm going to try to be very artful at being offended by everything.
"I don't have time now. But there's got to be something enjoyable about finding offense to everything, and hopefully some time in my life I'll have time to dwell on it long enough to enjoy it."
Leach, who has a law degree, is normally found defending his team's offense after another high-scoring contest. But he was also up to the task Monday when called on to explain why he stood up for his defense against the Bears.
While his critics felt Leach should have let the clock run out and get the blowout of the Bears over with, the Tech coach said his challenge on the fumble recovery shouldn't have created any controversy.
"If there is a controversy, it's really a stupid controversy," he said. "If there's a controversy on that (call), there's a starvation for controversy.
"Our defense worked real hard to get turnovers all week (in practice). Whoever caused the turnover, whoever got the turnover . . . they deserve credit for the turnover. They should be awarded accordingly for their efforts. Ain't nothing controversial about it."
Leach became only the second Big 12 coach to have a challenge overturned this season. And after he won it, he had his offense back on the move to score more points, but the clock ran out before the Raiders could put up another touchdown.
"People ask me all the time about when Mike puts a ton of points on people and other coaches start fussing," said Morriss. "I don't have a problem with that."
Perhaps Morriss is more tolerant with Leach because they worked together as assistants on staffs at Valdosta State and Kentucky.
"My job is to keep (opponents) out of the end zone," Morriss said. "That's what I need to be worrying about
"He (Leach) is just doing what he asks his kids to do. What are you going to do, send them out there and say, 'Hey guys, we don't want to score this time?' That's crazy."
Leach also said he understood Morriss' heated comments immediately after the game when he added, "Football's frustrating, and all teams want to play well."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Sittler 581-8312
[email protected]