7 years ago today, Texas Tech Baseball changed forever.
Spencer officially out as head baseball coach at Texas Tech
By George Watson
Posted May 21, 2012 at 10:31 AM
When looking at the state of the Texas Tech baseball program, athletic director Kirby Hocutt took into account more than just the disappointment that was the 2012 season.
It was in the process of looking through the last three seasons that Hocutt, in charge of the athletic program for the past 14 months, decided it was time to make a change at the top and fired Dan Spencer Sunday as head coach of the program.
“The focus and task in front of us is simple,” Hocutt said at a Monday morning news conference at the Spike Dykes team room at the Football Training Facility. “That is to identify the right individual to lead this program back to an elite level. Make no mistake, at Texas Tech we expect to compete for championships.
“We are all evaluated at the end of every season. When you look at the last three seasons, we are not going in the right direction. Quite simply, in this business we are all held accountable for our results. We have not had the results we expect at Texas Tech.”
Spencer had three years remaining on a five-year contract signed in October of 2010, and Hocutt said Spencer will be paid for the remainder of that contract, which totals $720,000 over those three years.
Spencer came to Tech after a very successful stint as an assistant coach at Oregon State. As the pitching coach, he helped lead the Beavers to three straight College World Series appearances, winning the national championship in 2006 and 2007.
His only other head coaching experience was at Green River Community College from 1992 to 1996 where he was 131-67.
Spencer also played at Tech from 1985 to 1987 under former coaches Gary Ashby and Larry Hays.
“I’m extremely broken-hearted for Dan and his family,” Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress said. “No doubt, he was a huge part of the success up there at Oregon State they had in his time there. I hate that he couldn’t get it going the way he’s capable of getting it going sooner at Texas Tech. Obviously he’s an incredible human being and has done a great job as a coach.”
In four seasons as the head coach of the Red Raiders, Spencer compiled a 115-112 overall record, but he was just 44-61 in the Big 12. The 2012 team was supposed to be Spencer’s most talented and experienced team, but it did not live up to expectations, winning just one Big 12 series the entire season and dropping two of three this past weekend to Kansas State when a series win would have put the Red Raiders in the Big 12 Championships.
Under Spencer, the Red Raiders never finished above .500 in conference play, going 13-14 in 2010 and 12-15 in 2009 and 2011. The Red Raiders never finished higher than fifth under Spencer, and this year missed the Big 12 Championships for the fourth time in 10 seasons and the first time under Spencer.
“You go through a season and you win one conference series all year when you know there’s more talent in that clubhouse than those results,” Hocutt said. ”(With) the expectations we have to win, and win in everything we do and win the right way, you’ve got to have better results.”
Spencer did not attend the news conference, and a message left on his cell phone late Sunday night was not returned.
Associate head coach Tim Tadlock, who came to the program in November, has been named the interim head coach until a permanent replacement is announced. Hocutt said Tadlock will be a “strong candidate” for the job and has expressed interest in the position.
“I don’t know if there’s anyone in the state of Texas that has the recruiting connections he has,” Kirby said. “I don’t know of anyone more well-respected among major league scouts than Tim Tadlock. We feel fortunate to have him here to lead the program at this time as the interim.”
Spencer officially out as head baseball coach at Texas Tech
By George Watson
Posted May 21, 2012 at 10:31 AM
When looking at the state of the Texas Tech baseball program, athletic director Kirby Hocutt took into account more than just the disappointment that was the 2012 season.
It was in the process of looking through the last three seasons that Hocutt, in charge of the athletic program for the past 14 months, decided it was time to make a change at the top and fired Dan Spencer Sunday as head coach of the program.
“The focus and task in front of us is simple,” Hocutt said at a Monday morning news conference at the Spike Dykes team room at the Football Training Facility. “That is to identify the right individual to lead this program back to an elite level. Make no mistake, at Texas Tech we expect to compete for championships.
“We are all evaluated at the end of every season. When you look at the last three seasons, we are not going in the right direction. Quite simply, in this business we are all held accountable for our results. We have not had the results we expect at Texas Tech.”
Spencer had three years remaining on a five-year contract signed in October of 2010, and Hocutt said Spencer will be paid for the remainder of that contract, which totals $720,000 over those three years.
Spencer came to Tech after a very successful stint as an assistant coach at Oregon State. As the pitching coach, he helped lead the Beavers to three straight College World Series appearances, winning the national championship in 2006 and 2007.
His only other head coaching experience was at Green River Community College from 1992 to 1996 where he was 131-67.
Spencer also played at Tech from 1985 to 1987 under former coaches Gary Ashby and Larry Hays.
“I’m extremely broken-hearted for Dan and his family,” Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress said. “No doubt, he was a huge part of the success up there at Oregon State they had in his time there. I hate that he couldn’t get it going the way he’s capable of getting it going sooner at Texas Tech. Obviously he’s an incredible human being and has done a great job as a coach.”
In four seasons as the head coach of the Red Raiders, Spencer compiled a 115-112 overall record, but he was just 44-61 in the Big 12. The 2012 team was supposed to be Spencer’s most talented and experienced team, but it did not live up to expectations, winning just one Big 12 series the entire season and dropping two of three this past weekend to Kansas State when a series win would have put the Red Raiders in the Big 12 Championships.
Under Spencer, the Red Raiders never finished above .500 in conference play, going 13-14 in 2010 and 12-15 in 2009 and 2011. The Red Raiders never finished higher than fifth under Spencer, and this year missed the Big 12 Championships for the fourth time in 10 seasons and the first time under Spencer.
“You go through a season and you win one conference series all year when you know there’s more talent in that clubhouse than those results,” Hocutt said. ”(With) the expectations we have to win, and win in everything we do and win the right way, you’ve got to have better results.”
Spencer did not attend the news conference, and a message left on his cell phone late Sunday night was not returned.
Associate head coach Tim Tadlock, who came to the program in November, has been named the interim head coach until a permanent replacement is announced. Hocutt said Tadlock will be a “strong candidate” for the job and has expressed interest in the position.
“I don’t know if there’s anyone in the state of Texas that has the recruiting connections he has,” Kirby said. “I don’t know of anyone more well-respected among major league scouts than Tim Tadlock. We feel fortunate to have him here to lead the program at this time as the interim.”
