LUBBOCK, Texas — Tommy Tuberville will inherit a proven spread offense when he returns to the sideline next season as Texas Tech’s new coach.
After a year away, Tuberville is taking over the reins of the Red Raiders. He replaces Mike Leach, who was fired last month amid allegations he mistreated a player who had suffered a concussion.
The school announced the hiring in a release Saturday and said that Tuberville would be introduced today.
Tuberville, who abandoned his attempt at implementing the spread offense halfway through his final season at Auburn in 2008, will lead an offense that routinely sends numerous receivers downfield and consistently put up gaudy numbers the past 10 seasons.
Tuberville stepped down at Auburn in December 2008, ending a 10-year tenure that included a perfect season and a string of teams that contended for Southeastern Conference championships.
The 55-year-old Tuberville was 85-40 at Auburn, including a 13-0 season in 2004, when the Tigers finished No. 2, won the SEC title for the first time in 15 years and Tuberville was named AP coach of the year.
A person close to the decision to hire Tuberville told The Associated Press that no contract has been signed but there is “an agreement in principle in place.”
McCoy comeback wasn’t in cards
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas’ football trainer said his staff could not clear quarterback Colt McCoy to return to the BCS championship game after he injured his right throwing shoulder in the Longhorns’ 37-21 loss to Alabama.
Trainer Kenny Boyd said in a statement released by the school that McCoy “wanted to go back in the game . . . (but) we couldn’t clear him to do that.”
McCoy was hurt on Texas’ fifth offensive play and didn’t take another snap in his final game.
“Colt sustained a nerve injury involving his right shoulder that prevented him from returning to the game. The injury caused numbness and weakness in his arm that prevented him from throwing with the strength or accuracy he needed,” Boyd said. “The weakness in his shoulder also put him at risk of greater injury. From the time of the injury, we were continually treating and re-evaluating him, but he wasn’t able to regain the strength he needed to get back on the field.”
Hail from the chief.
A day after Barack Obama called Alabama coach Nick Saban to congratulate him on the Crimson Tide’s title, the president called Longhorns coach Mack Brown to praise him for his team’s season.
The Associated Press
