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Chat Reel: Mike Leach
Red Raider coach optimistic about upcoming season
Posted: Tuesday August 14, 2001 4:57 PM
Updated: Tuesday August 14, 2001 4:57 PM
CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's Big 12 football chat with Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach. Welcome coach and thanks for joining us.
Mike Leach: I appreciate your having me on.
From Derek Baker in Bangkok, Thailand: I was part of the facility there in Red Raider land last year with the Army ROTC. I wanted to know whether you were going to focus on getting Ricky Williams more touches of the football or just downright air out the pigskin?
Mike Leach: Ricky got a lot of touches last year, I think they'll increase for a couple of reasons. He's in a lot better shape than last year and isn't hampered by an injury. Last year his first full practice was the Thursday before we played New Mexico. And I also think Kliff Kingsbury being more familiar with the offense will help him.
From Techsan: How do you feel the psyche of the team is now compared to last year as far as confidence in the system and having a killer instinct?
Mike Leach: I think it's quite a bit better. We've had a real good offseason. The players have worked extremely hard, and I think we're all more familiar with each other. And our younger guys got a bit older, and I think all those things will help us.
From RaiderM: Hey coach, think you're doing a great job. Can you talk a little about who you expect to contribute the most at receiver this year?
Mike Leach: Well, I appreciate that. That's difficult to say. Ultimately, we expect them all to contribute. We try to have every skill player touch the ball. Carlos Francis and Darrell Jones are candidates to rise above the rest. And Wes Welker had a good year last year.
From md: Will the offensive line be able to provide more pass protection for the quarterback this year?
Mike Leach: They should be able to just by virtue that they're healthier. And the two redshirt freshmen will get older. We only lost one offensive lineman to graduation, and I think we'll have a year to build on in almost every case.
From bdm77: I have heard that a lot of players stayed through most of the summer. Has this enabled them to run the passing offense more effectively for game-type situations?
Mike Leach: Yes, I think that's important for any team. The more guys you have over the summer the stronger you are. Four times a week, quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs, defensive backs and linebackers would stay and play seven-on-seven, and that always helps the precision and timing. And I think the dedication says a lot also.
From Ty Hendrick in Dallas: I am very pleased with the recruiting turnaround that you have been able to accomplish in such a short period of time. The incoming class looks to be loaded with blue-chip talent from all over the country. Do you think that we will have enough depth in the secondary to cover the speedy wide receivers from Texas? Are the junior college transfers ready to play, or are they going to need time to work into the defense?
Mike Leach: We've had some defensive backs come in that have looked good. Jose Hanson, Ricky Sailor both looked good. And I think the JUCO guys will contribute tremendously. The recruits look good. They have lots of speed. The offensive linemen are averaging over 285 pounds. And we have four really good defensive linemen that are looking really good.
From GoTech: Coach, how much did you personally learn last year in your first year as head coach? Do you expect any changes in the way you approach this season?
Mike Leach: I think you always learn a lot. Most have to learn with time organization and delegating. That's a constant growth process. As far as changes, for the most part, they'll be organizational changes.
From Techsan: How will the improvement in athletic facilities help in the recruitment of players?
Mike Leach: I think it's going to help a lot. We're still waiting to reap the benefits from that. They've already started on the stadium and made a lot of progress. They'll start on the football complex later this year. When these are finished I believe we'll have the finest complex in the country. We're looking forward to the completion and the opportunity to show the recruits what we have.
From Eddie Romaka in Houston: Last year we beat the schools we were supposed to beat, and lost to the more elite schools in the conference. What has Tech done to beat schools like Kansas State, Texas and those pesky Aggies?
Mike Leach: Well, hopefully score more points. I think the biggest thing is that we were a young team that played hard last year. The maturity of working together as a team and staff will show. We're looking forward to showing how far we've come. The other thing to note is that there isn't anyone on our schedule that we can't beat. We have to play well because we have an extremely tough schedule. Last year we got beat by Nebraska, and if we play well this year I think we can beat them. And that's based on the fact that we played Oklahoma and KSU better than they did.
From Paul Marin in Gainsville, Fla.: Hey, I was just wondering about the transfer from Miami, Tory Mitchell? Which position will he play, wide receiver, defensive back or both? Thanks for the awesome offense you brought to Tech.
Mike Leach: I appreciate the comments, and he'll play defensive back. We're still waiting on word from the NCAA to see if he's eligible based on the transfer rules.
From TulsSooner: Coach Leach, congratulations on your success at Texas Tech. You will always have a special place in the Oklahoma fans' hearts. What do you see as your team's main strengths on both offense and defense?
Mike Leach: Offensively, I would say it's our quarterback and the growth that we've made as a unit playing together and the precision and timing that will come with a year together. On defense it would be two players Kevin Curtis and Lawrence Flugence who led the Big 12 in tackles last year. I think our defensive line and linebackers will be strong.
From GoTech: Coach, do you expect any freshmen to play immediately?
Mike Leach: That's awfully hard to gauge, and I don't know any coach who has had success predicting that. I gave up a long time ago. How quick they adjust and develop is hard to predict, but we always leave the door open for them to do that.
From Techsan: With more defenses being able to study the spread offense, how hard is it to stay ahead of opposing defenses?
Mike Leach: I think that it's always challenging to face any time of defense because guys on that side of ball are coaching just as hard as the offensive guys do. When you spread people out and get the ball in lots of peoples' hands, you spread the defense out as much as possible and give yourself more room to operate.
From Brian Glenn in San Antonio: Coach Leach, do you think the Big 12 should continue playing a championship game at the end of the season? Or settle it the way it's being done in the Big Ten?
Mike Leach: I think that all schools should do it the same way. I don't particularly care which way they go, but I think the conferences that have a championship game are at a disadvantage compared to those that don't. Doesn't matter to me what they do as long as they do it the same way.
CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Mike Leach. Coach, thanks for joining us and good luck this season.
Mike Leach: Thanks a lot -- I appreciate your having me.
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