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Barry Switzer endorces Mike Leach

That's a very thick Arkansas coaching network. Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson played for Frank Broyles at Arkansas, where Barry Switzer was an assistant coach. Johnny Majors and Hayden Fry were also on that staff, which is considered to be one of the greatest staffs of all time.

Barry Switzer and Leach are close buddies. I'm not sure Arkansas is interested in Leach, but if they offer, I'm convinced Leach would accept the position.
 
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Read an article the other day, series of Arkansas sportswriters chiming in on Leach. Consensus was they didn't want him because they didn't seem to think Arkansas produced enough air raid style QBs. As if Falk, Minshew and Gordon all graduated from Pullman High. I did not disabuse them of their sentiment.
 
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Brent H. said:
Arkansas fan thinks they’re too good for Leach.
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I hope that's true. UT must be shedding a tear right about now. They would have been so dangerous with CML. They have a real program pedigree which is not that far in the rear view, they have some great NFL stories, they can win recruiting battles anywhere, one of the great stadiums in CFB, a respectable conference but a vulnerable division, they would be the one game on an opponent's schedule that was hard to prepare for as it would be one of the few nontraditional offenses they'll face in a year... in fact, that might have produced the hubris that made many fans turn their noses up. Those same fans watch UT open up with a loss to Georgia State at home...
 
chipdouglas said:
I hope that's true. UT must be shedding a tear right about now. They would have been so dangerous with CML. They have a real program pedigree which is not that far in the rear view, they have some great NFL stories, they can win recruiting battles anywhere, one of the great stadiums in CFB, a respectable conference but a vulnerable division, they would be the one game on an opponent's schedule that was hard to prepare for as it would be one of the few nontraditional offenses they'll face in a year... in fact, that might have produced the hubris that made many fans turn their noses up. Those same fans watch UT open up with a loss to Georgia State at home...
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Yeah, I never wanted to say it at the time, but that was really a good opportunity for both Leach and Tennessee for all the reasons you cite. Their fans and administration are deluded.

He would have made things very interesting there, and if I wasn't so vested in keeping Leach at WSU, I'd have been all for that in terms of personal interest in seeing what he could do there over time with resources and the kind of players he could get there. Would be fun as all hell to have the Air Raid, especially him, in the SEC.

Arkansas is a similar setup in certain ways but inferior in all respects.
 
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IMO, Arkansas is moving down the ladder. It isnt even a lateral job to WSU. In fact, it is worse than any PAC 12 job.

You arent gonna get thru your side of the division in a Cinderella season. Too many huge money schools.

You will never compete for a title.

You will never get to the playoffs.

Frankly, the easiest path the the playoffs is thru the PAC 12. Not many huge $ schools, not many schools paying off recruits, no murderers row in your schedule.

Dont forget the media circus in the SEC...
 
BiggsCoug said:
IMO, Arkansas is moving down the ladder. It isnt even a lateral job to WSU. In fact, it is worse than any PAC 12 job.

You arent gonna get thru your side of the division in a Cinderella season. Too many huge money schools.

You will never compete for a title.

You will never get to the playoffs.

Frankly, the easiest path the the playoffs is thru the PAC 12. Not many huge $ schools, not many schools paying off recruits, no murderers row in your schedule.

Dont forget the media circus in the SEC...
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And don't forget that Arkansas had 3x 10+ win seasons within the same time period that the SEC + Clemson started winning all the crystal footballs. Sub-500 seasons were the exception, notwithstanding the ultra-tough division.

IE, once he has them back over 0.500, expect a ton of "hot seat" talk because Leach isn't taking them to the promised land with annual victories over perennial Top 10 Auburn, LSU & Alabama.

By contrast, WSU's average season was a bad season in Fayetteville. It'll be awhile until we're convinced we don't need Leach. Arkansas is pointed in the direction we just escaped from but still has the downside of huge, unrealistic expectations
 
chipdouglas said:
And don't forget that Arkansas had 3x 10+ win seasons within the same time period that the SEC + Clemson started winning all the crystal footballs. Sub-500 seasons were the exception, notwithstanding the ultra-tough division.

IE, once he has them back over 0.500, expect a ton of "hot seat" talk because Leach isn't taking them to the promised land with annual victories over perennial Top 10 Auburn, LSU & Alabama.

By contrast, WSU's average season was a bad season in Fayetteville. It'll be awhile until we're convinced we don't need Leach. Arkansas is pointed in the direction we just escaped from but still has the downside of huge, unrealistic expectations
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Chip just nailed it on the head. I disagree with the idea that he can't compete. SEC schedules are absolutely geared to get their "good" teams to 8-4 or 9-3 every year. Leach could do that in a heartbeat there. The problem is that it wouldn't be good enough in the long run and it would only be a matter of time before fans would start wanting someone "better".
 
The coach they just fired was only there for a year? or was it two years? they did have a 4.6 million payroll for assistants.

Looking for Arkansas info, I did see a law firm ad:

"Are you being sexually harassed at work" We can help!
They had offices in Fayetteville and Little Rock.

Apparently it's a problem in Arkansas
 
My biggest fear was that a tier 2/3 team would nab Leach. Arkansas is a great fit. Any of you who think he wouldn't take this job are nuts. A much better history and a current "low bar". He can do nothing but be a hero - and make 6M/year in front of 72K fans. Not a bad move.
 
billyjoecamaro said:
My biggest fear was that a tier 2/3 team would nab Leach. Arkansas is a great fit. Any of you who think he wouldn't take this job are nuts. A much better history and a current "low bar". He can do nothing but be a hero - and make 6M/year in front of 72K fans. Not a bad move.
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This. Plus, it just feels like Mike Leach is burned out in Pullman and needs a new challenge...a spark.

Somebody posted some B.S. in another thread, saying that “people in the know” said that Arkansas contacted Leach and he said he’s staying in Pullman. That’s b.s.. That conversation never happened.
 
32eekortS said:
This. Plus, it just feels like Mike Leach is burned out in Pullman and needs a new challenge...a spark.

Somebody posted some B.S. in another thread, saying that “people in the know” said that Arkansas contacted Leach and he said he’s staying in Pullman. That’s b.s.. That conversation never happened.
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That’s a poopy butt post.
 
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No I don't think Jeff Long or the Arkansas admin had "morals" regarding petrino. They could have sanctioned, fined, suspended him......or at least had a closed door meeting to see if the situation was salvageable. Instead they held a press conference and publically hung him.

Strange deal, a lot of internal politics and jealousy. Really it was between him and his wife. Hes a scumbag but it was mishandled.
 
Switzer would not be publicly endorsing Leach unless leach wanted him to. Just food for thought,
 
billyjoecamaro said:
My biggest fear was that a tier 2/3 team would nab Leach. Arkansas is a great fit. Any of you who think he wouldn't take this job are nuts. A much better history and a current "low bar". He can do nothing but be a hero - and make 6M/year in front of 72K fans. Not a bad move.
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This has all been discussed above.
 
32eekortS said:
This. Plus, it just feels like Mike Leach is burned out in Pullman and needs a new challenge...a spark.

Somebody posted some B.S. in another thread, saying that “people in the know” said that Arkansas contacted Leach and he said he’s staying in Pullman. That’s b.s.. That conversation never happened.
Click to expand...

I don't think Leach dislikes Pullman. I think he dislikes having to hire new assistants every year. I could see that being a factor.
 
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Fab5Coug said:
I don't think Leach dislikes Pullman. I think he dislikes having to hire new assistants every year. I could see that being a factor.
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He's probably not fond of not having the IPF that's been promised either.
 
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There has been a lot of turnover at Arkansas in the past few years, coaches, AD, you'll have guys like Barry, and Jerry breathin' down your neck. Sure there are a lot of positives about the job, but there is also the potential to have to deal with a lot of stuff that Leach doesn't have to deal with at WSU. I hope Leach sticks around, but I don't think anyone really knows, the Tech fans didn't call him TSO for nothing. Leach will do what Leach does, and for his reasons only.
 
Switzer knows how the game is played. For one, they're friends, and he probably genuinely thinks Leach is the right guy for Arkansas. More importantly, he knows that publicly endorsing Leach will only benefit Leach's bottom line; either by helping him get a better offer elsewhere or with a raise from WSU.
 
Flatlandcoug said:
Good to know the insight. When did you talk to Leach about it?
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C'mon, its obvious from the comments on this site that everyone knows what Leach likes, dislikes, where he wants to work, what he thinks of this, that, and the other thing, and so on, and so on...
 
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